Conventional bearings are significantly damaged by electricity. This can lead to unexpected equipment failure or stoppage. Schaeffler with its current-insulating bearings offers a solution to this problem.
The most common applications for electricity are in wind power generation, in the railway industry and in bearings used in drive technology and electric motors. Schaeffler has further developed its Insutect A bearings with insulated coating. The resulting unsurpassed performance offers an unprecedented level of protection coupled with impressive benefits.
How does the passage of current through the bearings cause damage?
In recent years, the use of inverters has become increasingly important in industry. This is due to their many advantages, such as more precise control of motor speed in electric drives, improved energy efficiency and increased productivity.
However, inverters often generate parasitic currents in the motor which can also flow through the rolling bearings. If a rolling element bearing is electrically energised between the outer and inner ring, this can cause current to flow through and damage lubricants or greases, rolling elements and raceways.
The use of insulated bearings can prevent premature failure of electric drives, thus avoiding repair measures and costs associated with production downtime.
How can you avoid future damage?
It is usually difficult to completely eliminate the causes of electrical stresses on rolling bearings. However, bearing damage can be avoided if the passage of current can be significantly reduced or prevented. In order to protect against parasitic currents, Schaeffler offers aluminium oxide coated current-insulating bearings (J20G series) and hybrid bearings with ceramic rolling elements – identifiable by the prefix HC – in its product range.
Economical solution : optimised Insutect A coating
The improved current insulating coating of Schaeffler J20G offers complete protection in a wide range of applications.
Even in wet environments, it surpasses the performance records of previous products in terms of breakdown voltage, impedance and ohmic resistance. Schaeffler’s J20G series Insutect A bearings, with their optimized aluminum oxide coating, offer a cost-effective alternative to hybrid bearings with ceramic balls for many requirements.
Maximum safety: Schaeffler hybrid bearings with ceramic rolling elements
Wherever a particularly high degree of protection is required – whether in traction motors for rail vehicles or generators for wind turbines – Schaeffler hybrid bearings with ceramic rolling elements provide optimum protection against severe damage caused by the passage of current.
The risk of damage is typically high under high current loads, which can lead to significant costs in some cases. Damage to these bearings often leads to generator failure, machine stoppages and, in the worst case, unplanned production stoppages. For critical applications, Schaeffler hybrid bearings are the solution.
For more information, please contact our expert colleagues!
