SKF offers magnetic bearings and sensors to meet your specific needs. We have a large inventory of standard sizes that can be used for a wide variety of applications.

For new bearings, a standardized process results in the optimum design for your specific needs - load, space envelope, system dynamics, and/or operating environments.

Radial Bearings

SKF Magnetic Bearings has supplied radial actuators from 50 to 25,000 N (12 to 5,600 lbf), for shaft diameters ranging from 9 mm to 230 mm (3/8 to 9 inches). These are installed on machines that have rotational speeds ranging from 1,800 rpm to 100,000 rpm. Revolve also supplies canned radial bearing designs for hermetically sealed applications and radial bearings for high temperature applications up to 220°C (428°F).

The radial actuators shown opposite are 4,500 N capacity (1,100 lbf) for a 12,000 rpm turbocompressor with a 120 mm (4.7 inch) shaft.

Thrust Bearings

SKF Magnetic Bearings has supplied thrust bearings from 130 to 24,500 N (30 to 5,500 lbf), for shaft diameters ranging from 9 to 130 mm (3/8 to 5 inches). These are installed on machines that have rotational speeds ranging from 1,800 to 100,000 rpm. SKF also supplies canned thrust bearing designs for hermetically sealed applications and thrust bearings for high temperature applications up to 220°C (428°F).

The thrust bearings shown above are 17,000 N capacity (3,800 lbf) for a 12,000 rpm turbocompressor with a 120 mm shaft.

Conical Bearings

Your application may lend itself to the use of conical bearings, which can save valuable space by applying both radial and axial forces from the same bearing. SKF has supplied conical bearings capable of handling simultaneous loading up to 8,900 N (2,000 lbf) radial and 17,800 N (4,000 lbf) axial.

The conical bearings shown above provide 350 N (78 lbf) capacity in the radial direction, and 450 N (100 lbf) capacity in the axial direction for a vacuum pump running at 38,500 rpm.

Sensors
Position sensors are a critical part of the magnetic bearing system. SKF's standard sensor is a inductive type with excellent linearity, range, and temperature immunity. Electronics within the MBControl digital magnetic bearing control systems has noise rejection filtering to provide clean signals.

The sensor configuration can be either a multi-sensor ring design or an individual tube sensor design. Sensor rings provide very precise mountings that do not require further adjustment after installation. This feature, combined with their small size, allow them to be installed in areas of a machine where tube sensors cannot access. Tube sensors on the other hand, allow you to adjust the sensitivity and offset while installed on the machine and provide a means for easy and cost effective maintenance.

Courtesy of  SKF