Industry news

As digital transformation increases manufacturing throughput, and with booming online trade, the demands on material handling are constantly increasing. Customers expect faster and more reliable deliveries, meaning order structures and throughput times have changed drastically. Efficient material handling is becoming more and more important. Companies are therefore increasingly relying on high-tech and automated conveyor systems. Overhead conveyor technology is a popular solution, and overhead travel is suitable for goods in space-optimised places and for fragile goods. However, modern conveyor technology also places high demands on the machine components, especially the bearings, essential elements of the drive technology. For safe and reliable overhead transport, igus offers customer-specific and wear resistant ball bearings made of high-performance plastic. There are two main types of bearings in conveyor technology: plain bearings and ball bearings. The latter has the advantage that they benefit from low rolling friction and therefore have less torque regardless of weight. Due to their hardness, metallic ball bearings in principle have a high load capacity, but they are susceptible to rust and contamination – even specially coated ones – and are fundamentally unsuitable for use in corrosive or damp environments. In addition, metal bearings require lubricant, as any metallic friction causes wear and loss of performance. If the lubricant is lost or absorbed by dust and lint, the bearing must be replaced. To fix this issue, igus offers lubrication-free and maintenance-free ball bearings made of tribologically optimised (friction and wear optimised) high-performance plastics that are ideal for the specific requirements of the application. xiros ball bearings: Cost-effective, durable and safe The xiros series includes deep groove, axial, flange and pillow block ball bearings. The inner and outer races are made of the high-performance plastic “xirodur”, the cage consists of xirodur or iglidur (another igus polymer), and the balls are made of glass or stainless steel. The product range also includes other types, including guide rollers and self-aligning ball bearings. What makes them special is that igus’s materials researchers adapt the basic polymers to a wide variety of industrial requirements, including overhead conveyors. "The xiros ball bearings are also perfect for efficient material handling in overhead conveyor technology. They are not only lubrication-free, maintenance-free and light, but also withstand corrosion, take up little installation space and are a cost-effective alternative to metal solutions," emphasises Rob Dumayne, drytech Product Director at igus UK. Because of these friction-optimised and wear-resistant polymers, xiros ball bearings are also exceptionally durable. The service life of all the individual products can be calculated easily by using an online tool, that is powered by the data that igus collects through numerous tests in its own 3,800m2 laboratory. Both the xiros material itself and the different material combinations for bearing races, balls and cages are put through their paces regarding wear, load capacity and material behaviour at different speeds, accelerations and temperatures. This rigorous testing is the only way to ensure trouble-free…

NSK will exhibit at the 18th China International Machine Tool Show (CIMT2023) to be held in Beijing, China from April 10 (Monday) to April 15 (Saturday), 2023. CIMT2023 Overview CIMT is China's largest machine tool exhibition held every other year, where many machine tool and component makers will exhibit their newest products. NSK's Exhibit Details NSK is proud to be the only company to research and manufacture precision bearings, balls screws, linear guides, and spindles, the four core components of machine tools. We also develop condition monitoring systems for predictive maintenance. At CIMT2023, NSK will be exhibiting a selection of its latest products and technologies that meet the demands of its customers. Concept MORE THAN PRECISION - New Motion Creating A New World NSK steadily purses new challenges and goals to help advance machining — and by extension society — to the next level. We move forward without fail. Reducing CO2 emissions throughout the supply chain. Reviewing production processes, researching and developing new materials, and improving manufacturing technologies. By delivering higher performance machine tool products to our customers, we help reduce environmental impact not only in our own facilities, but also at our customers' worksites. We believe this will lead to a better environment, industry, and more prosperous society. New motion and ideas will change the world. NSK represents the continuous pursuit of further improvement and challenge. Major Exhibits For Machine Tool Spindles ROBUSTDYNA™ Series Ultra-high-speed high-load capacity angular contact ball bearings   The new J-Type line supports heavy-duty cutting and high-speed rotation in a single product for efficient machining of general and automotive parts, as well as a longer service life and reduced CO2 emissions in manufacturing. Contributes to improved productivity and long-term stable operation of machine tools. New Grease ROBUSTGRD™ for Machine Tool Spindles Eco-friendly grease that improves reliability and resistance to seizure in applications using coolants   Reliable and seizure-resistant ROBUSTGRD grease helps improve productivity and ensure stable operation over the long term while providing machine tools with the environmental benefits of grease lubrication, even when faced with cutting fluid or coolants. For Machine Tool Feed Systems Roller Guides with Highly Dust Resistant V1 Seal & V1 Bottom Seal and Ball Screws with X1 Seal Achieves both high dust resistance and high grease retention thereby improving machinery reliability   Optimized seal lip design achieves both high dust resistance and low friction. Significantly reduces entry of foreign matter compared to previous products, contributing to long-term stable operation. High Durability Precision Ball Screw Surface processing technology reduces wear. Maintenance-free for longer periods   NSK's proprietary surface modification technology applied to ball screws reduces wear that tends to occur in low-speed or short-stroke operation, contributing to longer machine maintenance periods. For…

