Download - Schaeffler Group

IN THIS ISSUE...
5
Airbus turboprop
engine ‘flies’
through test run
Radical, new
‘ball roller’
bearing concept
8
Bearing ‘kits’
for rail locos
17
ISSUE 6 - Dec 2006
Single bearing
solution for
wind turbine
12

However, in the face of increasing
competition and customer demands for
even greater quality, the Group has
launched an expanded quality initiative –
Fit for Quality - which goes far beyond
previous methods.
"Our quality objective of ‘zero defects’ is not some
sort of utopia, but a key element in ensuring
customer satisfaction," explained Dr Juergen
Geissinger, Group CEO. "In order that we can work
more quickly but without defects we have
introduced the programme ‘Fit for Quality’.
The aim is to achieve further significant
improvements in the quality of our products, our
technologies and our working methods and we
call on every individual to assist us in this aim."
All employees across every area of operation
– sales, engineering, manufacturing, purchasing etc
– will be directly involved in the Fit for Quality
initiative. There are eight core measures that form
part of this initiative to help achieve the Zero
Defects target:
1. Quality is Everyone’s Responsibility.
Every employee is required to do everything
possible to prevent errors before they occur.
2. SWOT (Strengths & Weaknesses
v. Opportunities & Threats)
Analysis for every function.
This is a method for identifying strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats in every
area of the working environment.
COVER STORY
SCHAEFFLER
SPONSORS THE
MASTERS SEE PAGE 6
FIT FOR QUALITY NEW GLOBAL
INITIATIVE TARGETS ZERO DEFECTS
THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP HAS ALWAYS HAD THE QUALITY TARGET OF "ZERO
DEFECTS" AND HAS ENJOYED REMARKABLE SUCCESSES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
(Above) Kate Hartigan, Managing Director, launches the UK Fit for Quality initiative in Sutton Coldfield.
This exercise heightens awareness, strengthens
positive aspects and helps identify measures
needed to optimise quality – and achieve the
target of Zero Defects.
The SWOT analysis, based on a carefully structured
survey form, will be organised by managers but will
involve every member of each team.
Organisational processes, clarity of working
instructions, individual delivery quality,
opportunities for improving information and work
flow will be examined in each department/product
line/workstation as will relationships between both
internal and external suppliers and customers.
3. "Near Miss" Analysis
A technique designed to uncover defects and
weaknesses before they happen and to enable us
to act quickly to eliminate problems.
4. Layered Audits
Designed to root out potential errors quickly and
thoroughly. These will involve managers at all levels
in regular discussions with their teams regarding
their individual contributions to quality issues.
5. Continuous Education –
Qualified Team
Continuous education/training of employees is
a prerequisite of quality excellence.
6. Greater Use of Existing
Quality Tools
These sophisticated tools include PEP
(Product Development Process), RLA
(Risk Level Assessment) and FMEA
(Failure Mode Effect Analysis).
Fit for Quality
All will be utilised to a greater extent in
future to prevent problems from
occurring.
7. 100% Process Effectiveness
/ 100% Process Capability
The aim is to address problems before
going into mass production by providing
adequate time to successfully prove
product and processes.
8. Share and Act on Lessons Learned
This involves every employee of the
Group and is based in the principle that
admitting mistakes is not a weakness,
whereas doing nothing to eliminate them
is. Fit for Quality will also utilise a range
of new and recently introduced tools and
systems to help achieve "Zero Defects".
These include:
Quality for You (Q-4-U)
KaizenPlus
Project Management
Continuous Improvement Activities
The Fit for Quality initiative has now been
launched by the Group on a global basis
and every employee at every location
across all five continents is now fully
involved in the process. In the UK "Fit for
Quality" was introduced with a series of
conferences involving managers and staff
at every level in the organisation.
In Motion will keep readers
updated on the progress of the
initiative.
REGIONAL QUALITY
AWARD FROM
NISSAN EUROPE
IN RECOGNITION OF THE COMPANY’S EXCELLENT
QUALITY PERFORMANCE LAST YEAR, THE SCHAEFFLER
GROUP HAS BEEN AWARDED A NISSAN EUROPE
REGIONAL QUALITY AWARD FOR THE SUPPLY OF
TAPPETS TO NISSAN EUROPE. ONLY THREE SUPPLIERS
OUT OF ALMOST 500 RECEIVED SUCH AN ACCOLADE.
At Nissan Europe’s ‘Annual Supplier
Quality Conference’ held at the
Newcastle Civic Centre last month, the
Schaeffler Group was awarded a
Regional Quality Award for its excellent
quality performance from April 2005
to March 2006.
The Nissan Regional Quality Awards are
given to a small number of suppliers
each year who demonstrate excellence
in quality performance during a 12month
period. Suppliers are measured
according to Nissan’s own ‘Supplier
Scorecard’ (SSC) system, a common,
global system with indices that Nissan
uses to rate its suppliers.
The Schaeffler Group is one of three
out of a total of 489 suppliers in
Nissan’s European region, to win a
Regional Quality Award, with two other
European suppliers receiving a Most
Improved Award.
Suppliers are measured against five
main criteria, with each supplier
accruing points for each category.
‘PPM’ or ‘parts per million’ defect rates;
warranty claims ratio against a supplier;
a supplier’s timeliness of response;
how fast the supplier responds to an
escalated problem, known as
corrective action request (CAR); and
whether the supplier’s parts have caused
any recalls, either on a vehicle already
in the market or at a dealership.
Receiving the award at the Newcastle
Civic Centre on behalf of the
Schaeffler Group was Dorian Quirk, UK
Quality Manager at Schaeffler UK’s
Llanelli plant who accepted the award
on behalf of Schaeffler from Colin
Dodge, Senior Vice President of
Manufacturing at Nissan Europe.
Deborah Quinn of Nissan Europe,
commented:
"We award points on a
monthly basis to each
supplier, based on five
key measures.
To win our Regional
Quality Award means
that the Schaeffler
Group had to perform
extremely well during
that period."
John Taylor, Director & General
Manager of the Automotive Division at
Schaeffler UK, said:
"The Award was in recognition of our
company’s excellent performance as a
supplier of tappets to the Nissan
Sunderland plant. Our defect rate for
supply of tappets was absolutely zero
over the 12-month period."
Over the last two years, the Schaeffler
Group has supplied Nissan with around
nine million tappets in total, at a
defect rate of zero parts per million.
NEWS
IN MOTION | 2 IN MOTION | 3

NEWS
(Above) Roger Evans (left)
receives the award at the
ceremony.
SCHAEFFLER UK WINS
TOP AWARD FOR
PEOPLE MANAGEMENT
THE COVETED ‘EDUCATION, SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP’ AWARD, ONE OF THE HUMAN
CAPITAL AWARDS FROM THE CONFEDERATION OF BRITISH INDUSTRY (CBI) HAS BEEN
WON BY SCHAEFFLER UK. IN WINNING THE AWARD FOR ITS OUTSTANDING
ACHIEVEMENTS IN PEOPLE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE. SCHAEFFLER UK BEAT THE LIKES
OF MCDONALDS, ARM, BAXI HEATING UK AND THE SERCO GROUP.
T
he company received the
award at a ceremony at
London’s Hilton Park Lane,
which was followed by a
gala dinner and keynote speech by the
Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions, the Rt Hon John Hutton MP.
The Education, Skills and Leadership
Award recognises education, leadership
development and skills-based initiatives
that lead directly to business success.
This includes HR programmes and
initiatives launched as a result of
business challenges.
Back in 2003, faced with the potential
migration of jobs to Eastern Europe,
Schaeffler UK’s manufacturing plant in
Llanelli, South Wales, embarked on a
culture change programme with the
vision of becoming a Schaeffler Group
production location of choice.
