Bearings respond to papermakers' demands

A strong trend in the paper industry to increase machine output has put new pressure on bearing performance.

A strong trend in the paper industry to increase machine output has seen papermakers focus on increases in uptime and rebuilds for higher machine speeds.

The increased speed increases the demands on bearings, particularly in applications such as press and suction rolls.

As a result, SKF has developed CARB and spherical roller bearings for very high-speed applications.

Designated the VA460, the new bearings run at three times the oil speed rating of standard bearings, deliver very high running accuracies and minimise friction.

The VA460 series has been designed specifically with the needs of the paper industry in mind.

It follows SKF's philosophy, since the mid-1990s, of recommending a CARB and spherical roller bearing arrangement for all applications that experience axial expansion of the shaft and which need to be self-aligning.

This proven combination is the best solution for bearing longevity, as the nonlocating function is frictionless and cannot create any thrust load.

Today, the fastest fine paper and newsprint machines operate at speeds of around 1900m/min.

The design speed for new machines is already over 2000m/min and the expectation is that speeds will continue to increase with each new generation of machines.

Back to top