Schaeffler supplies first customers with fully electric wheel hub motors In-wheel electric drive makes road-sweeping vehicles, compact vans and snowplows quieter, more agile, and locally zero-emission New drive technology accelerates electrification of municipal utility vehicles and enables new vehicle architectures With electrification, good things come in threes, it seems. No less than three manufacturers of compact municipal vehicles are gearing up to incorporate high-efficiency electric wheel hub motors made by Schaeffler into their production lines in the coming months. Fully electrified, their road sweepers, vans, and snowplow vehicles will operate with zero local CO2 emissions, leading to improved air quality in urban areas. “Schaeffler is reinventing the drive systems used in small, lightweight electric utility vehicles in our inner cities,” said Matthias Zink, Schaeffler’s CEO Automotive Technologies. The defining feature of the new wheel hub motors is that all the components needed for propulsion and braking are integrated directly into the wheel rim, rather than being positioned centrally or mounted on the drive axles. This architecture saves space and makes the vehicles much more agile and maneuverable in city traffic. Utility vehicles powered by these low-noise, fully electric motors are very quiet to operate, resulting in reduced sound pollution in pedestrian areas and on city streets. They can also be operated for extended hours in residential areas because the disturbance to residents is so much less. One of the first companies to be launching a multifunction vehicle comprising Schaeffler wheel hub motor technology onto the market this year is Jungo. Jungo and Schaeffler have been partnering to tailor the drive technology to the specific everyday requirements of commercial street sweeping. “The electric in-wheel motors and braking technology eliminates the need for oil changes and greatly enhances our vehicles’ performance in terms of efficiency, power-to-weight ratio, safety, handling, and braking reliability,” said Jungo founder and CEO Nicolas Jungo. Efficient solution for a wide range of inner-city and mobility scenarios Schaeffler’s wheel hub motors have a broad range of inner-city mobile machinery applications, including street sweeping, snow clearing, and waste collection. “In this vehicle segment, as in others, the question is: what’s the fastest and most efficient way to reduce CO2 emissions? And the answer to that question is electrification,” said Dr. Jochen Schröder, head of E-Mobility at Schaeffler. This new drive technology opens up a new and steadily growing market for Schaeffler. The company aims to see its wheel hub motors used in more and more utility and service vehicles in towns and cities, on factory campuses, and at logistics centers, ports, airports, and large parking facilities. These types of vehicles tend to be operated on set routes, so they are a good fit for the fixed ranges and predictable charging…

The SKF Circular Economy Centre has secured a new customer on the strength of its capabilities in bringing deliverables that combine optimised operations and cost savings with environmental benefits.  Aligning with SKF’s circular economy drive, the organisation continues to innovate its products, systems and services. One of SKF’s greatest strengths is the development of new technologies and value adding solutions to assist customers in achieving their economic and environmental sustainability goals. “This proud reputation prompted the customer, who is a leading operator in the mining sector based in Gauteng, to approach us in August 2022 for a bearing remanufacturing solution,” says Lourens Pretorius, SKF Circular Economy Centre Manager. “The customer later called for a further eighteen additional gearbox bearings to be sent in to SKF’s Reman Centre for assessment.” What initially started with a request for a site inspection of SRBs (Spherical Roller Bearings) while still on their respective shafts to determine if they were suitable for remanufacturing, was followed by a fully integrated solution from the SKF Circular Economy Centre. This included the supply of new and refurbished bearings, mounting tools and local engineering components as well as additional support services such as professional bearing fitment and a condition monitoring solution that called in the expertise of SKF’s Mechanical Field Service and Connected Technologies. “We remanufactured a total of 25 bearings and replaced three bearings that did not pass our remanufacture assessment requirements,” explains Pretorius. “We also supplied eleven new units as well as local engineering components comprising new bearing sleeves and lock nuts.”  Pretorius weighs in on the value that SKF’s specialist Remanufacturing Centre adds. “In the true sense of what makes up a circular economy, our remanufacturing capabilities enable us to reduce, reuse and recycle. Instead of being replaced, remanufactured bearings are given a new lease on life and are reused. As remanufactured bearings are much more cost-effective than new bearings we have kept costs down significantly for our customer.” “Moreover, the waiting period for certain large size bearings can be up to several months but as we are able to remanufacture bearings within three to five working days we have substantially reduced the lead times, getting our customer fully operational within only a few days.” Pretorius adds that SKF’s remanufactured bearings and units conform to the same geometric, form and quality specifications as new SKF products. The remanufactured components carry a one-year conformance warranty which is testament to the high quality and reliability of these products. And finally, Pretorius points to the fact that bearing remanufacture reduces material consumption; bearings not eligible for remanufacture can be recycled to produce new bearings, effectively closing the loop.  SKF’s Mechanical Field Service team stepped in to ensure that the bearings are correctly fitted by using a selection of Mapro mounting tools including a bearing heater, hydraulic nuts and spanners; a C-Spanner was purchased by the customer. In addition to providing a baseline vibration monitoring required by the customer to ensure that the equipment passes all the necessary requirements before commissioning, SKF’s Connected Technologies team was also able to provide baseline readings on other critical equipment. The complete SKF solution includes condition monitoring; vibration and temperature data is collected in real-time and is analysed…

