A revolution in bearing technology
The cage-guided needle roller bearing is one of Schaeffler’s most important innovations is now an indispensable part of bearing technology. 70 years ago, Dr.-Ing. E. h. Georg Schaeffler had the brilliant idea of equipping the needle roller bearing with a cage to guide the needle rollers. Since the patent was filed in 1950, these bearings have ensured the correct rotation in automotive and industrial applications and also play an extremely important role when it comes to future topics like collaborative robotics and electric mobility.
The idea: The needle rollers are guided by a cage
70 years ago, Dr.-Ing. E. h. Georg Schaeffler revolutionized bearing technology. The first practical tests involving cage-guided needle roller bearings began in February 1950. The results were convincing – the components exhibited extremely low wear and friction. The application for a patent in September 1950 laid the foundation for the product's success. In February 1951, just one year after construction of the first prototype, the first volume production orders were obtained from automotive manufacturers, and use in industrial applications was to follow.
With the invention Dr.-Ing. E. h. Georg Schaeffler eliminated the serious disadvantages associated with the full complement needle roller bearings that had previously been used as standard: The long needle rollers tended to move in a transverse direction during rotation of the bearing (skewing), which would then cause the bearing to jam. Furthermore, a substantial amount of sliding friction was generated between the counter-rotating needle rollers. The development of the new needle cage overcame these disadvantages and permitted considerably higher speeds and less friction. This allowed engineers to substitute other bearing designs for cage-guided needle roller bearings and significantly improve the performance of their applications.
In particular, needle roller bearings made an invaluable contribution to the development of small, high-performance, and affordable automobiles
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