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Llanelli celebratesfifty years - Special

Supplement

IN THIS ISSUE...

ISSUE 7 - Winter 2007

World record runwith Schaeffler

bearings

Dreamliner contract

Ford Engineersgather for Schaeffler

Innovation Event

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Bearing technologyfor big bikes and

little bikes

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First in LineThe World’s largest range of linear systems

The range of linear motion productsavailable from Schaeffler (UK) is themost comprehensive from a singlesource in the world.

The products include bearings, shafts, guideways, accessories andcomplete systems, providing machinebuilders with a one-stop-shop capableof meeting their linear guidancerequirements across the completespectrum of applications.

The range includes:

Shaft guidance systemsTrack roller guidance systemsBall guidance systemsRoller guidance systemsFlat cage guidance systemsLinear actuators and tables

Plus a full range of accessories and,where required, a range of specialcoatings design to further improve the performance of linear bearings.

Schaeffler (UK) LtdTel: 0121 351 3833 Fax: 0121 351 7686

E-mail: info.uk@schaeffler.com Web: www.schaeffler.co.uk

ApplicationUnderground Train Door Slider

SolutionLinear Ball Bearing KS

World Leaders in Rolling Bearings, Plain Bearings, Linear Systems and Engine Components

SPECIALSUPPLEMENTPAGE 13

IN MOTION | 2 IN MOTION | 3

olling bearings from FAGAerospace will play a keyrole in supporting the fuelefficient Rolls-Royce and

other engines that will power Boeing’snew 787 ‘Dreamliner’ long haulpassenger airliners. Boeing’s 787 series isto US aircraft manufacturers what thesuper jumbo A380 is to its Europeancompetitor Airbus.

The first Dreamliner prototype wasrecently introduced to the public inSeattle, USA. This was also an importantevent for the two Schaeffler Group subsidiaries, FAG Aerospace GmbH andFAG Aerospace Inc. Canada. Both enginetypes approved for the new long-haulairliner rely on FAG Aerospace’s rollingbearing expertise.

The entire aircraft is designed toconsume as little energy as possible. “We had to develop a completely newdesign for the main shaft and gearbox

bearings,” said Franz-Josef Ebert, Headof Sales and Product Development atFAG Aerospace. “When developing thebearing systems, our primary goal was toachieve low weight and highperformance capability, together withhigh reliability.”

The fuel-efficient Boeing 787Dreamliner consumes 20 per cent lessfuel than comparable aircraft, due toits improved aerodynamics, better operating systems and lighter materials.

In addition, the new engines includingthe Trent 1000 from Rolls-Royce alsoplay a critical role in ensuring the aircraftis more fuel-efficient. The highperformance, weight-saving enginebearing supports also play a key role inthe engines.

FAG Aerospace became involved in thedevelopment of the engine bearingconcepts as early as 2005. The firstprototype bearings were manufactured and supplied in 2006 and results of thefirst engine test runs, which took place inAutumn 2006, were extremely positive.The civil aviation authorities’ approvalprocess for the engines will becompleted by the end of 2007. First testflights for the Dreamliner are scheduledto take place within the next few monthsand in the summer of 2008 the firstmachines will be delivered to the airlinecompanies.

The Boeing 787 is already selling well –more than 600 machines are already onorder - making the launch of the aircraftone of the most successful in the historyof civil aviation. The Boeing 787Dreamliner is a medium-sized long-haulairliner. Depending on its cabinfurnishings, the first version will seat 210to 250 passengers. Its cruising range willbe up to 15,200km. From 2010, astretched variant for up to 290passengers, as well as a short-haulversion with a maximum range of5,650km for 330 passengers, are beinglaunched. The Schaeffler Group developsand manufactures special bearingsupports for the aviation industry underits two brands FAG and Barden. Almost all modern passenger airlinersincorporate FAG bearing technology.

he Federal President honoured50 citizens in Berlin's SchlossBellevue for their outstandingachievements in the fields of

politics, in social and economic issues andintellectual work who have therefore madea special contribution to the FederalRepublic of Germany. The Office of theFederal President explained the award asfollows: “As a successful business woman,Mrs.Schaeffler manages INA-HoldingSchaeffler KG, one of the largest industrialcompanies under family ownership. In avoluntary capacity as Vice President of theNuremberg Chamber of Commerce andIndustry since 2000, she has beencommitted to the Mid-Franconian

economy and is especially dedicated to theneeds of trainees. She has been a boardmember of the Bavarian Red Cross since1977 and a member of the council ofFriedrich- Alexander University in Erlangenand Nuremberg since 2002.

Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler told the FAGTimes editors: “I consider this award asrecognition of the success of our companyand its employees and I’m very grateful tohave received it.” The Order of Merit wasinstituted in 1951 by Federal PresidentTheodor Heuss. It is the only general statedecoration and thus the highest tribute theFederal Republic of Germany can pay toindividuals for services to the nation.

THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP’S AEROSPACE DIVISION, FAGAEROSPACE, HAS SECURED LONG TERM SUPPLY CONTRACTSWORTH SEVERAL MILLION EUROS FOR SUPPORTING THEENGINES THAT WILL POWER BOEING’S NEW 787 AIRLINER.

HERZOGENAURACH. FEDERAL PRESIDENT HORST KÖHLERAWARDED MARIA-ELISABETH SCHAEFFLER THE CROSS OFMERIT, 1ST CLASS OF THE ORDER OF MERIT, FOR SPECIALSERVICES TO THE NATION. THE AWARD WAS PRESENTEDDURING A CEREMONY TO MARK THE ANNIVERSARY OFGERMAN REUNIFICATION.

ROLLING BEARINGS FORBOEING’S 787 ‘DREAMLINER’

FEDERAL CROSS OF MERIT FORMARIA-ELISABETHSCHAEFFLER

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elcome to the Autumn/Winter issue of In Motion. I hope you enjoy reading aboutthe wide variety of events and news topicsfrom the Schaeffler Group. Once again it has

been a busy year for us all in the UK and for our sistercompanies overseas. 2007 has seen an unprecedentedgrowth in the demand for bearings worldwide, resulting inpressure on the manufacturers and processors of bearingsteel and extensions to delivery lead times. Every efforthas been made to meet customers’ requirements, and wehave experienced growth in virtually every sector of ourbusiness.

Of course this is only possible thanks to our committed andloyal employees, all of whom are dedicated to offering thebest possible customer service. It is important to recognisethe contribution that everyone makes within theorganisation, and we are proud to have many long servingemployees with the knowledge and experience to make adifference. We take time out to thank them for theircontributions as you can see towards the back of the issue.We have recently been audited by TÜV for our TS16949accreditation and I am pleased to say that we haveachieved reaccreditation for another 12 months. It isimportant to maintain and improve on the high qualitystandards we set ourselves throughout the SchaefflerGroup and we look forward to being able to offer highquality products and services in the year ahead.

In October we looked back over 50 years of successful UKmanufacturing, celebrating this golden jubilee in our UKplant based in Llanelli, South Wales. We have achieved somuch in recent years that we sometimes forget how it allstarted, with only 6 employees in a government factory inDafen not far from our current site on the Loughor Estuary.Inward investment and new production orders mean thatnext year employment will grow to near 300 at the plant,and we will take on the worldwide role of “Group LeadPlant” for the manufacture of mechanical tappets.

The Schaeffler Group has always been firmly committed toinnovation in production engineering and new productdevelopment, and as you can see from the number of newproducts and services launched in 2007, this commitmentcontinues to go from strength to strength.

This is certainly true of our linear systems division, whichhas been further strengthened in the UK by the

appointment of a Linear ProductSpecialist. We are confident thatthis focussed approach will benefitnot only our distribution partnersbut the wider industrial sector inthe whole of the UK and Ireland.You can read about our linearactivities on pages 8-9.

Best regards.Kate Hartigan, Managing Director

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Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler receives the Cross of Merit, 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, from Federal President Horst Köhler.

OF MANUFACTURING

INWALESLLANELLI PLANT CELEBRATES...

We welcome your

comments on this or

any of our articles, and

would be very pleased

to receive your feedback

on “In Motion”

Editor: Karen Preston

Marketing Manager

Schaeffler (UK) Ltd

Forge Lane

Minworth

Sutton Coldfield

West Midlands

B76 1AP

Tel. +44 121 351 3833

Fax +44 121 351 7686

karen.preston@schaeffler.com

IN MOTION | 4

THE LARGEST WORKING QUARRY IN EUROPE WAS THE LOCATIONFOR THE 2007 INTERNATIONAL QUARRYING, MINING ANDRECYCLING EXHIBITION. TARMAC’S HILLHEAD QUARRY IN BUXTON, DERBYSHIRE PLAYED HOST TO OVER 450 EXHIBITORS IN 85,000m2 OF SHOWGROUND OVER 3 DAYS IN JUNE.

HILLHEAD 2007

he show takes place every 2 yearsand is the idealshowcase for

Schaeffler Group products andservices to this mostdemanding of industry sectors.

For the first time Schaeffler UKshared a stand with Corus NorthernEngineering Services. Alongside theindividual product and servicedisplays, the two companies wereable to promote their PRAXISpartnership.

This partnership was set up in 2005to offer the marketplace a completecondition monitoring service.Customers can benefit from atoolbox of condition monitoringtechniques including from bothvibration and acoustic emissionmonitoring, thermography and oilanalysis, supported by the completeinstallation of all hardware andbacked up by a comprehensive aftersales service.

A number of new additions to the X-life product portfolio were onshow at Hillhead for the first time.These included INA yoke and studtype track rollers with optimisedgeometry, FAG axial spherical rollerbearings that offer double the life underthe same loads, and INA cylindricalroller bearings with significantlyimproved load carrying capacity.

Barry Andrews, Sales Manager forHeavy Industry commented, “Hillheadis a unique event that in the past hasattracted many quality visitors fromall over the UK. Unfortunately theweather was against us this year andthe unseasonal flooding impacted onthe number of visitors to the show.However, we are pleased with theleads we have generated from theevent and look forward to developingfurther bearing and conditionmonitoring business with new andexisting customers over the comingmonths.”

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The Schaeffler and Corus team at the exhibition

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he TGV V150 high-speed train – which has a top speed of 150metres per second –

set a new world record on railsrecently, achieving 574.8kilometres per hour.

