SKF (U.K.) Limited

Allied Mills, part of Associated British Foods, has been able to turn its perception of maintenance on its head thanks to in depth analyses undertaken by SKF, the world’s leading knowledge engineering company. Indeed, as opposed to being seen as a necessary evil, maintenance is now viewed by Allied Mills as a fully integrated element of the company’s business effectiveness model. Perhaps most importantly, the implementation of SKF’s maintenance programme has meant that the ratio of unplanned vs. planned maintenance at the company has been completely reversed, with planned work now accounting for 90% of the total, while significant reductions have also been made in Allied Mills’ stores value and stock holding costs.

SKF, has enhanced its range of shaft alignment tools with the introduction of two new models that harness the power of lasers to achieve pin-point accuracy. Designed for ease of use, the new TKSA series includes the competitively priced TKSA 20 and TKSA 40 that can help cut machinery breakdowns by up to 50%, ultimately leading to improved machine reliability and performance, as well as increased productivity and profitability.

SKF, the knowledge engineering company, has been working with British racing car manufacturer Ginetta to help develop and manufacture the UK’s first multiplatform road and race car. SKF’s strong knowledge in automotive applications, global technical support and product range were just two of the reasons the company won the contract to provide specialised products and support services for the new Ginetta G40. As well as supplying wheel bearing units, SKF worked closely with Ginetta to provide technical support, including CAD modelling, right from the beginning of the project.

SKF is working with French sports car manufacturer Venturi Automobiles to help develop and manufacture the first production electric sports car in history, the Venturi Fetish.

SKF, the knowledge engineering company, has introduced the industry’s most complete condition monitoring service designed specifically for heavy-duty people moving equipment. The SKF MetroCon programme has been developed to help cut lost customer hours and unplanned downtime, while increasing the safety of elevators and escalators, such as those found in underground stations and public concourses. This innovative solution not only lays the groundwork for a condition-based maintenance strategy, but also for a total asset management approach, allowing operators to achieve maximum uptime and an improved passenger experience, as well as increased profitability.

SKF, is now the market leader in the supply of wheel bearings for Formula One racing cars. SKF focused on the F1 wheel bearing business as a key growth area and, as a result, is now supplying to all the major manufacturers on the grid.

SKF, has signed a three-year contract worth around €3.5 million with Valeo to supply SKF Rotor Positioning Bearings for the new i-StARS, Valeos stop-start system. i-StARS automatically cuts off the vehicle’s engine when slowing down under 8 km/h, for instance, when stopping for a red light. The system enables further reduction in CO2 emissions and even less fuel consumption compared to the first generation StARS.

SKF, has won a contract to supply ZF Sachs Italy with 140,000 oil and wiper seals each year to provide unparalleled sealing performance on the forks of some of the world’s top motorcycles. This latest agreement sees SKF strengthening its position still further in the market of fork sealing solutions for high performance two wheelers.

SKF, has recently appointed M Barnwell Services Ltd, a leading supplier of fluid sealing products, as a specialist distributor for its comprehensive range of sealing solutions. Barnwell now has access to SKF’s entire seals portfolio to supply to its customers throughout the UK with its high performance solutions. These products are currently being supported by Barnwell’s Smethwick head office, as well as through its nationwide network of branches in Bellshill, Bristol, Dartford and Manchester.

SKF, has launched its latest range of electromechanical actuators for demanding applications. Designed to increase performance, productivity and profitability, the actuators provide both OEMs and end-users significant cost and time savings.

SKF announces the launch of an innovative Oil Conditioning Unit designed to enhance oil lubrication in a range of demanding applications across industries including cement, mining and quarrying. The low pressure pump-filtration unit is designed to be easy to integrate with existing machine systems to provide a simple and efficient method of removing oil contaminants while maintaining oil temperatures at optimum levels. In practice, the new Oil Conditioning Unit can play a significant role in reducing wear, extend service life and significantly minimise lubricant, maintenance and repair costs.

Professor Stathis Ioannides has been presented with the Leonardo da Vinci award for his advanced work in the field of tribology. In particular, the award has been presented for Professor Ioannides’ work in bridging the gap between tribology theory and its technical and practical application throughout industry, and his contribution to the design of new rolling bearings.

SKF, has won a five year contract with Metso Lindemann, the leading global supplier of equipment, services and process solutions, to manage its worldwide wear and spare parts warehouse and distribution operations. The agreement will see SKF supplying Metso Lindemann's customers in the mining, construction, power generation, oil and gas, recycling and pulp and paper industries across the globe, on a daily basis, from a state-of-the-art central distribution centre in Tongeren, Belgium.

SKF, has launched its latest generation of field mounted, wireless condition monitoring measurement device for use in tough industrial environments. The Multilog WMx has been developed to provide a complete system for early fault detection and prevention, automatic advice for correcting existing or impending conditions, and advanced condition-based maintenance to optimise machine reliability, availability and performance.

SKF, the leading knowledge engineering company, has drawn upon years of research and tribology knowledge to develop a complete grease test methodology to assess grease conditions in the field. For fresh and used grease, the test kit allows quick and easy tests on consistency, oil bleeding and contamination analysis. These tests enable users to take immediate action, saving time and reducing samples required by the laboratory as part of a structured lubricant analysis plan.

The latest innovation from SKF, the knowledge engineering company, is a range of high performance cylindrical roller bearings specifically designed for use in large, heavy-duty industrial applications. The new bearings form part of the SKF Explorer series and combine superior axial and shock load capacity with low friction, wear and maintenance characteristics.

SKF has been chosen by Zytek Engineering to supply customised and standard deep groove ball bearings to the electric motor generator unit and the intermediate shaft of the new Ginetta-Zytek GZ09HS racing car.

SKF, the leading knowledge engineering company, has announced its latest training courses for 2010. The programme has been put together to help design, production and maintenance engineers improve their skills, learn about new technologies, and discover techniques for increasing machine and plant efficiency, reliability and performance.

In February 2010, SKF, the knowledge engineering company, will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in the UK. With a sales office initially established in London, the company’s manufacturing facility began production in Luton in 1911. SKF has subsequently grown to become one of the UK’s major industrial players, with manufacturing, sales and customer service centres around the country.

Now in volume production, the SKF Wheel End Monitor has been designed to alert truck operators to the early signs of damage to truck and trailer wheel bearings. Simply mounted on the wheel rim, this self-contained monitoring device helps to track possible damage and wear long before bearing failure occurs, allowing operators to schedule any repairs within their normal maintenance patterns and avoid unnecessary downtime of their vehicles.