Keep Your Motors Running with Schaeffler Solutions

Martin Ryan, Industrial Distribution Director - Schaeffler UK

Electric motors are found in almost all industries and are required for a wide variety of tasks. The large number of applications also means that electric motors have to meet a wide range of requirements so with our wide-ranging product portfolio, we can help meet those challenges together.

Small electric motors have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. They help us with gardening in the form of electric lawnmowers or garden shears, with our washing and drying needs, as well as vacuum cleaning, they can simplify housework enormously. The challenge that exists for all small electric drives is energy-efficient operation. This is because the consumer needs to save electricity as well as money. In addition, more and more devices are being operated with rechargeable batteries to further increase comfort. This makes energy efficiency even more important, as the running time can be significantly increased without recharging.

Whether you are looking at a standard electric motor or a highly specialised electric drive, deep groove ball bearings (DGBB) are often the most suitable type of rolling bearing for these applications. Hayley as a certified supplier of Schaeffler product benefit from Schaeffler’s over 100 years of experience manufacturing this product and together can ensure customers benefit from the ideal supplier and development partner for all types of electric motors. It’s not only DGBB’s which Schaeffler offers this industry sector but a large portfolio of products along with relubrication and condition monitoring.

For smaller motors in the consumer market, DGBB’s from FAG, particularly the Generation C (GenC) One Schaeffler design in premium quality are particularly suitable. The standard version is quiet – the GenC One Schaeffler design is unbelievably quiet! GenC also contributes to low-friction operation having an optimised inner design to keep bearing friction as low as possible. Various seals are also available for an optimum sealing effect.

Small electric motors are also required in large quantities and for a wide variety of purposes in industrial settings. They often drive fans and pumps or serve as servo motors for precise positioning and movement. With the large number of motors, low energy consumption naturally plays an important role as does low noise due to lowering noise levels in manufacturing plants for the employees in the vicinity.

For large electric motors and generators, regardless of their purpose, reliability is one of the most important requirements. In the event of unplanned downtime, entire production areas may be unable to continue operating. This results in extremely high costs. Equipped with our current-insulated rolling bearings, large electric motors can be operated for a much longer time and premature bearing damage, due to current passage, can be prevented. Schaeffler can offer rolling bearings with an aluminium oxide coating as well as hybrid bearings, which reliably prevent the passage of current due to their ceramic rolling elements.

Even if the best components are used in their systems, maintenance measures are unavoidable. With the right condition monitoring system, efficient maintenance measures can be planned, and machine downtime avoided. For electric motors that require relubrication, Schaeffler offers a wide range of automatic lubricators. With these, you can significantly reduce your maintenance effort and set ideal lubrication conditions in the rolling bearing that ensure a long bearing life.

Schaeffler’s CONCEPT2 automatic lubricator is ideally suited to the individual lubrication of two bearing positions in electric motors. The system provides two separate lubrication points that can be individually adjusted to supply bearings with varying lubricant volumes. Schaeffler has developed a complete E-KIT system that enables retrofitting. The E-KIT includes all the necessary accessories required for mounting and installation, allowing a simple upgrade to a fully automatic relubrication system and the fact that empty cartridges can be supplied means that the customer need not change their existing lubricant supplier. It also saves the environment as the cartridge can be refilled up to 3 times.

With decades of experience in this sector, Schaeffler and Hayley are able to support their customers with a wide product portfolio of standard product as well as tailor-made solutions.

To enquire about any of the products in this article, simply contact your local Hayley Group branch. Find their details by using our Branch Finder tool.