In 2004, the planned transfer of some
production lines from Llanelli was
postponed indefinitely and, more recently,
production has been transferred to the
South Wales site from a sister plant in
Germany. The culture change
programme, led by Plant Director Roger
(Above) Roger Evans (left front), and Kate Hartigan (second right front) with all the other award winners.
Evans, involved senior management
personally interviewing each employee
at the plant. This, coupled with other
change management initiatives, resulted
in significant productivity improvements,
followed by a huge appetite for learning
from the workforce.
Commenting on Schaeffler UK’s
achievements, the panel of judges
commented that "It was really inspiring
to hear about a manufacturing business
that had faith in its people… and the
lesson to be taken from Schaeffler is to
invest in your people in difficult times."
Kate Hartigan, Managing Director at
Schaeffler UK commented: "At Llanelli,
we manufacture INA precision
components, predominantly for major
automotive OEMs. The global nature of
our marketplace, our customers and our
competitors creates new challenges, to
which we must respond rapidly and
effectively if we are to survive. This is
recognised by our workforce, who have
embraced the challenge to learn new
skills and become more flexible in
meeting the world class performance
levels demanded by us.
"Our reward is to see this resulting in
new production investment for the plant
being committed by the Group for the
first time in several years."
The new Human Capital Awards
programme is the first to recognise the
direct effect that excellence in people
management can have on a company’s
bottom line results. The awards were
therefore developed to recognise British
companies and their outstanding
performance in this discipline.
Between five and six companies were
shortlisted in each of the eight
categories. Judging was by a panel of
experts, which included Ms Susan
Anderson, Director of the CBI; Albert
Ellis, CEO of Harvey Nash; Keith Bradford,
Senior VP HR Global Operations
GlaxoSmithKline plc; Lord Leitch of
Oakley, Chairman Leitch Review on Skills;
Professor David Metcalf, Commissioner,
Low Pay Commission; and Angie Risley,
Group Human Resources Director at the
Whitbread Group plc.
Susan Anderson, CBI Director of Human
Resources Policy commented: "Many
congratulations to the winners. Each one
has demonstrated that excellent people
management really delivers better
bottom line performance. We cannot
match the low labour costs of our Indian
and Chinese competitors and as we seek
to develop ever more innovative
products and services, the value of a
skilled and motivated workforce is more
important than ever. Our shortlisted
companies know that their people, and
the skills they possess, are key to raising
company performance and
competitiveness."
BEARINGS FOR
NEW AIRBUS TURBOPROP
PASS WITH FLYING COLOURS
THE MAIDEN TEST RUN OF AIRBUS’ TURBOPROP ENGINE FOR THE NEW A400M MILITARY
TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT, WAS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY AT A TEST FACILITY IN FRANCE
RECENTLY. THE CRITICAL MAIN SHAFT BEARINGS AND GEARBOX BEARINGS ON THE
ENGINE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND SUPPLIED BY FAG AEROSPACE, PART OF THE
SCHAEFFLER GROUP.
he test was carried out
complete with gearbox and
propeller, and was watched
by representatives from all
participating nations, the European
armaments cooperation (OCCAR), the
European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA), as well as Airbus Military and
Europrop International stakeholders.
The new Airbus A400M military carrier
aircraft is driven by one of the most
powerful turboprop engines in the world,
the TP400, which has a maximum shaft
output of 11,000hp. The aircraft can fly
non-stop for up to 7,250 kilometres,
carrying up to 20 tonnes of cargo. Its
maximum payload is 32 tonnes and
maximum speed is 700kph.
The aircraft’s three-shaft configuration
engine is the most advanced in its class
and was developed by four leading
European engine manufacturers –
Industria de Turbo Propulsores (Spain),
MTU Aero Engines (Germany), Rolls
Royce (UK) and Snecma (France), jointly
known as the ‘Europrop Engine
Consortium’. The challenge for these
companies was to meet the extremely
high output requirements with a highly
compact, lightweight propeller engine
design.
By using special materials and fully
integrated designs, engineers at FAG
Aerospace played a key role in the
development programme, solving the
high temperature and speed problems
for the main shaft bearings. Their
experience gained during the
development of the Trent 900 engines
for the new Airbus A380 ‘super jumbo’,
proved helpful because the turbine
driving the 5.3 metre-diameter propeller
was designed to civil standards in terms
of life, reliability and availability in a
military environment.
Earlier this year, the turboprop engine
successfully passed its first test run
without a propeller at MTU Maintenance
in Germany. "Naturally, we are proud that
the new turboprop engine with our
bearings has come through its baptism
of fire," commented Franz-Josef Ebert,
Product Development and Sales
Manager at the FAG Aerospace Division.
From 2009, the A400M will replace the
current transport aircraft ‘C130 Hercules’
and ‘C160 Transall’.
More than 180 aircraft have already
been ordered by seven European
countries and an order for a further eight
has also been received from South Africa.
Engine certification is expected in
October 2007 and the A400M, powered
by four turboprop engines, will take off
for its maiden flight shortly afterwards.
The first machines are scheduled for
delivery in 2009.
IN MOTION | 4 IN MOTION | 5
T
NEWS

SCHAEFFLER
SPONSORS THE MASTERS
BRINGING SOME OF THE GREATEST NAMES IN MOTOR SPORT BACK TO THE TRACK
IN MOTION | 6
BRITISH MOTOR RACING FANS TURNED OUT IN THE THOUSANDS AT SILVERSTONE IN EARLY AUGUST.
NIGEL MANSELL, ONE OF THEIR ALL TIME HEROES, WAS RETURNING TO THE TRACK IN A SINGLE
SEATER RACING CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1992 – THE YEAR IN WHICH HE "DESTROYED"
ALL THE COMPETITION, WINNING THE F1 GRAND PRIX BY NEARLY A MINUTE IN HIS WILLIAMS CAR.
A
nd to make matters even
more interesting, some of
his old adversaries including
Alain Prost, Emerson
Fittipaldi, Riccardo Patrese, Andrea de
Cesaris and Derek Warwick were going
to be there to try to stop him.
The event was the first British Race in
the new GP Masters Series, and the fact
that it was taking place was due, in part,
to support from the Schaeffler Group
under the INA and LuK banners.
The GP Masters Series – motor racing’s
equivalent of golf’s senior tour – got
under way at the Kyalami circuit in
South Africa at the end of 2005, and
race cars carrying the colours of INA
and LuK were on the starting grid.
The inaugural race launched the series
in spectacular style, with two of the
greatest names in the history of the
sport – Nigel Mansell and Emerson
Fittipaldi – battling it out from the
green light to the chequered flag at the
end of the 30 laps in baking heat.
Nigel Mansell, starting from pole, held
on to the end, finishing just a second
ahead of Fittipaldi.
Following the fantastic start, the GPM
circuit got under way properly this year
with the first race at the Losail
International Raceway in Qatar in April,
followed by Monza in Italy and then,
on Sunday, August 13th, the one
everybody in the UK had been waiting
for – Silverstone. And, wouldn’t you
know it, Silverstone offered up typically
British Summer weather – torrential rain.
The wet Tarmac, 650 horsepower and
no traction control on the cars made
for fantastic racing. The lead changed
seven times during the 26 lap race –
and at the end the USA’s "Steady Eddie"
Cheever took the flag after a titanic
battle with Belgium’s Eric Van de Poule.
The home crowd was, of course, looking
for another Nigel Mansell victory, but
unfortunately a broken differential put
paid to any chance he had. Mansell did,
however, still manage to put on quite
a show.
He spun three times on the way to the
grid and then, in the middle of the race
went out for an extra lap and spun
three times again.
"But I did make it back to the pits and
I think that was worth a round of
applause," he said.
Schaeffler Group sponsorship of the
GP Masters meant that two INA cars
and one LuK car took part in the race.
