Bearing Rollers made from Silicon Nitride Ceramics
Bearing rollers made of silicon nitride ceramic are used in particular where maximum precision combined with an excellent cost-benefit ratio is required - from wind turbines and machines in the chemical industry to electric drive trains in vehicles.
They are characterised by extreme hardness, low density and outstanding resistance to corrosion and heat. As a result, they enable longer bearing life, lower friction, higher speeds and contribute to greater overall efficiency and reliability.
Our Cyrol® silicon nitride bearing rollers fulfil the technical requirements for rolling bearings according to ASTM F2730/F2730M at marketable prices and can also be produced in large series at an excellent cost-benefit ratio: For cylindrical, tapered and barrel rollers.
Ceramics vs. Steel
While hybrid and full-ceramic bearings are already firmly established in the field of ball bearings, this is not the case in bearings and roller bearings where steel is still the number one material. But steel bearings reach their limits when longer maintenance intervals are required and temperatures, chemical reactions and electrical insulation become an issue.
Until now, many design engineers and users were reluctant to switch to a ceramic material because of the high production costs for ceramic cylindrical roller bearings – even though they were already convinced by the technical advantages.
The new CeramTec production line for ceramic Cyrol rolling elements is the result of years of development work and meets the technical requirements for silicon nitride roller bearing materials and geometries according to the ASTM F2730/F2730M Class I Standard. CeramTec’s ability to produce at competitive prices comes from the fact that the line is designed for medium to high production volumes and not for single parts.
Depending on the customer requirement, the cylindrical rollers are sorted by diameter and length in the desired quantities so that the finished silicon nitride bearing rollers can be installed immediately. CeramTec already produces Cyrol bearing rollers in various shapes: Needles, cylindrical, tapered, spherical and barrel rollers.
New Applications for Ceramic Roller Bearings
The material’s high wear, temperature and chemical resistance properties make Cyrol ideal for maintenance-intensive roller bearing applications. But that’s not all. The fact that CeramTec’s SL900 silicon nitride ceramic is an extremely low-friction and non-magnetic material with a very low specific weight, excellent dry running properties and superior emergency operating features is what makes it the material of choice for demanding applications.
For example, the combination of specific electrical resistance and low friction make it possible to redefine generators and electrical drive systems. The increased service life of the lubricant is yet another key argument for systems lubricated based on grease service life.
This opens up entirely new fields of application for ceramic roller bearings. Cyrol silicon nitride ceramic is the key to long-term success wherever maintenance costs and expenditure for systems and machines must be reduced or generators are used, such as in wind turbines and tidal power stations, in printing machines, in the textile and chemicals industries, in mining, high-speed spindles and even in electric powertrains in vehicles. In fact, certain applications would not be possible at all without Cyrol rolling elements.
Since may years the CeramTec ceramic experts provides comprehensive expertise on using ceramic components in seal ring and bearing technology for developing and manufacturing constructions and molds according to individual specifications and customer requirements.