Analyze under extreme conditions

To handle the challenges of the industry, we analyze large-scale roller bearing behavior under extreme and real conditions at our Sven Wingquist Test Center. Testing some of the world’s largest roller bearings during operation is a difficult task, given the extreme weather conditions, loads, and emergency events they are exposed to.?

Sven Wingquist Test Center is the only center in the world that can test large bearings with diameters typical of wind turbines under dynamic conditions. At the center in Schweinfurt, Germany, SKF aims to expand its research capabilities: This way, new large bearing technologies can be developed more quickly. It also speeds up the validation process of manufacturing processes. All this can contribute to minimized risks and reduced costs. With this, wind power bearings can be made more efficient and reliable.

The center consists of several test rigs. The main shaft test rig, tests large-scale bearings for wind turbines with a maximum diameter of six meters (m). Its hydraulic system replicates the operating conditions of the world’s largest wind turbines. Here, a seven-meter-diameter load disc, and 64 cylinders exert enormous force on the tested component during testing, analyzing the bearings’ response to a wide range of conditions.?

Another rig tests bearings of?up to two and a half meters in diameter. This one is thus not only used for wind turbine bearings, but also to?test bearings for steel industry, pulp & paper, cement and marine.?The “high speed” test rig is able to run with high rotational speeds up to 250 rpm. Relevant for life and functional testing under static and dynamic load conditions close to application.?

These two and also the other available test rigs can also test the longevity of bearings and time-related wear. To ensure the profitability of a wind turbine, its very large bearings should operate flawlessly for 20 years or more. Those 20 years in operation can be simulated over just a few weeks or months. This obviously accelerates product testing and saves on cost and energy consumption.

Sustainable in more ways than one

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a global certification system for green buildings. To qualify, buildings must reduce energy and water use, generate less waste, and promote health. Encompassing a green building concept, the test center was able to achieve?LEED Gold certification.?

At the test center energy could be saved through the accelerated mapping of wear and tear, due to the testing process being cut enormously. On top of that, a heat recovery system is connected to the center, which feeds the excess heat generated during testing back into the building itself as energy or sends it to a nearby SKF plant.?

Opportunities ahead

For the wind industry, the Sven Wingquist Test Center represents a great opportunity. The extreme conditions to which the components can be subjected, and the accuracy of the test rigs allow findings to be obtained that were not possible with previous methods. The data can be used to create a digital twin, which serves as the basis for simulation software. In this way, roller bearings can become more durable, reliable, and efficient in the future – and help make the wind industry even more sustainable and economical.?