Christian Danner driving the Team LuK
car grabbed pole position, while the
INA cars, driven by Ricardo Patrese and
Andrea DeCesaris were placed fourth
and seventh on the grid.
Danner ended up in fourth place, Patrese
came in sixth and De Cesaris tenth.
THE CARS
THE GREAT THING – AND ONE OF
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES – OF
GP MASTERS IS THAT IT IS AN
EVENT THAT TESTS THE DRIVERS
– ALL OF WHOM MUST HAVE
RACED IN F1 AND MUST BE OVER
45 YEARS OF AGE.
THE CARS ARE ALL IDENTICAL;
THERE IS NO TEAM-LED
TECHNICAL TRICKERY, NO DRIVER
ASSISTANCE FROM THE PITS AND
THERE IS NO TRACTION
CONTROL.
(Above) Nigel Mansell takes a closer look
at the INA car before the race.
The racing was fair, fast and utterly
fantastic, but it wasn’t all there was to
the day. When the cars were all back in
the garages, the delightful Katie Melua
took to the stage for a concert which
brought the whole amazing event to a
great conclusion.
The cars have been
designed and built
by Delta
Motorsport in
Northampton to
meet specific GPM
criteria including a
powerful engine,
high levels of
mechanical grip (to ensure maximum
overtaking potential and driver
competition), maximum sidepod
protection, minimum driver aids, and a
low downforce aerodynamic package.
(Above) Christian Danner driver of the LuK car
is visited by LuK and INA guests prior to
making his way to pole position on the grid.
For the technically minded, Delta
delivered a car with an 80-degree 3.5
litre V8 Nicholson McLaren Cosworth
engine, offering more than 600bhp and
capable of speeds of around 200mph.
SPONSORSHIP
IN MOTION | 7

INNOVATION
INTRODUCING...
THE ‘BALL ROLLER’
– A UNIQUE DEVELOPMENT
IN BEARING TECHNOLOGY
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AFTER THE INVENTION OF THE BALL GRINDING MILL
AND 50 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST NEEDLE ROLLER BEARING WAS PRODUCED,
THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP HAS DEVELOPED A TOTALLY NEW, RADICAL BEARING CONCEPT
THAT COMBINES THE BEST OF BOTH BALL AND ROLLER BEARING TECHNOLOGIES.
T
he Group, which markets its
products under the INA and
FAG brands, has unveiled
the Ball Roller – a unique
concept that saves valuable design space,
reduces friction and decreases bearing
width and mass by about 20 per cent.
The prototype ‘ball roller’ bearing incorporates
bearing elements that are spherical, but
which have their sides cut off. While the
development may sound simple, the
research and development behind this
radical breakthrough has been significant.
The result is a range of ball roller
elements that offer all the axial load
handling capabilities of fully spherical
balls, but more importantly, allow overall
bearing width and mass to be decreased
by around 20% and friction to be reduced.
The breakthrough also means that, in the
same design space, it is possible to carry
greater loads, provide a larger grease
reservoir or devote additional space to
improved sealing.
The ‘ball roller’ was demonstrated
recently to more than 100 engineering
design and development managers who,
if they wish, can now begin their own
tests with product samples.The ‘ball
roller’, which was developed over a
period of almost two years, represents a
genuine breakthrough in bearing
technology and is expected to generate
huge interest from the automotive
industry and other industrial sectors,
particularly where compactness of
bearings is a key design consideration.
Manufacturers of wheel bearings and
automotive transmission systems are
potential major beneficiaries of the new
technology.
According to Heinrich Hofmann,
development engineer, special projects at
Schaeffler Group: "The idea for the ball
roller came from our development
engineers. While testing ball bearings
they discovered that the spherical balls
tended to roll about a single axis and
made no use of the areas adjacent to
this axis." Further research confirmed
that, in a typical ball bearing, only 70 per
cent of the ball width is utilised, meaning
that the outer 15 per cent to the left and
right of the ball diameter can be
considered redundant.
This discovery led the company to the
idea of removing this ‘redundant’
material from the sides of the balls and
after six months of advanced 3D
modelling, finite element analysis (FEA)
simulation, and dynamic modelling,
the first prototypes were developed.
Initially, these were based on single row
bearings, but double row roller bearings
and then four-row bearings, which are
used as vehicle wheel bearings, followed.
The development team realised that cage
design would be critical to the new
concept. Heinrich Hofmann explains:
"Because the balls cannot be allowed to
greatly change their rotation axes, cage
design was crucial particularly during
initial rotation. "Once the bearings are
moving under conditions of speed and
load, they become self-centring, like a
bicycle wheel."
The company’s ‘KXR’ range of bearings
was tested using the new concept and a
novel cage design. The pocket bases of
the cage were designed so that the ball
roller, under load, aligned itself freely as a
function of the contact angle.
In addition to the obvious benefits from
being able to manufacture thinner bearings
- or with the same thickness but able to
carry higher loads - it is possible to get
more rolling elements into the same size
of bearing. The balls are loaded by
positioning the inner race eccentrically
with respect to the outer race. Because
the ball rollers have their sides cut off, it
is possible, for example, to get 11 ball roller
elements into the company’s ‘6207’ basic
bearing rather than nine fully round balls.
It is also possible to give the roller a
logarithmic profile, since the rotational
axis is always perpendicular to the
variable contact angle. The oscillation
conditions – the ‘kiss’ between the roller
and the bearing groove – therefore do
not change. If the load ratio changes
from axial to radial and the contact angle
changes as a result, the oscillation
‘creeps’ in an optimum manner with the
change in load.
All computer-based simulations and
running tests at Schaeffler have
demonstrated that the new bearings
rotate about their intended rotational
axes. Due to their moments of inertia,
the ball rollers are more quickly stabilised
than fully spherical balls by ‘gyroscopic
effects’ similar to those that make a
bicycle more stable at higher speeds.
The new bearings already exist in a
variety of designs depending on their
intended application.
FASTER AND QUIETER
CT SCANNERS…
…THANKS TO SCHAEFFLER
GROUP DEVELOPMENT
PRECISION BEARINGS AND AN INNOVATIVE DIRECT DRIVE SYSTEM DEVELOPED BY THE
SCHAEFFLER GROUP ARE HELPING TO INCREASE THE SPEED OF CT EXAMINATIONS
WHILST REDUCING THE NOISE LEVELS OF THE MACHINES BY HALF.
omputer Tomography (CT)
scanners have been used in
medicine since the 1970s
to scan part or all of a
patient’s body for diagnostic purposes.
For the latest models, CT scanner
manufacturers are demanding machines
and components that are more compact,
enable faster examination times and are
quieter in operation.
The Schaeffler Group has met this
challenge by developing an innovative
direct drive system for CT scanners.
Called the ‘SIMTUS’ system, it
incorporates a novel, integrated
mechatronic turning unit, which not only
helps to cut noise levels significantly
(from 12dbA to 6dbA), but also enables
images to be generated and recorded
50% faster than previous machines.
SIMTUS utilises a special, low noise CT
scanner bearing based on a design
originally developed for helicopters; a
novel, direct drive ring motor/segment
motor; a position measuring module;
and a range of high precision
components and bearing rings – all
supplied by the Schaeffler Group.
The design, manufacture and supply of
the complete SIMTUS system was carried
out by the Schaeffler Group over the
course of 12 months, using bearings from
its INA and FAG ranges, ‘IDAM’ drives,
and bearings from the Barden superprecision
range. In total, the CT scanner
machine and patient table utilise eight
linear guidance systems, one CT main
bearing, two slewing rings and one X-ray
tube bearing unit.
SIMTUS incorporates a custom-designed,
thin section bearing, which uses ceramic
rolling elements for current insulation.
The bearing provides the high accuracy
required by the application together with
low noise levels and a longer operating
life.
