SCHAEFFLER PRESENTS THE LATEST IN FUTURE MOBILITY AT INNOTRANS

After a break due to the pandemic, InnoTrans, the leading international trade fair in transport technologies once again opens its doors and presents the latest in future mobility trends. As one of the leading global suppliers for the automotive and industrial sectors, including railways, Schaeffler will present its new bearings solutions for railway cars at the trade fair to take place in Berlin on 23 September 2022, as well as presenting other innovative systems that will further boost the railway sector's competitiveness and contribute to the ongoing digitalisation process. The company will showcase solutions that offer responses to the industry's main demands, for instance shorter inactivity stoppages, optimisation of closed-circuit supply chains and reduced use of resources.

“When it comes to reaching global climate targets, the mobility sector plays a key role,” says Dr. Stefan Spindler, Industrial CEO of Schaeffler AG. “And this is precisely why new mobility solutions are an integral part of our strategic action framework, the 2025 Roadmap. For example, at InnoTrans 2022 we will be demonstrating how, as a supplier, we continue to promote sustainability and the reliability of railway transport thanks to our components and systems.”

“The portfolio that Schaeffler will present at the fair this year comes under the slogan 'Reliable, predictable, sustainable – Schaeffler Solutions for Innovations in Rail'. This encompasses the main aspects that take priority both for our clients and for us,” explained Dr. Michael Holzapfel, Senior Vice President Business Unit Rail - Industrial Europe at Schaeffler. “Since the last edition of InnoTrans in 2018, we have been developing products and solutions with our clients and these will contribute significantly to greater sustainability through the digitalisation of the railway sector.”

“Reliable”: new products for greater reliability

At InnoTrans, Schaeffler will present an improved Y25 housing which features optimised WJ/WJP bearings. The bearing support for axleboxes is designed for an axle load of up to 25 tons. Since they weigh 14% less than their predecessor, the tare weight has been reduced, which allows for higher payloads. With its new Y25 housing, Schaeffler has its finger on the pulse of new freight transport market trends with respect to longer maintenance intervals and CO2 reduction.

The company's new and powerful bearings for axleboxes, with inner supports, for high-speed trains, also promise greater efficiency and reliability. With its inexhaustible expertise in the industrial sector for many years and its in-depth systems knowledge, Schaeffler has not just managed to meet the market's requirements in terms of greater power density, weight reduction and smaller construction spaces, it goes even further still.

"Predictable": solutions for the digital future of railways

The Datamatrix code ( DMC) which is the foundation of greater digitalisation in the railway sector, is applied to each of the bearings during manufacturing and enables data to be constantly gathered on the product and its functioning, as well as information on maintenance. A virtual twin of the product is created, with a thorough history, in chronological order, of its life cycle. Visitors to the Schaeffler stand will be able to see the range of possibilities and advantages of the DMC, in particular, to exchange information between parts suppliers, railway car manufacturers and service operators.

"Sustainable": closed-circuit supply chain optimised for sustainable railway operations

For Schaeffler, sustainability is not just manufacturing products and components with a longer useful life, it is also saving on the use of raw materials and valuable resources by repurposing bearings with a maximum quality standard. In addition, the returns service for 100% of bearings used in railway applications means that service operators can considerably improve train availability and maximise useful life duration. Through its services and technologies, Schaeffler combines profitability and climate protection.

At InnoTrans, in addition to the products and solutions mentioned above, Schaeffler will present innovative R&D projects that will notably accelerate digitalisation, while at the same time guaranteeing greater sustainability in the railway sector.