Industrial machinery and equipment
- Energy-efficient, material- and process-optimized bearing technologies play a key role in reducing the carbon footprint
- Reconditioning of wheelset bearings requires less raw material and energy than producing new ones
Bearing technologies to reduce the carbon footprint
Bestandteil des GNFK StartThe Industrial division offers a wide range of solutions with rotary and linear bearings for energy-efficient operation of machines and equipment.
With diameters ranging from a few millimeters to several meters, the extensive bearing portfolio includes high-speed types for electric motors, high-performance spindles, and aircraft engines, as well as solutions with larger bearings for energy generation such as power plant turbines and wind turbines.
81 %
CO2 reduction through the reconditioning or repair of aircraft bearings compared to the production of a new bearing
In addition to friction- and lubricant-optimized bearing solutions, approaches are also being developed to improve the carbon footprint in the bearing production process. Another option is the reconditioning or repair of aircraft bearings, which is not only economical, but can also reduce CO2 by up to 81 % compared to the production of a new bearing.
The Schaeffler Group has also optimized production processes with a focus on resource efficiency. For example, it was possible to reduce the material use and the rate of material removal by machining necessary to form cages made from forge blanks in the field of large wind turbine bearings by up to 65 %. Smaller production allowance and optimized heat treatment processes also reduce the energy requirements of heat treatment plants for roller bearing rings.Bestandteil des GNFK Ende
Reconditioning of wheelset bearings in rail transport
In 2021, the Schaeffler Group received the Railsponsible Supplier Award for its 100 % return service for wheelset bearings in rail transport. The concept simplifies and accelerates railway vehicle maintenance by immediately providing reconditioned replacement bearings, which not only increases availability for customers, but also requires less raw material and energy demand than manufacturing a new bearing.
Advancing Industry 4.0
The Industry 4.0 segment specializes in a comprehensive range of intelligent maintenance and assembly solutions, with a particular focus on proper bearing lubrication, which can prevent many problems with applications. Uncertainty and a lack of transparency in terms of actual lubricant volumes and the condition of conventional, automatic lubrication systems are often a reason for maintenance companies to continue with applying lubricant manually rather than relying on automatic lubrication systems. As a result, up to 30 % more lubricant is used than necessary. The new “OPTIME C1” single-point lubrication system was developed for automatic lubrication in larger machine parks. A central location makes it simple to monitor the condition of all lubricant dispensers and ensure the optimum lubricant volume, which in turn reduces grease consumption and increases machine availability.