SKF has developed a new hybrid deep groove ball bearing that is said to enable more power from smaller motors. The high-performance two-piece polymer cage is designed to allow higher rotational speeds, enabling quieter and more efficient operation than bearings with common cages. It also enables higher power density, leading to more power output from the same size electric motor.

The new bearing is aimed at high-speed applications such as rail industry traction motors, electric machines and drives. It is also targeted at original-equipment manufacturers in off-highway vehicles, E-mobility, and industrial/electrical applications.

The company says that its newly developed lightweight cage helps to boost the limiting speed by at least 60% compared to traditional designs.

“Our new cage design helps our customers to get more power from electric motors, which enables downsizing,” says SKF business and project engineer Andreas Pichler.

By improving the efficiency of electric machines and drives, the new bearing can cut energy consumption, increase reliability and reduce the total cost of ownership.

Its two-piece cage is made from PEEK and PA66, making it 80% lighter than a brass cage. As well as running more quietly, the bearing operates at a lower temperature, which helps to prolong grease life and extend relubrication intervals, allowing more flexibility in design choices.

Rigidly connected cage bars ensure robustness, which helps to lengthen service life in harsh conditions. SKF says that the optimised geometry also eliminates radial deformation from high centrifugal forces - the ‘umbrella effect’ - that typically occurs on snap-type cages running at high speed.