The IDAM ‘HSRV’ direct drive ring motor
also offers a number of technical
advantages for the customer.
It is designed to operate at low
temperatures, with high speed capability,
high efficiency, low vibration levels and
low noise. The segment motor was
designed as a modular unit with a variable
number of segments, allowing more
space for other scanner components.
The rotor (rotating part) is fitted with
permanent magnets. The stator (housing
component) is equipped with coils that
are subjected to current. This creates a
magnetic field, which is followed by the
permanent magnets in the rotor, inducing
rotation. This principle is known as
‘direct drive’.
Barden super precision X-ray bearings
were used to support the spinning X-ray
anode, which rotates at speeds in excess
of 10,000 rpm under extreme conditions.
The operating environment is high
voltage, high temperature (400°C to
500°C) in a vacuum down to 10-8 torr.
The key benefit here is this system
enables the X-ray scanner to generate
and record high resolution images up to
50% faster than conventional machines.
The two, four-point contact slewing rings
were customised from Schaeffler’s
standard bearing range, enabling the
gantry to slowly swivel by up to ±30°.
The four point contact ball bearings are
supplied ready to install, greased for life
and provide smooth running (swivelling),
high accuracy and high stiffness.
The key benefit of the gantry bearings
is that they are maintenance-free and
have a small width.
The patient table of the scanner also
uses bearings from the Schaeffler Group.
Low noise was again important for this
application.
Six ‘KUVE’ linear guides are used at
various points on the table, offering high
load carrying capacity, low noise,
functional reliability and high rigidity.
The four-row linear ball bearing and
guideway assembly incorporates quad
spacers between the balls, which
significantly reduce the running noise.
The low displacement resistance enables
the table to be adjusted with high
positioning accuracy. The guidance
system operates virtually maintenancefree
for its entire life, due to an integrated
lubricant reservoir located adjacent to the
loaded raceways.
As well as CT scanners, the Schaeffler
Group is active in many other areas of the
medical and healthcare industry, with
applications for bearings and linear guides
in dental drills, dentist’s chairs, guidance
systems for precision grinding of optical
lenses, ophthalmology, ceiling mounts in
operating theatres, and for automated
laboratory analysis equipment.
For more information or a free
‘Bearing Solutions for Medical
Technology’ catalogue, please
visit www.schaeffler.co.uk
IN MOTION | 8 IN
C
INNOVATION

INNOVATION
IN MOTION | 10
UNIAIR FULLY
VARIABLE VALVE
TRAIN REDUCES FUEL
CONSUMPTION BY 10%
ENGINEERS AT THE
SCHAEFFLER GROUP’S
ENGINE SYSTEMS DIVISION
HAVE DEVELOPED A FULLY
VARIABLE, CAM-ACTUATED,
ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC
VALVE TRAIN, WHICH
COULD BE READY FOR
FULL SERIES PRODUCTION
AS EARLY AS SPRING 2009
I
n tests the new valve
control system has reduced
fuel consumption by 10%
compared to conventional
valve train systems. A significant
reduction in diesel engine NOx
emissions is also achieved, as well as
improved engine response and torque.
The INA ‘UniAir’ (Universal Air) system is
a cam-actuated, electro-hydraulic valve
train system, which is supplied by the
vehicle’s existing engine oil circuit. The
system can be used in both petrol and
diesel engines. UniAir is currently being
tested on a prototype passenger car -
based on an Opel Vectra with a twolitre,
four-cylinder diesel engine
(218Nm at 4,000rpm) - which has
already successfully covered more than
20,000km. The test vehicle has so far
achieved a 10% reduction in fuel
consumption compared with a car
equipped with a standard valve train.
The car also meets Euro 4 exhaust gas
regulations standards. On internal
combustion engines, UniAir can be
installed with throttle-free, continuous
software-based load control across the
entire engine mapping range.
Using UniAir in diesel engines, the
combustion chamber temperature can
be accurately controlled by regulating
exhaust gas recirculation. At the same
time, the effective compression ratio
within the cylinder varies, ensuring
homogenous combustion of the fuel.
Optimising the combustion temperature
and the compression ratio in the cylinder
significantly reduces the production of
NOx emissions. In addition, costly
exhaust treatment is eliminated.
Optimising charge cycles in valve
switching systems has already been
achieved with partially variable valve
trains, for example by using two-stage
switching systems with switchable
tappets. The first generation of partially
variable valve train systems was
followed by the first fully variable
production valve train in 1999, using
SCHAEFFLER GROUP ACQUIRES AUTOMOTIVE CHAIN
MAKER TO OFFER COMPLETE CHAIN DRIVE SYSTEMS
As as result of its acquisition of Renold Automotive
Systems from Renold plc the Schaeffler Group’s
Automotive Division can now offer customers
complete camshaft drive and timing solutions,
including chain systems, belt systems and variable
camshaft timing systems.The aim of the
acquisition is to further strengthen the Schaeffler
Group’s engine front end drive competence and
maximise its complete system knowledge.
With the acquisition of RAS, Schaeffler’s
Automotive Division will now be able to offer
customers a complete chain drive system solution,
including chain, tensioner and guides – from one
source. RAS is a leading innovator in its sector,
developing, manufacturing and distributing a large
range of chains and chain tensioners for major
automotive manufacturers and to the automotive
aftermarket. The Schaeffler Group itself has also
been at the forefront of chain development and
manufacture for some time. The company has
already developed an innovative, tooth type chain
system that offers longer life and significantly
reduces noise emissions and takes up considerably
less design space.
John Taylor, Director & General Manager,
Schaeffler (UK) Automotive commented:
"Any system that connects the camshaft to the
crankshaft is a critical assembly on an engine and it
is already an area, together with valve train
activation, where INA is a leading development
partner and supplier. "The acquisition of Renold
Automotive Systems is important because it
BMW’s ‘Valvetronic’ system. During
part-load operation, such as idling, the
cylinder charging was controlled using
the valve lift of the inlet valves and the
opening period. The phasing of the inlet
and outlet camshafts was driven by a
variable camshaft timing system.
But the INA UniAir system represents a
step-change in variable valve train
systems. The system can provide full
coverage of every conceivable airflow
possibility, from zero valve lift to
maximum lift, dictated by the camshaft
lobe for each individual cylinder or
valve. With the de-throttling of the
engine, UniAir can provide early intakevalve
closing or late intake-valve
opening, to maximise engine breathing
relative to certain engine speed and
load conditions.
UniAir can offer unique valve lift events
for every valve – individually and
cycle-to-cycle. In contrast, an
electromechanically actuated, fully variable
valve train requires several cam events
to achieve the same lift differential.
In addition to the 10% reduction in fuel
consumption, a further 1 to 2% can be
achieved by increasing the compression
ratio, as ‘knock’ limits can be optimised.
means the Schaeffler Group now becomes a
Tier One supplier of complete chain systems to
automotive manufacturers. Our customers want
to purchase complete
chain systems from
one supplier, including
chains, chain
tensioners and guides.
We can now fulfil this.
The acquisition also
means we can
fast-track chain
development. Renold’s
manufacturing
facilities, coupled with
our own deep drawn cup press technology, gives
us first-class production facilities."
NEW HYDROSTATIC
LINEAR GUIDES FIT SAME
DESIGN SPACE AS
PROFILED RAIL GUIDES
AN INNOVATIVE RANGE OF HIGH PRECISION, HYDROSTATIC LINEAR GUIDES, THAT ARE
COST EFFECTIVE AND EASY TO MOUNT AND ALSO FIT THE SAME DESIGN SPACE AS A
ROLLING ELEMENT GUIDANCE SYSTEM HAS BEEN INTRODUCED BY SCHAEFFLER.
W
hen selecting bearing
supports for linear motion
applications, most machine
builders tend to opt for
profiled rail linear guides, which provide
optimum performance (rigidity, load
capacity and dynamics) and mounting.
