SKF’s hybrid bearing life model

Using GBLM, SKF engineers have been able to determine the real-world benefits hybrid bearings can have. In the case of a poorly lubricated pump bearing, for instance, the rating life of a hybrid bearing can be up to 8x that of a steel equivalent. For a screw compressor bearing running with contaminated lubricant, meanwhile, the hybrid offers a rating lifetime 100x greater than a conventional steel bearing.

"SKF has always been at the forefront of developing new methods for calculating bearing life," says Guillermo Morales-Espejel, principal scientist at SKF Research and Technology Development. "GBLM is a giant leap for bearing science and will enable better choices to be made when selecting bearings for a wide variety of applications."

Through SKF Bearing Select, this capability is available to SKF customers and distributers. SKF Bearing Select can be used to model hybrid deep-groove ball bearings, and hybrid cylindrical roller bearings.