World's Leading bearing manufacturers and Additive manufacturing.

Bearing Manufacturers and Additive manufacturing:

As a hobbyist maker and a 3d printing enthusiast, working in one of the world's leading bearing manufacturing companies, here is a personal attempt of mine to understand how bearing manufacturers can use additive manufacturing very specifically in their applications. When we talk about general manufacturing, there are various areas like tool making, functional prototypes, batch production, and mold making where additive manufacturing can be adopted. But when we narrow down this focus particularly on bearing manufacturing, it feels like the scope is very little.

In this blog let us understand how bearing manufacturers can implement additive manufacturing technology through case studies from few of the world's leading bearing manufacturers.

1. Bowman bearings, UK:

In general, the standard range of bearing cages are made of steel, bronze, or aluminum and they are the most complex part of a bearing. But Bowman’s extremely complex design made it impossible to injection mold their cages. Due to which they began to experiment with SLS and 3d printed tooling and parts. They quickly could see that this approach failed from the recurring warping issues and inconsistent mechanical properties of the tool. Subsequently, they shifted to MJF which took them from prototyping to production and then to volume production for both cages and seals.

Bowman’s roller train.

The feasibility to produce this complex cage has simplified other components in the bearing assembly and also reduced the number of different components in stock by 75%.

Jacon turner , head of additive manufacturing at Bowman says:
" We’re able to take the entire bearing's load capacity to 30 or 40 or even 50% higher, extending the life of a traditional split bearing by 3 to 5 times. The newly designed split roller bearing now features 3D printed bearing cages that not only increase the radial load capacities by 70%, but also increase the axial load by 1,000%, and 3D printed seals offer better wear properties and enhanced ease of use. "

Here is the image of a cage of needle roller bearing, which is also 3D printed using a flexible material that simplifies the assembly process.

Source and image credits:https://www.hp.com/us-en/printers/3d-printers/industries/industrial/bowman-international.html

2.SKF VBN Collaboration:

SKF and VBN components have been collaborating for a long time now creating large-size bearings from hard, wear-resistant steel with enhanced fatigue properties. VBN will provide a unique alloy named Vibenite, whose application will be focused on aerospace and racing segments. Application of this technology on large-size bearings, lighter weight components have the potential to improve performance under demanding conditions and could enable further weight optimization of machinery. Also, this technology is going to make the process of producing components from hard metal much easier and reduce material consumption by a whooping 80-90%. It can also increase the lifetime of components by 10 times, resulting in a significant reduction of Co2 footprint.

Source:https://www.additivemanufacturing.media/news/skf-vbn-collaborate-on-additive-manufacturing-of-large-size-bearings

3.Schaffler :

Schaffler in collaboration with DMG MORI is developing additive manufacturing processes for rolling bearing components. DMG MORI, a manufacturer of machine tools, and Schaffler supplier of rolling bearings signed a cooperation agreement at JIMTOF 2016, to complement each other perfectly to drive the future of machine tools, as well as the continuing development of rolling bearing technology. Below is a brief about the technology that is being used.

Laser deposition welding for the manufacture of rolling bearings:
Laser metal deposition welding, an additive manufacturing process, is combined with conventional five-axis machining in the hybrid facilities developed by DMG MORI so that the resulting components can be finished immediately afterward. It can be used for the flexible manufacture of rolling bearing components for prototypes and small batch sizes. The focus here is on process issues with the materials used and their suitability for the process.

Source: https://www.bearingtips.com/additive-manufacturing-rolling-bearings-schaeffler/

4.Franke GmbH, Germany:

This company wanted to create a wire race bearing for beds in rescue helicopters. The application was to withstand shocks, vibrations, and large turbulence but the major constraint was the bearing’s weight. It should weigh less than 800gms.

They designed this bearing using topology optimization techniques and 3D printed these bearings in aluminum which met both weight and performance requirements.

What do we see in common in all of these examples?

Every manufacturer is hindered by a specific problem that stops them from prototyping and producing that new design or innovative modification with the currently existing traditional manufacturing methods. Although bearings are 200-year-old, well-established mechanical inventions, it doesn't mean that they do not have any further scope for innovation and development in their performances, designs, components, or manufacturing methods.

All of these trials, inspections , analyses and examination of additive manufactured bearings aim to achieve few common goals:

To see improved performance
To reduce maintenance
To have fewer spare parts
To have flexibility in choosing materials
To easily assemble and cost-effectively manufacture
To have enhanced elongation before the break
To reduce the CO2 footprint

And to keep innovating and experimenting and bringing in new possibilities that are not stopped just
due to unattainable manufacturing systems.