SKF announces new DryLube Bearing

SKF announces the availability of the SKF DryLube Bearing, a new bearing featuring a specially engineered graphite based mixture which eliminates the need for grease re-lubrication in a wide range of extreme temperature applications.

Improved performance and significant cost savings are among the benifiets due to reduced maintenance and downtime. The SKF Drylube Bearings will benefit equipment, such as rollers, which are repeatedly subjected to

extremely high temperatures in applications such as bakeries, food processing, mills, foundries, or other heavy industries.

SKF Dry lubricated bearings eliminate grease lubrication in a wide range of extreme temperature applications.

Featuring an engineered graphite based mixture, providing very low and constant friction, SKF Dry lubricated bearings can operated at temperatures up to 350 °C.

To deal with high temperature applications, rolling bearings are typically lubricated via a centralised system. This can pose significant health and safety risks as excess grease can accumulate outside the bearing housings. Water cooling systems are also sometimes used, adding to high investment and operating costs.

By moving away from grease lubrication, SKF Dry lubricated bearings can help avoid the associated operating costs and productivity limitations that can occur when grease lubricated bearings are exposed to high tempe

ratures. Heat causes grease to deteriorate quickly, leaving bearings without adequate lubrication. This can lead to frequent failures, unplanned downtime, product surface defects, lost productivity and costly maintenance.

Key benefits include:

• Reduced maintenance: virtually maintenance-free, no need for re-lubrication and reduced cleaning
• Increased system reliability: extended bearing service life and less unplanned downtime
• Reduced environmental impact: no grease consumption or lubricant leakage, as well as reduced water contamination
• Improved safety: reduced risk of fires caused by excess grease and the elimination of slippery work surfaces caused by grease
• Reduced total operating costs: less maintenance and lubricant usage, as well as reduced energy costs

Typical applications:

• Industrial ovens: kiln trucks, annealing ovens
• Metals: caster rolls, cooling and roll out tables, bar mill and furnace rolls
• Food and beverage: ovens, wafer machines, sterilisation equipment
• Paper: converting lines, packaging and printing, rope sheaves
• Automotive: paint lines and powder coating