Developers and production staff fromSchaeffler Group Industrial, as well asapplication and field service engineersfrom Schaeffler France, viewed the TGVworld record run as proof of thecompany’s excellent work.

Although the FAG-branded cylindricalroller bearings, four-point bearings andtapered roller bearings used in thetrain’s gearboxes and traction motorshave been tailored for railwayapplications, they were notmanufactured specifically for the TGVrecord run itself, but came from normalseries production, which makes theirfaultless operation all the moreimpressive.

The French rail network has beenrevolutionised by the TGV (Train àGrande Vitesse). These trains whiskpassengers safely and smoothly to morethan 60 destinations across France atspeeds of around 186mph. So reliabilityand performance are critical whenselecting suitable drive systems andbearings.

Weighing in at 234 tonnes andmeasuring 100 metres in length, theV150 train is no ordinary TGV, but wasspecially configured for the record run.Both ends of the train are equippedwith new TGV-POS power cars. Locatedbetween these two cars, the train itselfcomprises three TGV Duplex based railcars.

The centre carriage shares themotorised bogies – borrowed from thelatest ALSTOM development AGV – withthe two adjacent carriages. The tractionequipment is located underneath thebar car in the middle of the train, sothat it can drive the adjacent AGV-based bogies.

The performance data shows just howreliable the bearings in the tractionmotors and gearboxes actually were.The bearings had to transmit 19.6MW(25,000hp) of drive power onto the railwith as little friction as possible.

For many years now, FAG has suppliedALSTOM and SNCF with drive bearingsfor the various generations of TGV. The bearings were originally designed tooperate for normal traffic only, whenthe TGV is operated at just half thepower. Since the FAG bearingsperformed excellently during the TGVrecord run, the bearings have provedthey are more than capable of offeringreliable performance during normal trainoperation.

SCHAEFFLER’S RAILWAY PRODUCTS DIVISIONHAS ALSO BEEN ACTIVE IN THE FAR EAST. THE COMPANY HAS RECENTLY SECURED ALARGE CONTRACT IN CHINA.

SCHAEFFLER BEARINGS WERE KEY TO TGV WORLD RECORD RUN

As part of the preparations forthe Olympic Games in 2008,the entire metro network inBeijing is beingcomprehensively redeveloped.Schaeffler received an order for410 bearing sets for tractionmotors from BombardierTransportation Systems. Thesewill be installed in the 192 carsfor Line Four of the metrosystem.

The construction of the line, which is 28km long and has 24 stops,is the first metro project that is being completed as a public andprivate partnership on the Chinese mainland. The plannedcompletion date is the end of 2007.

Schaeffler China has also received a ¤2.8 million order from theDalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Works. Schaeffler is to supplyall axlebox bearings and axle suspension bearing supports for typeDJ3 locomotives. These locomotives are designed for freight trafficand reach top speeds of 120 kilometres per hour.

CHINA ORDER FOR 410 BEARING SETS

Elsewhere in Europe, SchaefflerAustria is to supply SiemensTransportation Systems with all the bearing sets for allgearboxes of the 34, six-axletype DE 20 locomotives.

Having an output of 2,000 kW, thesediesel locomotives are based on the‘EuroRunner’ platform for diesellocomotives developed by Siemens.

TRACTION MOTOR AND GEARBOX BEARINGS FROM THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP HAVERECENTLY PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN HELPING TGV FRANCE’S V150 HIGH SPEED TRAINREACH A WORLD RECORD SPEED OF MORE THAN 570 KILOMETRES PER HOUR.

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SCHAEFFLER UK HOSTS 6TH GLOBAL FORD KEY ACCOUNT MEETING

THE PARK INN IN ESSEX WAS THE VENUE FOR THE 6TH FORD GLOBAL KEY ACCOUNTMEETING FOR SCHAEFFLER GROUP AUTOMOTIVE.

elegates from around theSchaeffler world met up inthe UK to discuss a numberof key issues relating to

sales and engineering activities with itscustomer Ford Motor Company.Richard Hall, General Manager of theAutomotive Division at Schaeffler UKcommented, “It was a very useful forumfor exchanging ideas and bringingeveryone up to date on our latestdevelopments with Ford around the world.Following a very successful TechnologyForum held at Dunton and Dagenhamthe week before, we certainly hadplenty to discuss and we look forwardto bringing many new projects tofruition over the coming months.”

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IN MOTION | 7IN MOTION | 6

L-R: Richard Hall, UK; Marcus Heise, Germany;

Mario Camargo, Brazil; Adrian Horne, UK; Peng Ran,

China; Mike Evans, UK; Sascha Lutkic, UK; Roger

Evans, UK; Philip Jelinek, US; Uwe Abraham,

Germany; Henry Haase, Germany; Michael Kern,

Germany; Ashi Uppal, LuK US; Wolfgang Christgen,

Germany; Martin Wroz, Germany; Richard Trojak,

South Africa

NEW SCHAEFFLER RESIDENT ENGINEER AT FORD UK

Aleksandar, or Sascha as he likes to be known,relocated to the UK in September from hishome in Germany to take up a 3 yearsecondment as a Schaeffler employee within theFord organisation. His role is one of on-sitesupport and assistance for Ford engineers,helping them to select the right Schaefflerproducts and services to be used in the nextgeneration of Ford motor vehicles. He has animpressive engineering background, havingjoined the Schaeffler Group back in 1979 as anINA apprentice. Upon completing histoolmaking apprenticeship, Sascha spent thenext nine years working in the sample shop ondeep drawn parts. After completing hisengineering degree at night school, he was

appointed to the role of CAD designer. Then,eight years later, he became Project Manager forbelt drive systems for Porsche, a role he helduntil his move to the UK in September 2007. He is currently based in Colchester with his wifeand two of his three children. Commenting onhis relocation to the UK, Sascha comments, "I am really looking forward to spending the next3 years in the UK. As a family we are lookingforward to exploring the country from the southall the way up to the far north as we find thedifferent landscapes and the history veryinteresting. I am also hoping to be able toimprove my golf and to sample as manydifferent varieties of beer while I am here,although not at the same time!”

THE SCHAEFFLER UK AUTOMOTIVE TEAM HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED BY THE APPOINTMENT OF ALEKSANDAR LUTKICTO THE POSITION OF RESIDENT ENGINEER FOR SCHAEFFLER GROUP AUTOMOTIVE, BASED AT THE FORD

OF EUROPE'S TECHNICAL CENTRE IN DUNTON, ESSEX.

SCHAEFFLER GROUPAUTOMOTIVE DRIVES INNOVATION FORWARD

SCHAEFFLER UK RECENTLY HOSTED A SUCCESSFUL TECHNOLOGY FORUM AT TWO FORDSITES IN THE UK. THE AIM OF THE TECHNOLOGY FORUM, WHICH WAS HELD EXCLUSIVELYFOR ENGINEERS FROM THE FORD GROUP OF COMPANIES AT BOTH THE TECHNICALCENTRE IN DUNTON AND THE DAGENHAM DIESEL CENTRE, WAS TO RAISE AWARENESSOF THE COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS RELATING TOTHE REDUCTION OF CO2 EMISSIONS AND BIOFUEL TECHNOLOGY.

he event was sponsored byDr Thomas Gruenert fromFord of Europe andsupported by several experts

from Schaeffler Group Automotive.

Not only were engineers from acrossthe Ford Group able to view at firsthand the latest in automotive engine,chassis and drivetrain technology, butthey were also able to attend a series of free technical seminars on a range of topics from coatings, to variablevalve train components, start-stoptechnology and the latest in double-clutch innovations.

If delegates then wanted to put thesetechnologies to the test, a fleet of6 demonstration vehicles was alsoavailable for test drive, withSchaeffler experts on hand toanswer any technical queries andoffer advice.

“I was very encouraged by thepositive reaction to ourTechnology Forum”,commented Henry Haase,Schaeffler’s Global KeyAccount Manager for Ford.

“All attendees seemedgenuinely interested to hear how the latestSchaeffler Groupautomotive technologycan help reduce CO2

emissions and contributeto improved fuelefficiency.

We are delighted to be planning furthermeetings to take discussions to the

next stage”.

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S C H A E F F L E R T E C H N O L O G Y F O R U M

� Peugeot 307 (BISG Start-Stop System)� Golf V (AFT Engine Control Unit)� Ford Focus PSG Dry (Dry Double Clutch)

� Ford Focus PSG Wet (Wet Double Clutch)� Opel Astra ESG (Double Clutch Hybrid)

Please register on site during the seminar.

Contributing to CO2 Reduction and Improved Fuel Economy

It is our pleasure to present vehicles for you to drive showcasing our latest technology:

Dunton, October 17th 2007 | Seminar Programme 9.00 - 16.00, Multi-Purpose Room

Dagenham, October 18th 2007 | Seminar Programme 9.00 - 16.45, Model-T Room

Page 1

IN MOTION | 8

n order to produce orassemble products faster,manufacturers require fastermachines and highly

automated production systems.

Linear drive technologies, including linearmotors and linear guidance systems, aretherefore required that can meet thedemand for higher operating speeds andimproved dynamics.

While there are linear guidance systemson the market today that are capable ofreaching speeds of around eight metresper second by using hybrid ceramic rollingelements, the Schaeffler Group’s LinearTechnology Division has developed alinear guide that operates on steel rollingelements and is capable of reaching evenhigher speeds – up to 10m/s. No hybrid technology was used at all inthe design of these new linear guides.What is more, compared to competingproducts, Schaeffler’s new high-speedlinear guides offer a 30% higher basicrating life. The new ‘KUVE-B-HS’ highspeed version of Schaeffler’s ‘KUVE-B’linear guidance range is a four-row, linearrecirculating ball bearing and guidewayassembly.

The system was unveiled for the firsttime to visitors to the Schaeffler Group’s stand at the recent Hannover Fair exhibition in Germany. With suchhigh speed and acceleration capabilities,the new guides offer machine builders

and systems integrators fasterthroughput times and improveddynamics for their customers.

The guides are ideal for highly automatedproduction environments, semiconductormanufacture and high-speed pick-and-place applications. The fact that the newguides use steel rolling elements ratherthan ceramic balls means that loadcarrying capacity and rigidity areequivalent to standard full complementKUVE-B guides of the same size andvariant. The KUVE-B-HS guides arerobust, reliable and safe. The carriagesrun on INA standard ‘TKVD’ guidewaysand so are easily interchangeable withother carriage variants.

