Rolling bearings are machine elements that are used in a high number of industrial applications, enabling low-friction support for rotating components. Particularly due to the electrification of the automotive industry, requirements for further reduction of friction losses are increasing to meet the demands of sustainable and energy efficient products.

Schaeffler is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of rolling bearings and addresses these challenges through continuous product and analysis methods development.

This lecture will present practical solutions for friction reduction that are being developed and provided by Schaeffler. Insights will be given into how efficient and accurate analysis software can be used in the development process, with a particular focus on the underlying methods and numerical simulations.

A special emphasis will be placed on the analysis of lubricants used in rolling bearings, utilizing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The insights gained will be illustrated using examples from the industrial collaboration between unibz and Schaeffler.