The new bearing knowledge Sophisticated in-house software has
enabled SKF design engineers to
study internal bearing dynamics to an
extent not possible previously. This led
the way to design refinements, which,
implemented in the Explorer bearings,
allowed further optimisation of the
rolling element/raceway contacts. The new manufacturing processes Improved manufacturing processes
has enabled the tightening of the
tolerancesfor all essential bearing fea-tures. To achieve good bearing perform-
ance,the surface texture has beenrefined to maintain an optimum oil filmbetween the contacting surfaces.
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Product information
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Product dataNew performance class Page ............. 18Page ............. 32
SKF Explorer – the new performance class for
spherical roller bearings
The new heat treatment The new material Together with a refined heat treatment
process, the new steel significantly
improves the SKF Explorer bearings
wear resistance. It does this while
retaining the temperature resistanceand toughness of the bearings. The new steel used in SKF Explorer
bearings is extraordinarily clean and
homogeneous. It forms a perfect struc-
ture which does not generate stress
peaks under load. Having invented the spherical rollerbearing some eighty years ago, SKF
has been the leading manufacturer of
these bearings ever since.Now our specialists in all differentdisciplines have combined their experi-
ence and know-how into one large
step forward in bearing technology.
And we are proud of having made
tomorrow’s bearing technology avail-
able for our customers today. The
Explorer bearings represents a signific-ant breakthrough in performance. By
studying the interrelationsship between
each bearing component, SKF scient-
ists were able to maximize the effects
of lubrication and minimize the effects
of friction, wear, and contamination.The Explorer design is the result ofyears of intensive research by an inter-
national team of SKF scientists and
engineers. It incorporates a number of
improvements including: 12