The units have a design envelope thatcorresponds to those specified in DIN645 and guides are compact for screwmounting. Five variants of the KUVE25-B-HS are available now, with moreversions in the development pipeline.

THE LINEAR TECHNOLOGY DIVISION OF THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP HAS DEVELOPED AN INNOVATIVE, MODULAR, HIGH-SPEED LINEAR GUIDANCE SYSTEM, WHICH REDUCESTHROUGHPUT TIMES IN HIGH-SPEED HANDLING AND AUTOMATION TASKS, WHILE OFFERING A 30% HIGHER SERVICE LIFE OVER COMPETING PRODUCTS.

he new unit extends the‘MKUVE’ series of linearactuator modules with aunit that comprises a linear

ball bearing guideway assembly andballscrew drive. The units are easilyinterchangeable with other linearcomponents in Schaeffler’s range.

The new ‘MKUVE20-KGT’ module is idealfor moving moderate loads with high

positional accuracy (up to a maximumspeed of 2.5m/s), while supporting highmoment loads about all three axes.The module incorporates a recirculatingball guidance system with two carriages.This enables the movement of moderateloads with high rigidity. The actuator unitis protected using bellows. The module isdriven by a ballscrew drive, which has anominal spindle diameter of 20mm apitch of 5mm, 10mm, 20mm or 50mm.

For 5mm and 10mm pitch sizes, apreloaded double nut is available. The spindle is supported by an axialangular contact ball bearing. The guidance system and drive areintegrated in an extremely rigid supportrail that can be easily matched to thecustomer’s machine or productionequipment using simple T-slots, makinglife easier for machine builders andsystems integrators.

SCHAEFFLER UK HAS EXTENDED ITS LINEAR ACTUATOR RANGE TO INCLUDE A UNIT WITH A LINEAR BALL BEARING GUIDEWAY AND BALLSCREWDRIVE, OFFERING HIGH POSITIONAL ACCURACY AND SPEEDS OF UP TO 2.5m/s, IDEALFOR AUTOMATION, HANDLING, ASSEMBLY AND SHEET METAL FORMING APPLICATIONS.

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IN MOTION | 9

IDEAL FOR ASSEMBLY, AUTOMATION AND HANDLING TASKS

SPEEDS OF UP TO 10m/s PLUSIMPROVED SERVICE LIFE

John will be responsible for overseeing the growth of INA linearmotion sales, organisingand coordinating theengineering, productsupport, sales andmarketing of all linearproducts sold in the UKand Ireland. He brings a wealth of engineeringand sales experience to the new role, includingsix years as a regional sales engineer atSchaeffler UK, as well as previous roles at a power transmission company and aconstruction vehicle business.

“INA’s Linear portfolio is second to none,”he said.

“My focus will be on both emerging, nichemarkets in the UK and on the more traditionalmarkets for our linear motion products,including medical, power generation, machinetools, rail, construction, packaging, electronicsmanufacturing and machine building.

“As a design engineer at a previous company, I used to regularly specify INA bearings, whichwere renowned for their quality and reliability. To now be responsible for selling the INA linearrange in the UK is an exciting challenge for me.”

The Schaeffler Group offers the mostcomprehensive range of linear guidanceproducts available from a single source.

In the UK, Schaeffler’s ‘Linear Quick Centre’ at itsmanufacturing plant in South Wales providescustomised, assembled linear bearings andguidance systems, including cutting andmachining of shafts.

JOHN LOONAM HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS LINEAR PRODUCT SPECIALIST AT SCHAEFFLER (UK) LTD,SPEARHEADING THE COMPANY’S DRIVE TO INCREASE ITS LINEAR MOTION BUSINESS IN THE UKAND IRELAND.

MKUVE20-KGT

KUVE-B-HS

“This is an exciting time to be spearheading Schaeffler’slinear business in the UK”

NEW PRODUCT

chaeffler (UK) Ltd is one of seven suppliers to havebeen awarded a ‘Supplier of the Year Award’ from

Varian Medical Systems (VMS) UK, inrecognition of consistently high supplierperformance over the last 12 months.Schaeffler UK supplies a range of linearguidance systems for various highprecision applications.

VMS UK uses a vendor rating scheme tomeasure supplier performance andreports the results back to companies

on a regular basis, as a tool for furtherimproving quality and service.

A range of criteria is measured, includingon-time delivery; parts per million (PPM)defects; quantity reliability; technicalsupport; and a range of ‘soft’ factorssuch as cost, environmental and generalservice performance. Awards to suppliersdo not rely solely on the vendor ratingsystem. As Derek Flanagan,Manufacturing Manager at VMS UKexplains: “To be in contention for anaward, a supplier needs to be of an

‘A’ standard, but this still will notguarantee an award in itself. Out of our107 production suppliers this year,Schaeffler UK achieved the highestoverall vendor rating and so thoroughlydeserves the award.

“Schaeffler has been supplying us forseveral years now and our workingrelationship is very good. Varian andSchaeffler’s cultures are very similar; wethink the same way and always look forcontinuous improvements in everythingwe manufacture.”

Receiving the award on behalf ofSchaeffler UK the company’s ManagingDirector, Kate Hartigan, commented:“We were absolutely delighted to receivea seventh VMR award this year, and wewill continue to work closely with theVarian team to ensure that we supporttheir business. Varian is a veryprogressive and innovative company andwe value its consistent and timelyvendor rating feedback.”

SCHAEFFLER UK HAS BEEN AWARDED A ‘SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR’ AWARD FROM MEDICAL DEVICE AND EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS FOR THE SEVENTH SUCCESSIVE YEAR, FOR CONSISTENTLY HIGH QUALITY AND SERVICE PERFORMANCE.

7TH SUCCESSIVE VARIAN AWARD FOR SCHAEFFLER

NEW PRODUCT

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LOONAM LEADS THE LINE AT SCHAEFFLER UK

IN MOTION | 11

FAREWELL TO JOHN TAYLORAFTER ALMOST 35 YEARS

ormer German colleaguessaid a fond farewell to John in traditional Germanstyle when he officially

retired from the Company in April this year. Colleagues who had workedclosely with John over the yearsattended a farewell meal in the

Wirtschaft von Johann Gerner in thevillage of Hessdorf, close to SchaefflerHerzogenaurach. There were also fondfarewells from colleagues in the UK...

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here have been some verybright moments in my timehere at Schaeffler. The 1990s,for example, were very

dynamic and exciting years for theAutomotive Division. We were winning allpotential tension pulley and valve trainbusiness – long hours, stressful times, butour team was very successful,” he said. “But there were some genuinedisappointments too. The demise of theRover Group, for example, was a difficulttime for us here in the UK. In some ways itwas expected, but we tried not to thinkabout the worst actually happening.

In my time here, I have been privileged toknow personally and work with bothWilhelm and Dr Georg Schaeffler andadmire their foresight and skills that enabledthe company to grow and become one ofthe largest, private companies in Germany.More recently, we have seen many changes,some brought about by acquisitions, but the whole of our customer base is

changing and we must change with them inorder to survive.”

John joined Schaeffler UK (then INA NeedleRoller Bearings Ltd) back in August 1972,and was put in charge of the ApplicationsDepartment. He then progressed toEngineering Manager in 1988, before beingpromoted one year later to UK Director &General Manager Automotive Division.

“I guess the biggest change for mein my time here has been theautomotive market itself and howtruly global in nature it hasbecome. You can no longer talkabout the UK automotive marketor even the European market.

So companies like Schaeffler have had toadapt and innovate to survive. With the likesof Kia now manufacturing in five or sixcountries, we have to compete with thelocal suppliers to those manufacturingplants”. He considers that Schaeffler is in avery strong position to survive these globalcompetitive pressures. “We’re very proactivenow as a group. We take our new ideas tothe customer, rather than waiting for themto come to us. Of course, sometimes youdon’t need to do this, because a companysuch as Ford, may come to us and tell us itsproposed strategy for powertraindevelopment.

“Many second tier suppliers today, forexample brake, suspension or steeringsystem suppliers, have seen a gradual moveof manufacturing into lower labour costcountries, such as India and China. Wetherefore have to innovate more to survive,”said John. “The number of patents we issueas a Group each year is incredible and isproof of our ability to innovate.

“As an organisation, we’ve had to adapt andimprove in order to better support ourautomotive customers. There are now hugetime-to-market pressures on the OEMs, and so our project management skills havehad to improve, on a global basis, in orderto work with these companies. “Thepressures in the global automotive marketare there for everybody to see. OEMs needto develop cleaner, quieter engines, in order

to meet current and future emissionslegislation, while also improving passengersafety. This is a difficult process, becausewhile they try to reduce CO2 emissions fromthe engine, by making the vehicle lighter,improving the safety of the car for thepassengers, usually means adding weightelsewhere.

“I suppose the really exciting times for mewere in the early-to mid-1990s, whenalmost everything Schaeffler UK achievedwas 80% down to our own input and effort.The focus is now about working more closelyand collaborating with the customers, toimprove relationships and offer bettertechnical support. The customer wants us todo more of the development and testing toreduce time to market. We now have tooffer a much better package ofdevelopment support, and more value-added services. When we need supportfrom our own commercial or technicaldepartments, the service is first class.

Compared to other automotive suppliers,Schaeffler is very different, primarilybecause it is a private, family-ownedcompany. We don’t have shareholders toplease, so every penny earned in profit isploughed back into the organisation. You do have a feeling of being part of a veryclose-knit family. This comradeship comesfrom being part of the Schaeffler Group.

“I am proud and privileged to have contributed to the success of this company and I wish my colleagues all the best forthe future” he concluded.

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AFTER 42 YEARS WORKING IN THE BEARINGS INDUSTRY, 35 OF THESE FOR SCHAEFFLERUK, AUTOMOTIVE DIRECTOR & GENERAL MANAGER, JOHN TAYLOR, HAS RETIRED.