Deep Groove Hybrid Radial Ball Bearings featuring Si3N4 Silicon Nitride Ceramic balls from LM76 complement their broad range of linear bearings that are FDA/USDA/3A Dairy compliant. These Deep Groove Stainless/Ceramic Hybrid Si3N4 Silicon Nitride Radial Ball Bearings are ideal for the extreme environments experienced in the food, drug, and dairy industries. Capable of high speeds, high radial and axial loads, 24/7 duty cycles, and extreme sanitizing procedures such as high-pressure washdown, and caustic foaming agents. The advantages of Stainless/Ceramic Hybrid Si3N4 Silicon Nitride Ball Bearings are longer life because of lower friction and vibration, lower thermal expansion, and heat transmission, therefore, catastrophic failure is all but eliminated. Balls made from Si3N4 Silicon Nitride are smoother than steel balls resulting in lower friction removing the chance of micro-welding or smearing resistance between mating surfaces, and as they will not deform under pressure higher loads are possible with no risk of spalling, and they have an electrical resistivity of 10^14. These deep groove radial bearings are ideal for use in Food, dairy, and pharmaceutical processing, deep space, underwater, assembly and sorting applications, high-speed spindles, cleanrooms, motors, and pumps. Heat and corrosion are two factors that lead to bearing failures. Ceramic Hybrid Si3N4 Silicon Nitride Balls are inert, low thermal, and electrical conductors and do not contribute to cross-corrosion between bearing components, and are unaffected by corrosive agents such as acids and salts. Longer life, higher speeds, and loads equal greater throughput and lower operating costs. Deep Groove Stainless/Ceramic Hybrid Si3N4 Silicon Nitride Ball Bearings are available with Nitrile or PTFE shields, with Stainless or Chrome Steel races, and with IDs of 3mm to 120 mm. Founded in 1976, LM76 has been a leading designer/manufacturer of linear bearings, slides, and linear motion systems. LM76 is renowned for its industry-leading Minuteman Teflon Composite linear bearings. LM76 is a leading supplier of precision linear shafting: RC60, 300 Series Stainless Steel, and ceramic-coated aluminum shafting. LM76 also offers several FDA/USDA-compliant linear bearings and slides for the food processing, pharmaceutical, medical, and packaging industries. (https://www.designworldonline.com) More About XBRZ: Xinzhou Bearing Industrial Inc. is one of the Custom Bearing Manufacturer and world wide Distributors of all types of Bearings,specializing in Ball, Needle, and Roller types (Inch and Metric Sizes) made from Ceramic (Si3N4/ZrO2), Stainless (440c/316) or Chrome Steel(SAE52100 steel); Tolerance ABEC1, 3, 5, 7.level. We work directly with our OEMs and Bearing Distributors. Our engineers can help you with bearing, shaft and housing tolerances as well as semiconductor applications, cryogenic applications, extreme hostile environments, and extreme  temperatures environments. We also stock other manufacturer’s bearings. We distribute bearings for extreme high temperature. We can help design/manufacture any bearing.   2023 New Week XBRZ Product Recommendation: Miniature Bearing： Miniature bearings are sometimes referred to…