Hydrostatic linear guides are the cost
effective option, as they offer both high
precision and better damping characteristics
for high dynamic rigidity. However, to date,
most hydrostatic guides have been relatively
expensive, time-consuming to mount and
require a larger design envelope compared
to profiled rail guides. Engineers from the
Schaeffler Group’s Linear Division, working
closely with the Machine Tool Laboratory at
the University of Aachen in Germany, have
now developed a range of hydrostatic linear
prototype guides that are ideal for high
precision machining and machine tool
applications and offer design engineers and
machine builders much greater design
freedom.
Standard Design Space
The hydrostatic guides are manufactured to
fit within the standard design space (DIN
645) of a profiled rail linear guide and the
load carrying capacity has been found to be
equal to the operating load of a profiled rail
linear guide of similar size. Compressive
rigidity is also comparable to a roller
monorail system.
For machine builders and end users, the
ease of mounting means design and
assembly costs are reduced. And, because
the guides comply with DIN design
envelopes and DIN mounting dimensions
for monorail guidance systems, a design
engineer could use both a roller guidance
system and a hydrostatic guiding element in
the same machine design.
Longer Life,
Fewer Breakdowns
Unlike conventional ball linear guides or
roller linear guides, the hydrostatic guides
feature no metal-to-metal contact.
The guide carriages move on a thin cushion
of high pressure fluid which means zero wear
of the guideways. An integral hydraulic
controller means the hydrostatic guides are
ready-to-fit and the mounting dimensions
are interchangeable with monorail
guidance systems.
Vibrations. induced as a result of blade
contact shocks, tool wear, regenerative
effects and other disruptive forces from
MODULAR ‘KITS’ FOR LINEAR GUIDES
A range of modular accessories that enable linear
guides to be modified to suit the individual
nature of the operating environment has been
launched by Schaeffler (UK).
When it comes to specifying high performance
linear guidance systems for production
machinery designers often need to match the
design of the guides to the environment they will
be operating in. Effective sealing and targeted
lubrication of the guides are therefore key design
considerations, since these affect the operating
life, maintenance intervals and overall machine
availability. Designers can now simplify the
process by specifying the new range of modular
accessories or ‘kits’ with a particular linear guide.
The higher the design requirements, the more ‘kit’
components or sub-assemblies can be added on.
The designer can combine different accessories
with a particular linear guide to meet the operating
requirements, ambient conditions and contamination
levels of the application - from minor
contamination levels such as large particulates or
swarf, to severe contamination such as exposure
to aggressive dust or cooling lubricant.
The kits themselves include: long term lubrication
units; sheet steel wipers; single and double lip
end wipers; sealing strips; and seals made from
different materials, for example, to withstand
aggressive coolants used on machine tools.
Maintenance-free linear guidance systems can
outside influences, can be a problem in
machine tools. Due to the large number of
‘springs’ and ‘masses’, numerous resonant
frequencies occur with, in some cases,
strong effects on the accuracy and surface
quality of the workpieces.
The lubricant film separating the components
in hydrodynamic and hydrostatic guidance
systems provides vibration damping by
means of the so-called ‘squeeze film’ effect.
Bearing life of hydrostatic guides can be
considered infinite, as there is no bearing
wear, resulting in longer machine life and
extended rigidity and precision. Crash
protection also improves, because the oil
pressure in the pocket increases as the
cutting load is applied, creating a restoring
force that prevents the fluid gap from
closing under very high impact load.
For the hydrostatic linear guide prototypes,
pocket pressure is 100 bar, load carrying
capacity is up to 18kN and through flow
rate is less than 3 litres/min. Gap height is
0.015mm.
Schaeffler is currently working with its
customers to develop designs for volume
production.
INNOVATION
also be specified. Schaeffler’s KUVE ball monorail
guidance system, for example, can be modified
with a long term lubrication unit (LZV), which, in
combination with the KUVE’s integral lubricant
reservoir, results in a maintenance-free linear
guide solution for most applications.
Long term tests and practical trials have shown
that by upgrading linear guides using modular kits
the operating life can be improved significantly,
compared to guides that use
conventional wipers and
leave lubrication
issues to the
end user.
IN MOTION | 11

SINGLE BEARING
SOLUTION FOR
WORLD’S LIGHTEST
5MW WIND TURBINE
IND TURBINE
MANUFACTURER W
MULTIBRID’S NEW
‘M5000’ OFFSHORE
WIND TURBINE IS THE WORLD’S
MOST COMPACT, LIGHTWEIGHT
5MW CATEGORY SYSTEM. KEY
TO THIS IS A LARGE, SINGLE
ROLLING BEARING THAT
DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE
ROTOR HUB.
The Schaeffler Group has developed an innovative,
single bearing solution for the rotor head on
Multibrid’s ‘M5000’ 5MW offshore wind turbine.
The rolling bearing weighs around 7,200kg and has
an outside diameter of 3,200mm, a bore diameter
of 2,620mm and a width of 485mm.
Designed in accordance with German wind turbine
developer Multibrid’s novel drive train concept, the
turbine solution features a rotor hub that is
directly supported by Schaeffler’s large rolling
bearing in the machine housing.
In order to minimise any detrimental effects of the
rotor loads on the gearbox and generator,
Schaeffler’s customised double-row tapered roller
bearing transfers these loads to the adjacent
structure, bypassing’ the gearbox-generator unit.
Thanks to the absence of a high speed gear stage,
the tower head has a relatively low weight of
around 300 tonnes, which enables the turbine to
be pre-assembled on land so that the nacelle can
be hoisted to the tower at sea with only one lift.
The total weight of the tower head –
including the rotor blades, which are
attached to the hub at a height of 102m
and measure 56.5m in length – is 310
tonnes, making it the lightest 5MW wind
turbine in the world.
At the recent WindEnergy trade exhibition in
Hamburg, Germany, Schaeffler Group
showcased a variety of innovative
bearings for wind turbines. Gunnar
Simm, head of Application Engineering
and Product Design at Schaeffler Group
Industrial’s Power Transmission and
Railway Division comments: "In bearing
development for wind turbines,
WIPRO CONDITION MONITORING
W
ith wind turbines, maintenance
involves a huge amount of costly
logistical effort, for example,
making sure that heavy duty
cranes are available. This is
particularly important in an offshore
environment, where the costs can increase even
further due to higher turbine outputs, therefore
and higher potential downtime losses, and higher
weights of parts that need replacing.
In May this year, Schaeffler Group’s condition
monitoring and maintenance management
services division, FAG Industrial Services (FIS),
was awarded a contract for the online condition
monitoring of Multibrid’s first M5000 offshore
wind turbine prototype in Bremerhaven,
Germany.
FAG Industrial Services
it is very important to take into account the entire
wind turbine system with all its various interacting
drive train components. This makes it possible to
significantly increase the reliability and economic
efficiency of wind turbines.
"The bearings used for wind turbines are becoming
larger and larger, which is why we start by closely
studying the operating conditions, for example
through measurement campaigns. Together with
the customer, we work out failure mode and
effects analyses [FMEA] in order to minimise
potential risks".
A HAND WITH
THE PAINTING...
NEW BEARING SOLUTION
FOR ROBOTIC HAND
SCHAEFFLER (UK) HAS
DEVELOPED A BESPOKE,
THREE-RING BEARING
FOR A PAINT ROBOT HAND
AXIS SYSTEM.
he new bearings replaces
two crossed roller bearings
and three geared rings,
resulting in a more
compact, lightweight system that is
maintenance-free and easier to mount.
The new, three-axis robot hand system
has been developed for an automotive
paint atomiser system. The new unit not
only saves space but also weighs less, is
maintenance-free and is easier to mount.