(L-R Richard Hall, Hellmut Adler, Michael Haas, Juergen Schulenburg, Hans-JoachimRenner, Reinhart Malik, John Taylor, Bernhard Geier, Wolfgang Steinberger, Joerg Wagner)

John receives his retirement gift from Kate Hartigan.

he Schaeffler Group hasdeveloped an innovative,energy efficient four-row,angular contact ball bearing

to replace conventional tapered rollerwheel bearings, resulting in reduced

fuel consumption and emissions ontrucks, SUVs and light vans; it couldpotentially also be developed for

use in other heavyengineering applications.

The innovative ‘twintandem’ wheelbearing unit reducesfriction by around

50% over conventionaltapered roller wheel

bearings. The result is anapproximate 1.5%

reduction in fuel

consumption on trucks, light vans andSUVs. A recent demonstration of the newbearings comprised a complete wheelassembly, with a conventional taperedroller wheel bearing on one end of theaxle and the new twin tandem unit on theother. When the power was cut off, theconventional tapered roller wheel bearingcontinued to rotate for around six toseven revolutions. However, the twintandem unit continue to rotate freely forbetween 48 to 50 revolutions – proving itsreduced friction properties.

The twin tandem design concept is basedon replacing the rows of tapered rollerbearings with two rows of ball bearings ineach case. A double-row tapered rollerbearing therefore becomes a four-rowball bearing. Replacing the line contact ofthe tapered rollers with the point contact

of the balls eliminates rib friction andreduces overall friction by 50%. The twintandem bearing also has a lower operatingtemperature compared to conventionaltapered roller units, therefore improvingthe service life of the lubricants. Corneringstiffness is also increased.

The twin tandem was developed initiallyfor trucks, light vans and SUVs, where the1.5% reduction in fuel consumption andemissions will have the greatest benefit.However, Schaeffler will continue todevelop the twin tandem for thepassenger car market and similar energyefficient design concepts are currentlyunder development with customers inother manufacturing sectors, includingheavy industries, such as steelmaking,machine tools, paper and wind energy.

TSchaeffler hasalso carefullyconsideredinterchangeability of thenew twin tandem with conventionaltapered units. The twin tandem isdesigned to cater for the use of sensors(such as ABS sensors) and installation inthe wheel carrier is identical forconventional tapered roller wheelbearings.

Assuming a vehicle emits 300g/km of CO2

over a distance of 15,000 km per year,the reduction in CO2 emissions resultingfrom the twin tandem unit will be 67.5kgper year per vehicle. Fuel consumption isalso reduced by 1.5%, giving a reductionof 40 litres per year for an average lighttruck travelling 15,000 km per year.

ENERGY EFFICIENT TWIN TANDEM WHEEL BEARINGCUTS FUEL CONSUMPTION AND EMISSIONS

SPEAKING AT A DINNER HELD IN HIS HONOUR JOHN RECALLED SOME OF HIS FOND MEMORIESFROM THE PAST 35 YEARS AND EXPLAINED HOW THE COMPANY AS A WHOLE HAS HAD TO ADAPTAND IMPROVE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE IN WHAT IS NOW A TRULY GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY.

50th Anniversary Supplement

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LLANELLI PLANT CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF MANUFACTURING IN WALES

hen it comes to large rollingbearings, reconditioning or reworkingthe bearing rather than replacingthem can be more cost effective and

save valuable time for the customer.

As a machine element responsible for transmittingforces, the defect-free functional capabilities of arolling bearing are a decisive factor in influencingthe overall availability of machinery and plant.However, for safety reasons, many rolling bearingsare still dismounted and replaced as part ofroutine maintenance activities, particularly onmachinery and plant that is deemed critical. Butwhat some companies do not realise is that, inmany cases, the bearings can be restored to acompletely acceptable, functionally reliablecondition using appropriate cleaning and repairtechniques. With its repair service for thereconditioning of large rolling bearings, such asthose used in steel and aluminium rolling mills,papermaking machinery, mining and quarryingmachinery, mineral processing equipment, thewind energy sector or in shipbuilding, SchaefflerUK can offer customers a significant cost saving.

15 to 70% of the cost of new bearingsReconditioning costs for a large rolling bearingtypically amount to between 15% and 70% of thecost of a new bearing, depending on the actualrepair or level of maintenance involved.

Average costs are around 50% of new purchases.Each planned bearing repair is preceded by an in-depth damage diagnosis that helps to decidewhether the repair is worth carrying out and iseconomically viable for the customer.

In the repair of largerolling bearings, all thenegative effects of wearand plastic deformationon the working surfacesare removed. This work, is carried out at the F’ISService Centre in Wuppertal, Germany whichprovides modern production and measurementfacilities for the whole of Europe.

If certain components cannot be repaired, theyare completely replaced. Reconditioning can beapplied to all types of rolling bearings, includingback-up rollers for Sendzimir roll stands, radialspherical roller bearings with an outside diameterof more than 500 mm, cylindrical roller bearingswith a bore code of 68 or higher, and taperedroller bearings. Once the specialists at theWuppertal repair centre have carried out theappropriate processing, the repaired rollingbearings not only provide the same performanceas new bearings, but also, after careful assessmentand damage diagnosis, the customer can also, incertain cases, be given the same 24-monthwarranty as for a new bearing.

BY RECONDITIONING LARGE ROLLING BEARINGS, RATHER THANREPLACING THEM, SCHAEFFLER UK CAN SAVE CUSTOMERS TIME AND MONEY, WHILE ENSURING THAT THE BEARING IS RESTORED TO AN ACCEPTABLE, FUNCTIONALLY RELIABLE CONDITION.

BEARING RECONDITIONING AN ECONOMICAL ALTERNATIVE TO REPLACEMENT

Lead time reduction at SiemensFor many customers, it is not only thelower costs that are attractive – leadtimes are also crucial. In the case oflarge bearings, reconditioning frequentlyoffers a significant time savingcompared to purchasing a new one. On average, larger bearings arereconditioned within three months.

However, the reconditioning of large rollingbearings can in some cases be carried out evenfaster than this. In a recent reconditioningcontract with the Automation & Drives Divisionof Siemens AG in Nuremberg, Germany,damage was discovered on a bearing, whichhad an outside diameter of 1,120mm. Theapplication was on a vertical boring and turningmill for the machining of cast housings forelectric motors.

Following telephone discussions betweenSiemens and engineers at the Wuppertal repaircentre and checking whether the necessaryballs were in stock, a promise of promptreconditioning was given. The bearing wasdelivered by the customer at 6 pm on aThursday evening. Just nineteen hours later, thebearing had been inspected, the racewaysreconditioned by grinding, new balls had beenfitted and the bearing had been packed. Atabout 1 pm on the Friday, Siemens was able tostart shipping the repaired bearing back to site.After a special weekend shift by themaintenance crew at Siemens, production wasrestarted on the Monday. The costs ofproduction downtime were kept to a minimum!

FAG Industrial Services

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peeches from Roger Evans,Dr Pleus (President, EngineSystems Division at theSchaeffler Group), Tim

Williams of the Welsh Automotive Forumand Mark James, Chief Executive ofCarmarthenshire County Council, werefollowed by presentations to Schaeffleremployees, a tour of the factory and lunch.

In his presentation to guests andSchaeffler employees, Roger Evanscommented: “Today is an importantmilestone in the history of this plant. Wehave seen many changes over the years,but in the last six years we’ve seenperhaps the greatest change. During thisperiod, we have been able to transformour plant performance at all levels. Our employees have made this happenand over the last six years they’ve workedhard at improving productivity andquality, whilst learning new skills andcompetences, and it’s through them thatwe gain success.”

Dr Pleus said that the Bynea plant was “a high quality workplace run by highquality employees”. He also commendedthe company for its “proactive approachin meeting the challenges it had facedover the last six years.”

In his speech, Tim Williams of the WelshAutomotive Forum said: “The importanceof manufacturing in Wales cannot bestressed enough, as it provides almost aquarter of the country’s GDP.” He addedthat the employees at Bynea plant were“dedicated, well-trained and flexible, withan eagerness to learn new skills and areled by managers with a clear vision anddetermination to succeed.”

He also announced that Roger Evans hadbeen chosen to lead the Welsh AssemblyGovernment’s new ‘Manufacturing Forumfor Wales’, which aims to address theissues of today and tomorrow in order tosustain the country’s position. Followingthe speeches, a new plaque was unveiled,to mark 50 years of manufacturing at theBynea plant.

Eighteen Schaeffler employees were thenpresented with training and qualificationawards, including Jamie Davies, who wasawarded an MSc in Procurement. GordonTaylor was also presented with acertificate and cheque to celebrate 25years of service at the company.

Guests on the day included Helga RotherSimmonds, Honorary Consul for Germanyin Wales; Eleanor Marks, Tony Mizen andHuw Davies from the Welsh Assembly;Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli; Ian Smith,Sector Skills Advisor, SEMTA; Paul Byard,Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS)Cymru; Tim Williams of the WelshAutomotive Forum; Mark James, Chief

Executive, Carmarthenshire CountyCouncil; and Tim McCaffrey of theUniversity of Wales, Swansea.

Through a combination of inspiredleadership and an experienced,well-motivated and well-trainedworkforce, the Bynea plant hasgone from strength to strengthin recent years. Part of theplant’s success is due to anongoing culture changeinitiative, which started in2001. This programme hasalready proved so successful

that the plant has not only managed toavert the threat of production beingtransferred to Eastern Europe, but hasalso managed to become a productionlocation of choice within the SchaefflerGroup. The plant has also managed tosustain its business with UK-basedautomotive customers.

The culture change programme startedwith the plant’s vision and the inherentcompany values that had to be adoptedby all employees in their day-to-dayactivities, namely Integrity, Innovation,Respect, Commitment and Passion.

Every member of the workforce wasinterviewed by the senior managementteam, to explain the vision and toprovide an opportunity for feedbackfrom each employee.

A skills, knowledge and experience ‘gap’was identified between what the plantwanted to achieve and what the staffwere actually capable of delivering.

Increased investment in training wastherefore provided in order to raiseoverall skill levels at the plant and tofoster an environment of life-longlearning and continuous improvement.As Roger Evans put it: “You have to put inplace training programmes that ensurethe rate of learning is always greater thanthe rate of change.”

The longest-serving member of thecurrent workforce at Bynea is JohnDavies, Goods Inwards. Now 60 years ofage, John has worked for the companyfor more than 44 years, starting at theplant in September 1963. As John states:“Reaching 50 years of manufacturing inWales is a tremendous achievement forthis plant. It’s a great company to work for.

