Schaeffler is expanding its range of large-size bearings in X-life quality. In the future, two and four-row tapered roller bearings with outside diameters of 320 mm to 625 mm and cylindrical roller bearings with outside diameters of 320 mm to 1600 mm will be available as X-life products subject to customer request. With their improved product characteristics and a load rating that is approximately 20 percent higher, they make it possible to improve performance and to optimize the design envelope and reduce weight in machines and plants.
X-life bearings have a significantly longer operating life under the same operating conditions. Alternatively, higher loads can now be applied while maintaining the same rating life values. State-of-the-art manufacturing technologies enable a better, more uniform surface to be achieved over the whole contact surface between the rolling elements and raceway. The internal construction is designed for optimum functionality using state-of-the-art analysis and evaluation tools and ensures optimized contact surface geometry and more even internal load distribution in the bearing. As a result, there is a significant reduction in the stress conditions present on the rolling elements and mating track under identical load. This produces higher dynamic load ratings, a longer nominal rating life, less friction, and lower bearing temperatures as well as a reduction in the strain placed on the lubricant.C
Carbonitriding for increased wear protection
As an option, the service life of X-life cylindrical and tapered roller bearings can be further increased by carbonitriding, a special heat treatment process in which the surface layer of the bearing rings is enriched with carbon and nitrogen. Carbonitriding provides a higher level of wear protection and surface hardness and thus significantly increases the efficiency of the machine depending on the application, especially in the case of extreme operating conditions such as contamination, particle overrolling, mixed friction, and boundary lubrication conditions.