All 15 bearings for the hand axis system
were supplied by the Schaeffler Group
to Atlanta, the system developer
working was under contract to
automotive paint company Dürr-AG
(Painting Systems).
The hand axis system, which is located
at the end of the robot arm, guides the
paint atomiser system. Paint robot
systems now have to be able to cope
with increasingly complex geometries
and surfaces that are often difficult to
access, so Dürr-AG required a more
compact, lighter hand axis system that
would also be maintenance-free and
easy to mount.
Schaeffler Group engineers worked
closely with Atlanta to develop a
bespoke bearing solution. The resulting
three-ring bearing comprises two, fourpoint
contact bearing raceway systems
with surface-hardened raceways,
externally geared bearing rings and an
intermediate ring. The rolling elements
are guided in cage segments.
The new three-ring bearing replaced
two crossed roller bearings and three
geared rings that had to be screwed
together. Rather than having to mount
five separate components, there is now
only one. Not only does this result in
increased rigidity of the system, it also
significantly reduces the design
envelope. In addition to the two, threering
bearings, each axis incorporates
deep groove ball bearings, four point
contact bearings, axial angled needle
roller bearings and axial needle roller
and cage assemblies.
Rainer Gebauer, Application Engineering
Specialist for Transmissions at the
Schaeffler Group commented: "It took
just 11 months from initial enquiry to
readiness for volume production. In
order to find an optimum solution for
both sides, the customer was of course
involved in development from the very
beginning."
APPLICATIONS
IN MOTION | 12 IN MOTION | 13
T
With the help of numerous
sensors, FIS will use its ‘FAG WiPro’
system to continuously monitor the
bearing supports, in terms of vibration,
temperature and movement. Any data
that deviates from set parameters will
be evaluated by specialist staff and
appropriate steps taken, helping to
avoid unplanned downtime and making
it easier to plan ahead for maintenance
operations. The ‘FAG WiPro’ system is
also suitable for monitoring wind farms
with a large number of wind turbines.
At the WindEnergy show, Schaeffler
Group also showcased its plummer
block housing for the main rotor
support on 1.5MW turbines.
This unit consists of a spherical roller
bearing with shaft nut as well as
additional parts and has been adapted
for use in wind turbines.
The bearing accommodates loads in
all directions, compensates for minor
shaft misalignment and deflection,
and enables easy relubrication and
installation, ensuring high reliability
and long life.

PRAXIS PARTNERSHIP
SOLVES THE
“HOT SAW” PROBLEM
he close proximity of large
moving beams and rotating
saw blades meant that
patrol type monitoring of
critical machinery at a steel beam mill
at Lackenby on Teesside had been a
major problem.
But then the mill called in PRAXIS, the
unique condition monitoring service
partnership (between Schaeffler UK and
Corus Northern Engineering Services) to
find a solution.
By working closely together, Schaeffler
UK and CNES engineers were able to
develop a hard-wired monitoring system
using an FAG DTECT X1 monitoring
device linked to eight sensors on each
saw to enable the remote detection of
blade instability, imbalance or bearing
defects.
The new system quickly demonstrated
that one of the critical issues was the
balance of the saw blades. Out of
balance blades create vibrations which, if
left unchecked, greatly reduce the life of
both motor and gearbox.
The new DTECT X1 condition monitoring
system means that the balance of the
blades can be checked and corrected at
any point in their life cycle.
The system also detects blades that have
been badly chipped. If this occurs, a
signal is emitted by the DTECT X1
system, alerting the operators to the
fact that a blade change is required.
A out-of-balance alarm which
automatically shuts down the saws when
the pre-set maximum level is exceeded is
also incorporated in the system. The new
system also highlighted other problems
which may otherwise have gone
unnoticed including a cage fault on a
bearing and a lubrication problem.
The Teesside Beam Mill, part of the Corus
Construction and Industrial arm, is one of
the most efficient structural section
rolling mills anywhere in the world, with
an output of 750,000 tonnes per annum
covering a vast range of products for the
worldwide construction industry. The
PRAXIS-developed condition monitoring
system is helping to increase its
efficiency still further.
FLOORING MANUFACTURER REDUCES MAINTENANCE
TIME BY NEARLY 90%… THANKS TO THE FAG DETECTOR III
The FAG Detector III, the all-in-one,
handheld vibration monitoring and
operational balancing device, has helped
The Armstrong DLW Group, one of
Germany’s largest manufacturers of floor
coverings, to reduce routine
maintenance time by almost 90%.
At the Group’s Delmenhorst factory in
Germany, 500 staff produce linoleum
from natural materials. In the past,
maintenance technicians conducted
vibration measurements using
measuring pins, which was time
consuming and meant that data could
not be stored and saved for future
in-depth analyses. Balancing tasks
were manual and time consuming and
relied almost entirely on the
practical experience of the
maintenance staff.
T
Now the plant’s technicians monitor
vibration and perform operational
balancing checks on a variety of
machines, including ventilators and mills,
using the FAG Detector III – a vibration
measuring device, data collection
terminal and operational balancing system
– all built into a single, handheld unit.
Payback for the linoleum manufacturer
has been fast. Before purchasing the
Detector III, the company carried out
balancing checks manually which, on
average, took around 4.5 hours to complete.
With the Detector III, this time has been
reduced by 88% to just 30 minutes.
The Detector III is the latest addition to
Schaeffler (UK)’s ‘Detector’ series of
damage diagnosis systems. The device is
available with an optional, extended
operational balancing function which can
be activated at a later stage after
purchasing the basic unit. The device can
be used to balance rotors and shafts in
both static and dynamic balancing
applications.
The Detector III includes the full range of
accessories required to carry out a
balancing process, including sensors,
trigger, magnetic holder and reflection
marks. There’s also an integrated, stepby-step
user dialogue, which allows
inexperienced operators to record and
analyse reliable, accurate balancing data.
The device can be operated with one
hand using 21 keys and the keyboard
itself is resistant to dust and spray water.
There’s also a headset jack so that users
can assess acoustic emissions from plant
and machinery.
PERFECT
PARTNERS
UK FIS CONFERENCE
THE 2006 FAG INDUSTRIAL SERVICES (FIS) PARTNER MEETING WAS HOSTED BY CORUS
NORTHERN ENGINEERING SERVICES AT STEEL HOUSE IN REDCAR, TEESSIDE IN SEPTEMBER.
his annual event provides
an ideal forum for FIS to
inform their partner
companies of the latest
product and service developments in
maintenance and condition monitoring
equipment. UK partners taking part in
the event were RCM Marine and CNES
via the PRAXIS partnership with
Schaeffler UK.
Corus was selected as this year’s global
venue following the recent success of
the PRAXIS partnership at the Beam Mill.
CNES has been able to use FIS DTECT
X1 monitoring equipment on the hot
saws to improve efficiency and predict
any problems in the application before
they happen. At the meeting, CNES
engineers were able to update their FIS
colleagues with the latest findings from
the equipment which monitors the hot
saws around the clock. A tour of the
Beam Mill took place in the afternoon so
that all delegates could see the hot saws
in operation. "I am extremely pleased that CNES is
able to obtain valuable and useful data
with our monitoring equipment,"
commented Dr Bernd Geropp, Managing
Director of FIS who attended the
meeting. He continued, "It is good for
us to know how our equipment is
working in what are extremely harsh
operating conditions, and
I am confident that our
continued investments
in R&D will provide CNES
with even greater
opportunities in the future
for saving both cost and
unplanned downtime."
IN MOTION | 14 IN MOTION | 15
T
Ian Pledger, F’IS Field Service
Engineer, advises a visitor to
the Schaeffler UK stand.