“Communication is good betweenmanagement and shop floor. Thetraining provided is excellent and I’verecently completed a computer-trainingcourse for the new goods inwardssoftware, SAP. I look forward to workinghere until I retire.”

At the other end of the age scale isGeraint Kemp, an apprentice in themaintenance department who says thatthe best part of his job is the learningaspect. “I’ve worked here for over a yearand the training has been excellent,” hesaid. “We’re constantly encouraged toimprove our skills and knowledge. I’verecently completed a forklift trucktraining course, an NVQ Level III and I’vestarted German language lessons. I alsoattend the local college one day each week.”

Since the culture change programme wasintroduced, the plant has seen someformidable improvements. Around 89% ofoperators have now achieved NVQ LevelII in ‘Performing ManufacturingOperations’ – the aim is to reach 100%.Many operators have also requested toproceed to NVQ Level III and all employeesat the plant have now undergonetraining in 5S Workplace Organisation.“Employee morale is high and demandfor learning is greater now than it has everbeen,” said Roger Evans. “Team working,cooperation and communication have allimproved, as has the trust betweenmanagement and the workforce.”

The launch of the company-wide 5Sprogramme has also contributed to thesuccess of the plant. Improvements inhousekeeping and workplace organisationhave been made, as well as improvementsin a range of key performance indicators.Scrap levels have been reduced;accidents have been slashed by around60%; absenteeism has droppedsignificantly; and defects have beenreduced by more than 90%.

Added value per employee, another keymeasure at the plant, has also improveddramatically. “We’ve also implementedSix Sigma and Kaizen projects, whichhave resulted in cost savings of around¤500,000,” said Roger. “But the realdifference has been the workforce, whonow show a greater willingness to learnand to take responsibility for their owndevelopment. More than 100 employees,for example, have voluntarily enrolled onour ‘Learn Direct’ courses and use ournew Learning Centre.”

OF MANUFACTURING

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INWALESLLANELLI PLANT CELEBRATES...

DR PLEUSPRESENTSTRAININGAWARDS TOLLANELLI STAFF

Donna Williams-Bevan NVQ LIII

in Business Improvement Techniques

Jonathan Griffett NVQ LIII

Business Improvement Techniques

Ann Jones NVQ LII in Polymer

Processing and Related Operations

Steven Williams NVQ LII in Polymer

Processing and Related Operations

Huw Jenkins NVQ LII in Polymer

Processing and Related Operations

Keith Hallett NVQ LII in Polymer

Processing and Related Operations

Mark Bevan NVQ LII in Polymer

Processing and Related OperationsJamie Davies MSc in Procurement

The commemorative plaque is unveiled

SCHAEFFLER UK’S MANUFACTURING PLANT IN BYNEA, LLANELLI RECENTLY CELEBRATED ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY OFMANUFACTURING IN WALES. GUESTS AT THE CELEBRATION DAY INCLUDED DR PLEUS, PRESIDENT ENGINE SYSTEMS DIVISIONAT THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP, AND MEMBERS OF THE WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT AND WELSH AUTOMOTIVE FORUM.

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Darren Sadler Leadership

Foundation Programme

Dean Williams Information

Technology Level 1

Gordon Taylor NVQ LIII in BusinessImprovement Techniques. In additionGordon was presented with his 25years long service award

y automating the processof chamfering a new highvolume ball bearing, a teamof young engineers from

Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr School in Wales willhelp Schaeffler save more than £32,000per year. The engineering project was sosuccessful that it was recently awardedthe ‘Best Innovative Solution’ at thisyear’s EESW (Engineering EducationScheme Wales) ‘Work of Excellence’exhibition.

The team comprised seven sixth formA-Level Physics students and theirteacher David Wheeler (see pictureright), working in close partnership withengineers at Schaeffler UK’smanufacturing plant in Bynea, Llanelli.

The objective of the project was todesign an automated process forchamfering a specific type of ballbearing manufactured at the Schaefflerplant. The existing process at Bynea wasa manual one, with one operatordedicated to the operation. The team’sbrief was to create a machine thatwould automate this task and thefactors the students had to considerincluded cost, productivity, health andsafety, quality, reliability and processefficiency.

The final model, presented to a panel ofSchaeffler staff, consisted of slopedtracks of low friction material, so thatgravity could be used to move the

components to a pre-determined point,where a pneumatic cylinder was thenused to move the parts individually intothe correct location for chamfering. Toalign the part, a wheel-type mechanismwas then used to rotate thecomponent. During the rotationprocess, two location dowels wereraised by a spring in order to lock thepart in the correct position, beforechamfering the hole perfectly.

The solution was not only very efficient– reducing the time taken for chamfering by 20 per cent – but wasalso projected to save the plant morethan £32,000 per year. Schaeffler UKwas so impressed that a full-scaleconstruction of the model is currentlybeing manufactured at the Bynea plant.

The students chose the solutionbecause it had low running costs (basedon a low power input) and a 10% to20% reduction in operation time.Payback time for the machine wasexpected to be just two months. JeffGuest, Maintenance/DevelopmentManager at Schaeffler UK was involvedin supporting the students throughout

the project. He commented: “We had topoint the students in the right directionon a couple of occasions and ensurethat they didn’t over-engineer thesolution. But we were particularlypleased to see how the students tackledthe engineering problems they werefaced with. Their enthusiasm, interestand overall willingness to learn new skillswas a delight to see and should servethem all well in their future careers.”

David Wheeler commented: “I amextremely proud of the students. Theyhave worked diligently over the last fewmonths, giving up their spare time andlunch times in order to work on thisproject. This was their first attempt tocompete at a national level. Eventhough there were more than 100experienced teams competing, theywon the most important award. I wouldlike to thank Schaeffler UK for its time,expertise and dedication over the lastfew months in helping the pupilsachieve their goal. Not only did thestudents win the award, but they alsogained new skills and it has opened upengineering as a career prospect.”

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BY DESIGNING A NEW AUTOMATED PROCESS FOR CHAMFERING BEARING COMPONENTS,A TEAM OF A LEVEL PHYSICS STUDENTS FROM WALES WILL HELP SAVE £32,000 PERYEAR SCHAEFFLER UK’S COMPONENT MANUFACTURING PLANT IN LLANELLI.

STUDENT AUTOMATIONPROJECT TO SAVE £32,000 PER YEAR AT LLANELLI

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aunched at this year’s HannoverFair, Schaeffler’s new premiumgrade, X-life E1 spherical rollerthrust bearings now boast

significant improvements, includingincreased load ratings (static +10%, dynamic+35%), limiting speeds (+50%) and fatiguelimiting load (+70%). A revolutionaryachievement is the bearing’s 170% increasein bearing rating life.

The technical benefits of the bearing arenumerous: operating life has more thandoubled under the same loads or similaroperating life is achieved under significantlyhigher loads; suitable for high speedapplications due to lower friction levels;improved guidance and vibrationcharacteristics due to very high runningaccuracy; less wear due to optimisedlubricant film formation; and the lubricant issubjected to less strain due to lower bearingtemperatures. For the customer, thesebenefits translate into higher machine

availability, new design possibilities, moreeconomical bearing supports due todownsizing; and lower operating costs dueto reduced energy consumption.

The most up-to-date kinematicstechnology and software was used todevelop the new 294 and 293 seriesbearings, which are made from superiorquality materials. The performanceimprovements were made possible bymodifying and improving the bearingcontact geometry and bearing kinematics.

This included adding longer rollers with largerdiameters, which results in higher loadratings. Surface improvements on the rollingelements also enable a lubrication film thatis capable of supporting even higher loads.Improved osculation conditions andadditional profiles further optimise therolling contact. Modified osculation andprecise rib geometry increase the loadcarrying capacity of the rib contact.

A new sheet metal cage with improved roller guidance and lubrication support, reduce wear and extend the life of the bearing.

Higher axial load carrying capacity and lower bearing temperature as well asimproved resistance to wear have enabled afurther increase in operational reliability andeconomic efficiency. Moreover, the new X-life E1 spherical roller thrust bearings offeran even better price/performance ratio. Usersalso benefit from higher machine availabilityand lower operating costs through reducedenergy consumption. Totally newopportunities have been opened up fordesign engineers: They can either achievehigher performance with unchangedbearing dimensions or they can realise morecost-effective downsized solutions.

y modifying the material ofthe outer ring and byoptimising the geometry ofthe raceways, the new X-life

PWTR and PWKR yoke and stud typetrack rollers now offer up to 50% higherload carrying capacities and up to 30%longer basic life ratings.

In addition, the optimised lateral surfaceprofile and the improved surface qualityof the outer ring mean there is reducedoverall stress on the mating track. Thisprovides a highly robust bearing supportwith an extended service life and higherefficiency for the customer’s application.

By optimising the raceway geometry,Schaeffler has increased theeffective load carrying length

of the rolling element. Even at high loads,edge stresses are prevented. This leads toincreased effective dynamic load ratings(by up to 9%) and increased effectivestatic load ratings (by up to 30%). Thebasic rating life is therefore up to 30%higher with the new range.

The outer ring material was modifiedfrom case-hardened steel to through-hardened steel. Increasedfatigue strength under reversed bendingstress therefore leads to higher permitteddynamic ring load (by up to 50%).

Increased proof stress leads to higherpermitted static ring load

(by up to 30%).

The quality of the outside surface of theouter ring track is also improved byaround 40%, giving increased protectionof the mating track. X-life yoke and studtype track rollers are based on doublerow cylindrical roller bearings and arefitted with lip seals to protect themagainst contamination. Separatedby a central rib, the cylindricalrollers provide axial guidance ofthe outer ring. Stud type trackrollers are equipped with ahexagonal socket on both sides ofthe roller stud. Customers can alsorequest all-round corrosionprotection in the form of Schaeffler’schromium-free Corrotect®

anti-corrosion coating, or with a specialTRIONDUR coating for high-level anti-wear protection.

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IDEAL FOR HARSH OPERATING ENVIRONMENTS, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY, ROLLING MILLS & LIFTING GEAR, SCHAEFFLER’S NEW X-LIFE AXIALSPHERICAL ROLLER BEARINGS NOW OFFER MORE THAN DOUBLE THE LIFE.

