SKF’s new technology revolutionises the industry

It provides an overview of performance, transmits data in real time and detects faults – even before they occur. SKF’s new sensor bearing units for load measurement will be on show for the first time in Sweden at Elmia Subcontractor’s IoT Arena.

It’s time for the Swedish market to find out about SKF’s groundbreaking new innovation. The connected bearing has integrated optical fibre technology, without electronics. It enables you, for instance, to visualise forces, lines of force, temperatures, speeds and lubrication status in real time. Measurements can be taken over long distances in difficult electrical and chemical environments, without disruptions.

“It detects signals from the roller bearing, which makes it possible to take action before a potential fault arises. The signals are monitored from the bearing, and show how the machine is behaving and where the forces are coming from,” says Carl Pucher, Product Manager for Fiber Optic Sensing at SKF.

SKF has had the idea for ten years or so. When they finally decided to industrialise the product last year they contacted Proximion, a subsidiary of Hexatronic. This collaboration has now led to the innovation becoming a reality.

“We know bearings and they know fibre optics. If you do everything yourself, it takes longer and the results aren’t as good. By working together it’s all gone far quicker, and the end product is great.”

The measuring instrument was shown for the first time in Hanover during the spring. Its first showing in Sweden is in Elmia Subcontractor’s IoT Arena section, a knowledge and inspiration forum where companies present their innovations. This year the event is being held on 12–15 November, showing connected products, services and smart solutions to different problems.
Mr. Pucher looks forward to launching the technology on the Swedish market.

“We’re the first ones to introduce this technology. There is currently no other solution available that allows you to monitor loads in real time, directly from the warehouse,” he says.

But SKF’s unique technology is not just about status monitoring and locating potential faults in a process. It also provides engineers with new insights into the machine’s performance, which makes it possible to streamline the customer’s machine use.

“This can be crucial to optimising control of the system. You can transmit huge amounts of data long distances and get information in real time.”

In the first stage, the technology has been developed to optimise the design and operation of pumps, but SKF will launch further applications for the technology moving forward.

“Each application and each customer is unique, and they’ll use it in all kinds of different ways. Eventually we’ll be launching the technology for a wider range of applications,” Carl Pucher concludes.