FAG Industrial Services
Pictured from left to right: Ian Pledger, Bob McClenahan, RCM, Detlef Massorz, FIS, Des Pattinson, Bernd
Geropp, FIS, Karen Preston, Diethelm Schueler, FIS, Ian Taylor, CNES, Steve Lacey, Bill Gardiner, CNES,
Wolfgang Schroeder, Andrew Marshall, Bernd Giebels, FIS
GOOD SHOW!
THE WORLD FAMOUS MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL STADIUM AT
OLD TRAFFORD WAS THE VENUE FOR THE FIRST MAINTENANCE
NORTH WEST CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION IN OCTOBER....
S
chaeffler UK was
pleased to be
involved in the
event by taking
an exhibition stand to support
the Excellence in Maintenance
2006 conference. Visitors to
the Schaeffler UK stand were
able to talk to our condition
monitoring experts about all
aspects of preventative
maintenance and take away
with them a good
understanding of the CM
packages available for their
particular plant and
maintenance needs. Also
exhibiting at the show were
CNES, and many visitors to
both stands were able to take
advantage of the successful
PRAXIS partnership between
the two companies.
Some exciting leads are
currently being followed up
from the show.
CONDITION MONITORING

SERVICE
MEDIAS ® BEARING
SELECTION SOFTWARE
NOW OFFERS EVEN MORE
THE LATEST VERSION OF SCHAEFFLER’S BEARING SELECTION AND CALCULATION
SOFTWARE OFFERS ENGINEERS EVEN MORE INFORMATION, AS WELL AS A WIDER
RANGE OF SUPPORT SERVICES THAT ENABLE USERS TO GET TO THE RIGHT
INFORMATION FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE.
W
hen selecting, sourcing
and evaluating different
bearing or linear guide
designs, engineers need to
have the correct product data at their
fingertips, so that they can rapidly
design the optimum solution for their
customer.
To locate the right data or to calculate a
bearing’s service life, many engineers
rely on their own experience. They
spend time wading through pages of
technical catalogues to find the right
information or the right formula to
calculate a safety factor or maximum
load rating. But this wastes valuable
valuable time – a commodity that most
design engineers simply cannot spare.
Even if a design engineer is already
confident about the type of bearing or
linear guide required for a particular
application, accessing the appropriate
2D or 3D model - in the right CAD
format - isn’t easy.
Schaeffler, however, provides engineers
with a complete solution, easy solution
to the problem in the form of its
bearing selection, calculation
and technical support software,
medias ® . The software, which is freely
available either as an online tool or on
CD-ROM, is a comprehensive guide to
all Schaeffler products, including rolling
bearings, plain bearings and linear
guidance system. It also provides a
"bearing housing assistant" and
information on the company’s complete
‘X-life’ range.
The software caters for all engineers,
regardless of their skills or experience of
bearings and linear guidance systems.
Whether the user requires a simple, 2D
dimensional drawing; a list of suitable
lubricants for a particular bearing
arrangement; a downloadable 3D
model; or a detailed design calculation
of a bearing’s service life - medias ®
has it all.
The statistics speak for themselves:
2,500 people use medias ®
on-line every day,
performing more than 8,000 service life
calculations and downloading more
than 2,500 CAD models per month.
The latest version of the software,
medias ® version 4.2, allows users to
save their calculation data.
The software remembers the
calculations, so that engineers can
optimise a particular bearing
arrangement. It also means they can
select the most suitable bearing for the
application, which precisely achieves
the desired service life.
Once a bearing has been selected and
the required calculations performed,
users can also take advantage of the
software’s comprehensive ‘CAD
Download’ section.
WHEELSET
‘BEARING KITS’ FOR
BOMBARDIER LOCOMOTIVE
heelset bearings are a
typical example. Rather
than buying individual
bearings and housings
from different suppliers, wheelset bearing
elements for an entire bogie can be
sourced as a complete solution from one
supplier. Not only does this result in
improved logistics and handling, but also
cuts costs for the customer. Only one
ordering code is required and the
customer receives the assembly, including
the eight individual components needed
for a complete bogie.
Locomotive manufacturer Bombardier,
for example, now partners with Schaeffler
KG on its Class 185 dual frequency
locomotive which has a very successful
track record with Germany’s railway
operator, Deutsche Bahn AG. The
Schaeffler Group’s Railway Division, with
its INA and FAG brands, has been
involved from the development stage as
an engineering partner – initially as a
supplier of transmission bearings and later
also as a supplier of traction motor bearings.
And, since 2004, Bombardier has also
purchased FAG wheelset bearings –
housings including cylindrical roller
bearing units – for the BR 185.2. In doing
this, Bombardier’s processes are
optimised because the wheelset bearing
elements for an entire bogie are supplied
as a complete kit in a wire crate. Class
185 locomotives were designed as
modular multi-system units incorporating
three-phase asynchronous propulsion
technology. They are used in fast crossborder
freight services.
The locomotives
run on two-axle
‘Flexifloat’
bogies
IN A SIMILAR WAY TO AUTOMOTIVE OEMS, TRAIN AND LOCOMOTIVE
MANUFACTURERS ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THE VALUE OF SOURCING
COMPLETE SUB-ASSEMBLIES FROM A SINGLE SUPPLIER, RATHER THAN
PURCHASING MULTIPLE, INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS FROM DIFFERENT
SUPPLIERS AND THEN DOING THE ASSEMBLY WORK THEMSELVES.
and deliver a maximum power output of
5,600 kW. They have a starting traction
effort of 300kN and reach a top speed of
140km/h.
Driverless trains
Germany’s most advanced subway
system was brought into service in
Nuremberg earlier this year. The ‘DT3’
two-car unit (manufactured by Siemens
Transportation Systems and operated by
VAG Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft
Nürnberg) is a new, fully automated,
driverless vehicle. FAG wheelset bearings
(rolling bearings and housings) for the
DT3 bogie frame were supplied by the
Schaeffler Group. According to recent
studies by the rail industry, introducing
driverless, automated operation will
increase safety and reliability, offer lower
energy consumption, more flexibility and
higher economic efficiency.
The higher initial investment costs for
automated operation are counterbalanced
by lower energy consumption
and higher safety thanks to various
measures, including the continuous
exchange of data between track and
vehicle, and more flexible and demandoriented
deployment options of the
rolling stock. Passenger benefits come
mainly in the form of significantly
reduced cycle times. While conventional
vehicles achieve a maximum of 200second
cycle times, automated operation
would enable 100-second cycles.
The wheelset bearings on the DT3 are
‘FAG 808246’ double-row cylindrical
roller bearings with 120mm bore
diameter, 200mm outside diameter and
a width of 130mm. The bearings are
pre-lubricated for one service interval
and require no maintenance for six years
or 1.2 million kilometres..
Specialists at Schaeffler’s Railway Bearings
division pulled out all the stops when it
came to the development, design and
choice of materials for the wheelset
bearing housing. For maintenance
purposes, a split housing was required.
This offered the advantage that only the
bottom part had to be dismounted during
maintenance, while the top of the housing
stayed on the bogie. This meant the axle
could easily be taken out of the bogie.
But the housing also had to resist the
extreme loads that occur as a result of
the design of the primary suspension, a
steel suspension with a rubber guiding
element. Additional demands for weight
reduction and high security standards
also had to be met. The optimum
solution that met all these requirements
was achieved only by using a
combination of FEM calculations and 3D
modelling. The FEM calculation results
were verified during test rig trials.
FAG design engineers decided to use
heat-treated, hardened spheroidal
graphite cast iron, which offered the
advantage of high strength combined
with good ductility. It is the only material
that met the compact, lightweight design
requirements for the housing.
RAIL
See us at Railtex 2007 Excel, London 20-22 Feb 07 Stand P40
IN MOTION | 16 IN MOTION | 17
W
Innovative wheelset bearings
for underground trains feature
reduced life cycle costs.
The wheelset
bearing elements
needed for one
entire bogie for
the BR 185.2 are
supplied as a
complete kit in
a wire crate.