NEW X-LIFE YOKE & STUD TYPE TRACK ROLLERS

NEW AXIAL SPHERICAL ROLLER BEARINGS

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BY OPTIMISING THE RACEWAY GEOMETRY AND OUTER RING MATERIAL ON ITS RANGE OF X-LIFE YOKE AND STUD TYPE TRACK ROLLERS, SCHAEFFLER HAS INCREASED THE BASICRATING LIFE BY UP TO 30% AND IMPROVED LOAD CARRYING CAPACITIES BY UP TO 50%.

EXPANDING PORTFOLIO OF PREMIUM PRODUCTS

IN MOTION | 19

chaeffler bearings andcomponents are used in the followingmotorcycle applications:

CrankshaftSchaeffler’s low friction, high precisionFAG ball bearings (with optionalintegrated seal) and cylindrical rollerbearings are helping motorcyclemanufacturers keep noise levels and fuelconsumption to a minimum. INA needleroller and cage assemblies guided on theoutside diameter (crank pin cages) canbe used for the connecting rod bearingsupports. The dry-running characteristicsare significantly improved by the use ofcoatings.

Piston pin bearings keep the radialinternal clearance as small as possible.INA needle roller and cage assembliesguided on the inside diameter (pistonpin cages) have proved to be an idealsolution in wear-resistant designs withextreme temperatures.

Belt DriveMechanical and hydraulic chaintensioners with tensioner blades andchain guides can be used to dampen thevibrations from the timing chain. This can reduce noise levels from themotorcycle and increase operating life.

The camshaft can run with low frictionin maintenance-free needle rollerbearings or ball bearings.

In the valve train, rocker arms, fingerfollowers and end pivot rocker arms or bucket type tappets with mechanicalor hydraulic valve lash adjustmentelements, can ensure optimal valveperformance on the engine.

TransmissionFor drive shafts and output shafts,motorcycle manufacturers can use FAG ball bearings with optimised loadratings and INA space-saving drawn cup cylindrical roller bearings. Schaefflercan also supply low noise, high speedgear bearing supports with lightweight,split plastic cages, which increase the lifeof the transmission system as theyminimise the risk of false ‘brinelling’.

ClutchDurable release bearings with formedrings can provide high load carryingcapacity in a small design space such as a motorcycle engine.

GearshiftLow friction FAG ball bearings and INAneedle roller bearings make gear shiftingmuch easier on motorcycles. In contrastto steel-steel or steel-aluminiumsolutions, these rolling bearings offerconsistent, low radial internal clearancefor the shift drum and wear-freeoperation.

Chassis and SteeringSafety factors are critical on the chassis andsteering system and so Schaeffler can provide ballbearings with integrated seals that are lubricatedfor life and which offer good shock resistance andsmooth operation. Their low wear and low frictioncharacteristics also contribute to fuel savings.Sealed needle roller bearings are also used forspecial swing arm designs. Sealed, adjustabletapered roller bearings, angular contact ballbearings or angular needle roller bearings can beused to support axial and radial loads in thesteering head. Schaeffler’s ‘ELGES’ plain bearingscan be used for forks and suspension struts.

PropshaftINA deep drawn bearings can be used as bearingsupports in the universal joints. These transmitpower through the drive shaft. ‘Staked retention’ is an efficient method developed by Schaefflerthat can enable the universal joints to be mountedaxially without clearance. This means excellentsymmetry and a reduction in vibration and engine noise.

ABSIf a motorcycle wheel locks, an INA sensor ringcan be used to trigger the ABS control system.High pitch accuracy requires manufacturing

precision and the coatings on the ring protect the component from corrosion during theoperating life.

Accessories Schaeffler can also provide motorcyclemanufacturers with a number of bearings for other motorcycle parts, including lightweight, small drawn cup needle roller bearings with openends for starter motors and durable needle rollerbearings or ball bearings for oil pumps.

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BIG BIKES...

“We even tried manufacturing our own bearingsfor a short period to try to overcome theproblem, but after switching to INA bearings, ourquality, reliability and availablity of bearings hasimproved dramatically.”

Established 18 years ago, Hope Technology is not a typical mountain bike manufacturer. Basedin Barnoldswick in Lancashire, the company isworld-renowned for supplying high-endmountain bike components, designed to enhancethe performance and reliability of the bike. Its 60 staff, most of them engineers and skilledmachinists, are also mountain bike enthusiaststhemselves and are fiercely proud of their

heritage and the fact that they manufacture 90%of the components themselves in the UK. HopeTechnology doesn’t manufacture complete bikes,but makes thousands of different variations ofbike components, including wheel hubs, discbrakes, brake calipers, hand finished wheel sets,lighting, stems, seat pins and clamps.

The company even produces its own screws, nutsand spacers. The idea is to provide bikeenthusiasts with the opportunity to upgrade andenhance their experience by investing in high-end products from Hope. “It means buyersof mountain bikes can customise the bike to suitthe way they ride it,” explained Ian Weatherill.

Hope now holds a consignment stock of custom-made, deep groove steel and stainlesssteel cartridge bearings from Schaeffler for all itshubs and head sets. Schaeffler will also lend itstechnical bearings design expertise to Hope’snext project – a new, integrated headset bearingand a new stainless steel hub assembly, due to belaunched in the near future.

“What I really liked about dealing with Schaeffler,is that they respected us as a company, eventhough we are quite a small manufacturer,” saidIan Weatherill. “Paul Healey, Schaeffler’s accountmanager, is always extremely helpful with newdesigns we are working on.”

When it comes to design innovation, HopeTechnology and Schaeffler share a very similarvision. As Paul Healey pointed out: “Most of Hope Technology’s staff are bike enthusiaststhemselves and are actively encouraged to bringnew design ideas to the table and discuss themwith the management team. Similarly, atSchaeffler, we encourage innovation and try towork as closely with the end customer aspossible, preferably early in the design process, tohelp improve the overall design arrangement.”

“After switching to custom-made, deepgroove bearings from Schaeffler for all ourhubs and headset assemblies, we’ve not had asingle bearing failure,” said Ian Weatherill, co-founder of Hope Technology, a UK-basedcompany that dominates the Europeanmarket for the supply of high performancebike components and sub-assemblies tomountain bike enthusiasts.

“We started using INA bearings around threeyears ago because we were having qualityproblems with suppliesfrom the Far East,”explained Ian.

BY SWITCHING TO CUSTOM-DESIGNEDSEALED BEARINGS FROMSCHAEFFLER, UK-BASED MOUNTAINBIKE MANUFACTURER HOPETECHNOLOGY HAS ELIMINATEDBEARING FAILURES ON ITS HEADSETS.

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…AND LITTLE BIKES

TRIUMPH IS BRITAIN’S ONLY REMAINING MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURER AND THE COMPANY HAS BEENA CUSTOMER OF SCHAEFFLER UK SINCE 1987, USING BEARINGS AND TAPPETS IN MANY OF ITS ENGINE,FRAME AND TRANSMISSION APPLICATIONS. SCHAEFFLER CURRENTLY SUPPLIES AROUND 31% OF ALL BEARINGS ON TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES AND IS CONSTANTLY WORKING ALONGSIDETRIUMPH’S DESIGN ENGINEERS TO HELP TO CUT ENGINE WEIGHT, FRICTION AND FUEL CONSUMPTION.

CUSTOM BEARINGS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE BRITISH MANUFACTURED MOUNTAIN BIKE COMPONENTS

IN MOTION | 21

The maintenance-free ELGES bearingsare designed for high shock loads andalternating loads.

Contact pressure is up to 300N/mm2

(dynamic), or 500N/mm2 (static).Schaeffler offers radial, thrust andangular contact spherical plain bearingtypes, all with excellent load-weightperformance ratios.

Premium Quality

Schaeffler also provides standard andcustom-designed bearing solutions formanufacturers of vertical crushers andfor vibrators in vibratory compactingequipment and sheet pile drivers. Thesebearings must withstand high shockloads and radial acceleration in thesmallest possible design space.Misaligned bearings and shaftdeflections put extra strain on thebearings and ambient conditions areoften unfavourable.

In many cases, because conventionalcylindrical bearings cannot meet thesehigh requirements, Schaeffler can offercustomers its premium-grade, X-liferange of bearings.

These include Schaeffler’s FAG singlerow cylindrical roller bearings (NJ) withbrass cages. For these bearings, the X-life version results in 18% higher loadcarrying capacity, which increases thebasic rating life of the bearing by morethan 70%.

In addition, Schaeffler’s range of low-friction cylindrical roller bearingsLSL (with disk cage) and ZSL (withplastic spacers) are ideal for demandingrequirements in terms of dynamics load carrying capacity. In vibratorycompactors, for example, the bearingspeeds can reach 2,500 rpm andaccelerations can be up to 500m/s2.

BEARING SOLUTIONS CUT COSTS, POWER AND WEIGHT IN CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

FROM BEARINGS FOR ARTICULATION JOINTS, HOSE REELS AND VIBRATORY ROLLERS, THROUGH TO BEARINGS FOR WIRE ROPE SHEAVES ON MOBILE CRANES,SCHAEFFLER’S RANGE PROVIDES CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS WITHCORROSION-RESISTANT, MAINTENANCE-FREE, EFFICIENT, HIGH PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS.

onstruction equipment andheavy vehicles are nowdesigned to meet strictEuropean environmental

standards and emissions targets. The engines that drive these vehicles,for example, are designed to reduceboth CO2 emissions and noise levels.

Schaeffler has been working closely withconstruction vehicle and equipmentmanufacturers for many years and bygetting involved early in the designprocess, Schaeffler engineers havehelped develop more innovative,efficient and cost effective bearingsolutions.

One area where construction vehiclescan help the environment is byeliminating the use of lubricants andengineers at Schaeffler have developedELGOGLIDE®, a range of maintenance-free bearings that require no lubrication.

Schaeffler’s ELGES bearings are coatedwith a sliding surface based on Teflon®

fabric. They therefore require noadditional lubricant supply; the PTFE inthe slideway lining ensures functionalreliability and enables maintenance-freeoperation for the life of the part.Oscillating motion such as the frequentswivelling motion present in

construction equipment is endured dueto the solid and moisture-resistantcombination of the sliding layer and thesteel support body. Overall, thecustomer receives a bearing solutionthat is offers a well-balancedcombination of high load capacity,excellent wear and frictional behaviour,as well as outstanding dry runningcharacteristics.

Easy-to-Mount

The maintenance work and timeconsuming mounting operationsinvolved in installing bearings toconstruction equipment and vehicles,interrupts construction workunnecessarily. For this reason, Schaefflerhas developed a range of ready-to-mount bearing support systems thatincorporate ELGOGLIDE® highperformance plain bearings.

These bearings are easy to mount, withall components – pins, tensioningsystem and plain bearings – fittingtogether perfectly. The units are pressedinto housings and frames and require noadditional axial location. Implementingthe appropriate surface treatment

considerably reduces the formation ofrust on exposed bearing components.

For wire rope sheaves in mobile cranes,Schaeffler’s range of INA SLO4.. RR, fullcomplement cylindrical roller bearingsare designed to withstand high loads.Lip seals, special grease and Schaeffler’srust-resistant surface coating,Corrotect®, also offer highly effectiveprotection from contamination andwater splash.

The bearings are easy to mount in wirerope sheaves. Due to annular grooves,the outer rings are simply located withretaining rings.

Schaeffler’s four-point contact ballbearings and ELGES spherical plainbearings are used to support articulationjoints on construction vehicles. Thiscombination offers a rugged, compactdesign for torsional and steeringmotion. The four-point contact ballbearing has a high load rating, is verystiff and easy to mount. With itsclearance-free, preloaded racewaysystem, this bearing is more than amatch for the requirements in thesetypes of applications.

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Four pointcontact ballbearing withinternal gear

Cylindrical roller bearing(LSL) with brass disc cage

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eplacing or removingdamaged or worn parts onheavy machinery andequipment can be a real

headache for manufacturing companies,particularly those in the mining, quarryingand mineral processing sector, wherethe value of capital equipment andproduction machinery is normally high.

Repair and overhaul of componentssoaks up valuable time and resources,often resulting in costly productiondowntime, while the equipment ormachinery is offline being repaired. Theharsh operating environment may alsoresult in more regular maintenance andoverhaul being required on machinery.

Dismantling and assembly procedurescan be complicated and often involvedrives being disconnected, belts, pulleys,gears, bearings, couplings and shaftsbeing disassembled or removed.Equipment such as bucket wheelexcavators, winch drums, screwconveyors, mixers and stirrers, mills,crushers, rotary kilns, fans and blowers,drive and line shafts requires regularmaintenance, repair and overhaul.

Where solid rather than split sphericalroller bearings are used, companies shouldchoose to fit the split type instead.Mounting of split bearings normallyleads to a reduction of machinerydowntime and maintenance costs. In many cases, split bearings can alsoreduce the cost of new designs, becausethe bearings simplify the assemblyprocess and mounting procedure.

Split spherical roller bearings areparticularly useful when several solidspherical roller bearings are being usedto support a complex drive shaft, orwhere the bearing needs replacing but islocated in a tight space on a machine,so access is restricted.

With split spherical roller bearings, theinner ring, outer ring and cage assemblyare split. A cylindrical bore providesdirect mounting onto the shaft. Thesebearings typically offer high thrust loadcapability and dynamically compensatefor any misalignment.

With the FAG range of split sphericalroller bearings from Schaeffler UK, theoutside diameter, outer ring width andshaft seat diameter are identical to thedimensions of the standard sphericalroller bearings range. This meanscustomers can easily replace solidbearings with split versions with anadapter sleeve. The FAG range includesboth glass fibre reinforced polyamide orbrass cages, and for special applications,split bearings with separate clampingrings can be supplied.

REDUCING HEAVY PLANTOVERHAUL COSTS

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SPLIT SPHERICAL ROLLER BEARINGS FROMSCHAEFFLER UK NOT ONLY HELP MINING ANDQUARRYING COMPANIES REDUCE DOWNTIME, BUT ALSO SIMPLIFY MOUNTING AND HELPREDUCE ASSEMBLY AND MAINTENANCE COSTS.

LARGE SPLIT BEARINGS ON STEEL MILL REPLACED IN JUST THREE DAYS

his importantmaintenance work on atrunnion bearing wascarried out on a

140-tonne steel mill converter atThyssenKrupp’s steel production plant inTerni, Italy.

While most of the plant’s 3,500employees were enjoying their annualSummer shutdown in 2006, engineersfrom F’IS set about replacing the large,heavy, split spherical roller (trunnion)bearings on one of the plant’s two, 140-tonne high-grade steel converters.

The shutdown is normally used to carryout important maintenance work,including relining and modification ofthe two mill converters.

ThyssenKrupp’s fitters initiallydismounted the drive and bull gear (a toothed gear wheel that enablestilting of the converter) on one of theconverters, then took the opportunity of calling in F’IS engineers to do somepreventive maintenance on the FAG-supplied trunnion bearings. HermannEußner, chief fitter at F’IS comments:“Prepared down to the very last detailand perfectly organised, the bearingreplacement was carried out accordingto schedule within three days.”

The bearings on the converter are fromSchaeffler’s FAG range of split sphericalroller bearings. With an outside diameterof 1,180mm, a bore of 900mm and aweight of 800kg, these bearings aredesigned to withstand the high forcesacting on the pressure ellipse of theloaded roller and the outer ring, whichmeasures just a few square centimetres.The bearings also have to withstandextremely harsh conditions – highoperating loads, dirt and high temperatures.

With split spherical roller bearings,assembly is simplified and mountingmade easier, therefore the costs ofproduction downtime, particularly on heavyplant and machinery, are reduced. F’IS is also working closely with UK-basedsteelmakers to ensure that productiondowntime is kept to a minimum.

The Corus Group’s steelmaking plant in Scunthorpe, for example,recently underwent major bearing replacement work. Corus Northern Engineering Services (CNES) worked closely with F’IS to save at least five weeks of production.

The Scunthorpe plant uses three BasicOxygen Steelmaking (BOS) plant vessels,which convert molten iron from theblast furnaces into steel. Each vesselweighs 1,300 tonnes, supported on two,1.75m diameter spherical roller bearingsfrom FAG. As Ian Taylor, businessdevelopment engineer for plantcondition monitoring at CNES says: “The delivery lead time for bearings ofthis magnitude can be as long as 12 to18 months, with plant downtime for aplanned bearing change requiring three weeks.

The relatively high cost of the bearingbecomes almost insignificant comparedto the overall production outage costs.By working closely with engineers fromF’IS, we removed the existing bearingsand fitted the new bearings. This tookjust four days of the three-week planned outage, before the panelsand screens were refitted, the

supporting frame removed and the plant recommissioned.”

FAG INDUSTRIAL SERVICES (F’IS) HAS SUCCESSFULLYCOMPLETED THE REPLACEMENT OF LARGE, SPLIT SPHERICAL ROLLER BEARINGS ON A CRITICAL,140-TONNESTEEL MILL CONVERTER WITHIN THREE DAYS.

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PROCHECK INTELLIGENT, ONLINEMONITORING

PROTECTIVE MATERIALS AND COATINGS FORHARSH ENVIRONMENTS

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roCheck enablesmaintenance teams tomonitor vibration levels anddiagnose faults on critical

rotating plant and machinery, helping toprevent costly machine breakdowns andeliminating problems before they occur.ProCheck is suitable for use in virtuallyany industrial sector.

Ian Pledger, Field Service Engineer atFAG Industrial Services (FIS), commented:“What really differentiates ProCheckfrom other products is its inherentflexibility due to its modular design. This means the system can be easilyintegrated into a customer’s existingcontrol and automation environment.”

ProCheck is intelligent, easy to set upand is both robust and reliable. Inaddition, the system’s modularconstruction means it can easily caterfor different maintenance and conditionmonitoring strategies employed acrossdifferent industry sectors.

It is, for example, ATEX-certified and socan be used in hazardous or explosiveenvironments.

The system has a range ofcommunications interfaces so that it canbe easily integrated with a company’sexisting plant management or productioncontrol and maintenance systems.

Once set up, the system will operateautomatically and continuously tomeasure, record and analyse vibrationdata from rotating plant and, as a result,will detect changes in behaviour earlyand alert maintenance personnel to apotential problem before it actually occurs.

The ProCheck system can be easilyexpanded and customised through anew expansion slot system and digitalfilter algorithms.

The unit is therefore easy to integrateinto an existing production datamanagement system, statistical processcontrol (SPC) system or PLC network.

Data recordingThe sensors record data from rotatingplant continuously and initial assessmentis carried out by ProCheck. If definedalarm limits are exceeded, alert warningsare automatically generated and sent todefined interfaces, where they undergofurther assessment. The storedalgorithms process the data to extractthe necessary information on thecondition of the machine and this initialcheck is independent the server PC. This means all ProCheck systems in anetwork can operate independently of aserver connection and store their dataon a permanent memory medium. The system can accommodate up to 16sensor channels plus additional analogueand digital inputs and outputs, and socan be expanded from monitoring anindividual machine, right up tomonitoring complete production plants.Multiple ProCheck units can beconnected to a network and managedusing the same database. Furtherparameters such as temperature,pressure, load, speed, torque, oil statusand oil quality can be recorded andcorrelated with the vibration data.

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SCHAEFFLER UK HAS LAUNCHED A NEW ONLINE MONITORING SYSTEM, THE FAG PROCHECK,WHICH DETECTS PLANT OR MACHINERY FAULTS EARLY - PREVENTING COSTLY BREAKDOWNS,REDUCING PRODUCTION DOWNTIME AND IMPROVING MAINTENANCE PLANNING.

he new development centre,located at the SchaefflerGroup’s headquarters inHerzogenaurach, will research

and develop new processes andcombinations of unique materials andbearing coatings technologies. WhileSchaeffler’s standard bearings guaranteecustomers optimum performance andlong service life, in some harsh operatingenvironments, a standard bearing materialor coating may need to be upgraded.

Coatings are applied to the surfaces ofrolling bearing components withoutforming a material bond, for example, bydiffusion between the coating and basematerial. In many cases, it is sufficient tocoat only part of the bearing or one ofthe parts that come into rolling contact.Schaeffler can advise customers when acoating is appropriate and what typeshould be used for a certain application.

As well as offering special corrosion-resistant coatings such as Corrotect®,Protect A and Protect B, Schaeffler canalso provide a range of corrosion-resistant materials for rolling bearings thatoperate in corrosive environments.