Wheelset bearing with
integral generator system
for supplying safety,
telematics and regulating
equipment. The units can
be adapted to output
requirements and can be
retrofitted without the
need for additional
assembly components.
Bombardier Class 185
Locomotive

IN-HOUSE NEWS
Martin Ryan
congratulates
Carole Forshaw
on 30 years’ service
in the Commercial
department
Richard Hall thanks Ivan Carless on behalf of the Company
for all his hard work over the last 23 years in Sutton Coldfield.
Aaron Howells – born on
Mothering Sunday to Tracy
James (Assembly) and
Stuart Howells (Toolroom)
he weighed 7lb 3oz.
Betsan Haf daughter of
Mari Morgan (Quality
Control) born in July she
weighed an impressive
9lb 2oz.
GREAT NEWS FOR LLANELLI
During a recent visit to the Llanelli plant Dr Pleus, President of the Schaeffler
Group’s Worldwide Engine Systems Division, confirmed that the Llanelli location has
been selected to be the Group’s lead plant for the production of mechanical tappets.
During his visit Dr Pleus also took the opportunity to recognise the achievements
of many employees and he is pictured (centre) with Schaeffler UK Managing
Director Kate Hartigan (centre right) and staff who had gained qualifications
ranging from NVQ Level II Manufacturing Operations through NVQ Level III
Business Improvement Techniques to a BSc in Computer Aided Engineering.
Dr Pleus also presented long
service awards to Marian
Thomas for 20 years
SUTTON COLDFIELD
LONG SERVICE AWARD
RETIREMENT
BABIES
…and to Marian’s son Mark who
has also completed 20 years’ service.
Mark was also congratulated on
gaining his BSc in Computer Aided
Engineering.
LLANELLI
LONG SERVICE AWARDS
A number of Llanelli staff received long services awards recently including:
Terry Bradley (centre), 20 years’ service at Llanelli. He is pictured receiving
his award from Jeff Guest (left) and Stewart Richards.
Anthony Weston (second left), 20 years’ service at Llanelli. Pictured with
Jeff Guest (left), Roger Evans (second right) and Adrian Roberts (right)
Huw Collins (left) 20 years at
Llanelli. Pictured with Roger Evans.
Eldmer Richards (left) 20 years at
Llanelli. Pictured with Roger Evans.
Martin Phillips receives his award for 20 years’ service from Stewart
Richards (left) and Adrian Roberts (right).
Jackie Jennings, who works in the Credit Control department
at Sutton Coldfield married Dean Seaborne at St Paul’s
Church, Dosthill, Tamworth on Saturday, 14th October.
The wedding was followed by a reception at New Hall Hotel
and Mr and Mrs Seaborne then left for a honeymoon cruise
following the "ancient trail" around the Mediterranean.
FILM REVIEW
BOND IS BACK
…AND HE’S BETTER THAN EVER
(AND BOTH HIS CARS CARRY COMPONENTS
FROM THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP)
The long-awaited CASINO ROYALE,
latest in the world’s longest
running cinematic series, took
to the screens in the UK in
mid-November.
While the new Bond, played by Daniel
Craig, is completely different from
previous incarnations (with no Miss
Moneypenny or Q and an absence of
most of the gadgets) his love affair with
motor cars continues and the news is
that both cars featured in the new movie
– an Aston Martin DBS and the new Ford
Mondeo (the model to be launched in
2007) carry components manufactured
by the Schaeffler Group.
The film, 21st in the series, is rated by
critics as the best Bond film since
“Live and Let Die” and Daniel Craig as
“the natural successor to Edinburgh’s
most famous milkman.”
This Bond is more like the original
character of the Ian Fleming books
– a patriotic, cold-hearted killing
machine with a taste for luxury.
COMPETITION
1.Who were the original
producers of the Bond films?
2.Shirley Bassey sang the
theme songs for which two
Bond movies?
3.Indian tennis star Vijay
Amritraj met an untimely
end in which Bond movie?
The film is a sort of prequel, taking the
viewer back to the beginning of Bond’s
career and showing how he qualified for
his “00” badge.
And throughout the film, Bond takes a
terrible pounding – amongst other
things, he’s tortured, knocked senseless
and thrown off ledges.
While some very nasty, close quarters
hand-to-hand, fighting is a feature of
the film, there is no shortage of Bondstyle
action sequences with one fantastic
chase through a building site taking the
honours.
Of course, Bond wouldn’t be Bond
without the girls – and there are plenty
of them, most notably in form of
Treasury agent
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN
AN ASTON MARTIN DBS
(1:18 SCALE MODEL)
Bond’s car of choice in Casino
Royale is the Aston Martin DBS
– and this die-cast scale model
of the car in a flawless metallic
grey finish is the prize in our
competition in this issue.
All you have to do is provide the
correct answers to the series of
Bond questions and fax your
answers, together with your details
and a contact telephone number to:
0121 313 0080
ANSWER
ANSWER
ANSWER
4. Who played Solitaire in Live
and Let Die, Roger Moore’s
first Bond movie?
ANSWER
5. What was the title of the
only Bond film to feature
George Lazenby?
ANSWER
6. Who played Goldfinger in
the movie of the same name?
ANSWER
7. Who performed the theme
song for GoldenEye?
ANSWER
8. What was the name of the
character played by Ursula
Andress in Dr No?
ANSWER
Name Job title
Company Tel
Vesper Lynd, played by Eva Green and
reckoned by the critics to be the best
Bond girl since Diana Rigg.
Dame Judy Dench is back as “M”, keeping
a watchful eye on the “new” 007.
The villains are back, too, although this
time they are slightly more believable
than some of the previous inhabitants of
exploding islands etc.
Chief amongst them is Le Chiffre
(played by Mads Mikkelson) a backer of
terrorist organisations, who, in moments
of stress, weeps tears of blood.
Many fans were concerned when Daniel
Craig was picked for the role. But the
fact is that the “Blond” makes an
excellent Bond and may well turn out to
be the best of all.
All the reviewers think so, as does the
writer – who queued with a host of
other Bond aficionados for the local
opening night. Not one left the cinema
disappointed.
9. In which film did Bond use
an armed autogyro called
"Little Nellie"?
ANSWER
10.Who played Contessa Teresa
di Vincenzo in the film On
Her Majesty’s Secret Service?
ANSWER
11. What type of car was
equipped with titanium
armour and rockets in
The World is Not Enough?
ANSWER
12. Which Bond film’s theme
song was composed by
Paul and Linda McCartney?
ANSWER
REVIEW
IN MOTION | 19

See us at Railtex 07
ExCel, London 20 - 22 February, 07. Stand P40
30 times round the world
or 750,000 miles
...and then it’s time for
some simple maintenance
Maintenance is one of the biggest costs faced by train
operators, which is why FAG wheelset bearings from
Schaeffler UK are designed to need maintenance only
once every 750,000 miles (equivalent to 30 journeys
right round the world).
As a world leader in bearing technology, the Schaeffler
Group has developed a range of products specifically
for the rail industry. In addition to wheelset bearings,
we provide drive and pivot bearings and have
developed yoke type track roller units for the main
bolsters of bogies with active tilt technology.
Given the severe nature of the rail environment,
we use Corrotect ® coatings and special seals to
ensure that our bearings can withstand high levels
of contamination in order to provide extra long
operating life – and reduced maintenance downtime.
If you’d like more information about any of our existing
products or if you are interested in working with us on the
development of products to meet specific rail industry
requirements, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
Schaeffler (UK) Ltd
Tel: 0121 351 3833 Fax: 0121 351 7686
E-mail: info.uk@schaeffler.com
Web: www.schaeffler.co.uk
World Leaders in Rolling Bearings, Plain Bearings, Linear Systems and Engine Components