While standard steel bearing materialsprovide satisfactory corrosion resistancein many applications, for higherperformance requirements, highlycorrosion-resistant, nitrogen alloyedmartensitic HNS (high nitrogen) steels –such as Schaeffler’s Cronidur® andrecently developed Cronitect® steels – arealso available.

Cronitect® is a new high-grademartensitic hardening steel, developed forrolling bearings, which offers maximumcorrosion resistance under extremeconditions, for example, in dry runningapplications or when the bearings are incontact with aggressive media such aswater, acids and cleaning agents.

Cronidur® and Cronitect® are superior toconventional corrosion-resistant steelsfor rolling bearings in terms of corrosionresistance, wear resistance and fatiguestrength. They have very high corrosionresistance against aqueous media andheavily diluted acids, alkalines or saltsolutions. Potential applications are cleanrooms, electronic componentmanufacturing plants, pharmaceuticalsand food production.

Other special materials include ceramicrolling bearing components, which provideexcellent characteristics for certainapplications. Silicon nitride balls, for example,are light and offer a longer operating lifethan standard steel ball elements.

High performance plastics such as PEEKcan also be used for bearing componentsoperating in corrosive environments. PEEKis resistant to high temperatures and,depending on the load, is suitable foroperating temperatures of up to 250°C.

Schaeffler offers three special coatingsthat improve the corrosion-resistanceand/or wear resistance of the surface.

Corrotect® is a relatively low cost, zincalloy coating with cathodic protection,which is effective against condensation,rainwater, contaminated water and weakalkaline and weak acidic cleaning agents.

Protect A is a pure, matt grey colouredchromium coating with a pearly surfacestructure. Lubricant is retained betweenthe pearls, therefore effective anti-wearprotection is achieved, even under mixedfriction or slippage conditions. Duringrunning-in, the rolling elements and sealsburnish the surface, which leads toreduced friction coefficients. Protect A isresistant to various chlorides, oils, sulphurcompounds, chlorine compounds andweak acidic media.

Ideal for aggressive atmospheres at hightemperatures, Protect B is a coatingcomprising two layers: a thin chromiumcoating covered by a chromium mixedoxide layer, the latter providingcorrosion-resistance by supporting thelubricant. The coating offers high anti-wear protection together with highanti-corrosion protection.

Black oxidising coatings are also available,which are ideally suited to rollers andrings for bearings in wind turbines and railtraction motor bearings.

A copper coating is also available foremergency lubricant on bearing cages,whilst silver coatings are used for thesame purpose on aerospace bearings.Titanium nitride offers the customer wearprotection in jet engine bearings. As manyrolling bearings are used in electricmotors, the bearings must be electricallyinsulated to prevent passage of electriccurrent. The outside diameters and thefaces, or alternatively the bore and thefaces, are coated with aluminium oxide.

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BY INVESTING IN A NEW DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR SURFACE COATINGS OF BEARINGCOMPONENTS AND BY CONTINUING TO INVEST IN R&D, THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP CANOFFER CUSTOMERS A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SPECIAL BEARING MATERIALS ANDCOATINGS, WHICH IMPROVE BEARING PERFORMANCE AND PROTECT PARTS FROMCORROSION, WEAR, FRICTION AND SLIPPAGE IN EVERY APPLICATION.

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IN MOTION | 27IN MOTION | 26

he move is another step inthe progress of thecompany, which wasoriginally founded in Cork

in 1925 by Horace Rhodes Kenworthy.The firm’s expansion through thedecades has mirrored theindustrialisation of the country, as thecompany evolved its product range toservice the requirements of theindustrial and agricultural markets andlatterly, the high value technological andpharmaceutical sectors. The currentproduct portfolio provides a one-stopshop to customers for all theirmaintenance, repair and on-goingoperation requirements. As the firmvacates its city centre location toestablish its new Headquarters at Little Island, Managing Director, JackWalsh said, “This historic company hasalways embraced change when it is inthe best interest of its customers. From its humble origins on QueenStreet in the city centre, to thismagnificent 25,000 sq ft facility in LittleIsland, Reliance has always been aboutquality and service.”

The Kenworthy family’s association withthe company continues throughCompany Sales Director, PeterCreighton and Technical Director, MarkKenworthy, both great grandson’s ofHorace Rhodes Kenworthy. Anotherinteresting fact is that Jack Walsh hasalso celebrated 50 years ofuninterrupted service with Reliance in2007. Des Pattinson, National SalesManager at Schaeffler UK who hasknown Jack for almost 25 years

comments, "INA, and latterly, SchaefflerUK has enjoyed a long association withReliance in Southern Ireland for 25 ofthe 50 years that Jack has served withthe Company.

We congratulate Jack on thistremendous milestone and in steeringthe Company towards the success it isenjoying today. We look forward tocontinuing this positive growth withReliance in the future".

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RELIANCE CELEBRATES A MOVE TO A NEW HOME

THE RELIANCE BEARING AND GEAR CO LTD., SCHAEFFLER DISTRIBUTORS IN IRELAND,CELEBRATED ITS MOVE TO A NEW HOME IN LITTLE ISLAND, CO. CORK EARLIER THIS YEAR.THEIR PURPOSE-BUILT PREMISES WERE OFFICIALLY OPENED BY THE MINISTER FORENTERPRISE, TRADE AND EMPLOYMENT, MICHEÁL MARTIN, T.D.

(L-R: Jack Walsh,Micheál Martin)

DISTRIBUTORNEWS

LONG SERVICE AWARDS

IN-HOUSE NEWS

TONY SLATER RETIRESTony Slater, sales engineer for theHeavy Industry and IndustrialDistribution team, retired recently.

Tony joined FAG 8 years ago as a salesengineer for the York area, specialisingin industrial gearboxes. Presenting himwith his retirement gift is DesPattinson, National Sales Manager.

Pictured is Charlie James Hall, sonof Richard Hall, who is GeneralManager of the AutomotiveDivision at Sutton Coldfield.Charlie was born on 12th May andweighed in at 7lb 1oz.

Pictured left is Lorna Rae Hopkins,second child of Leigh and JanetHopkins (Leigh is Regional SalesEngineer for PT&R and Janet is a Business Analyst in theCommercial Department atSchaeffler UK’s Sutton Coldfieldoffices). Lorna was born on 9thNovember and weighed in at 8lb 5oz.

LLANELLI

NEW ARRIVALS...

SUTTON COLDFIELD

Brad Voth (right), Captain of Cardiff Devils, sporting the INA logo on his sleeve, with (from the left) DavidLongstaff, Captain of Newcastle Vipers, Keelan Thomas, and Tracy Jones, of the Finance Department, Llanelli.

A total of twenty members of the Llanelli team wererecently presented with long service awards. They arepictured here at the award ceremony:

Front row (kneeling) David Warlow (10), Allan Edwards (15),Lee Pratt (10), Charles Bunyan (10) Second row Francis Thomas (10), Judith Evans (10), PennyEdwards (10), Helen James (10) Middle row Adrian Roberts, Maureen Jones (10), Richard Delve(10), Paul Owens (10), Roger Evans, Gordon Taylor (25), CliveJenkins (10), Gilda de Gruchy (10), Tracy Jones (10) Back row Keith Jones (10), Rob Harries (10), Jarrod Hughes (10),Dean Williams (15), Stuart Jenkins (10)

Sutton Coldfield Long Service Awards were presentedduring the festive celebrations.

Picture shows left to right: Ann Sargent (10), Roger Evans, ClaireRhodes (15), Kate Hartigan, Richard Hall, Angela Powell (10),Adrian Roberts, Claire Griffin (15), Des Pattinson.

chaeffler UK wasdelighted to be one ofthe sponsors of aspecial effort to raisefunds for ‘Children in

Need’ by staff at the Jaguar andLand Rover Design Centre atGaydon.

With Pudsey shoutingencouragement, two teams, made up of Gaydon staff andrepresentatives from sponsors,pushed a new Jaguar XF and a LandRover Freelander 2 over a two-milecourse at the Gaydon site.

The effort raised nearly £5000 forthe Christmas charity.

A BIG PUSH FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

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o promote the fact thatLuK Aftermarket Serviceswill be handling the INAportfolio of automotive

aftermarket products, a sponsorshipdeal has been set up with the CardiffDevils Ice Hockey team, which is basedclose to the INA automotivemanufacturing plant in Llanelli. Thesponsorship deal is also closely linked tothe “Say No to Drugs” campaign, which

has already been successfully promotedby the Sheffield Steelers Ice Hockeyteam, and involves players visiting localschools to give youngsters an insightinto how damaging drugs can be.Following the visit each school or clubpupils are then invited to see the teamin action. The Schaeffler initiative isnow to be opened up to other teams inice hockey and the local HerefordUnited Football Club is also taking part.

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INA SPONSORSCARDIFF DEVILS

Pupils from Llanedeyrns School, one of the first visited under the new initiative, pictured at a Cardiff Devils match, all wearing T-shirts sponsored by INA.

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Llanelli celebratesfifty years - Special

Supplement

IN THIS ISSUE...

ISSUE 7 - Winter 2007

World record runwith Schaeffler

bearings

Dreamliner contract

Ford Engineersgather for Schaeffler

Innovation Event

18 5

Bearing technologyfor big bikes and

little bikes

6

First in LineThe World’s largest range of linear systems

The range of linear motion productsavailable from Schaeffler (UK) is themost comprehensive from a singlesource in the world.

The products include bearings, shafts, guideways, accessories andcomplete systems, providing machinebuilders with a one-stop-shop capableof meeting their linear guidancerequirements across the completespectrum of applications.

The range includes:

Shaft guidance systemsTrack roller guidance systemsBall guidance systemsRoller guidance systemsFlat cage guidance systemsLinear actuators and tables

Plus a full range of accessories and,where required, a range of specialcoatings design to further improve the performance of linear bearings.

Schaeffler (UK) LtdTel: 0121 351 3833 Fax: 0121 351 7686

E-mail: info.uk@schaeffler.com Web: www.schaeffler.co.uk

ApplicationUnderground Train Door Slider

SolutionLinear Ball Bearing KS

World Leaders in Rolling Bearings, Plain Bearings, Linear Systems and Engine Components