Research & Theory

From the racetrack to the streets

Motorsport design
While motorsport has long influenced road vehicle design in both aesthetics and performance, the extreme test environment of Formula 1 now plays a critical role in developing fuel-saving technologies for the road.  Since 2009, Formula 1 teams have been shaving a few tenths of a second from their lap times with KERS (kinetic en­ergy recovery system) technology, which recovers the energy generated by braking and uses it to attain higher speeds....
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Hugh Spikes

Slick research

At Imperial College London, Professor Hugh Spikes studies the effects of friction. Professor Hugh Spikes, who holds the personal chair of...

Premature bearing failures

Premature bearing failures in wind gearboxes and white etching cracks (WEC)

Wind turbine gearboxes are subjected to a wide variety of operating conditions, some of which may push the bearings beyond...

DryLube

Hot applications run longer with graphite

Many bearings operate in very high temperature environments – but few lubricants can withstand the heat. SKF has developed bearing...

PHOTO: NACIVET/PHOTOGRAPHER’S CHOICE/GETTY IMAGES & JODY AMIET/AFP CREATIVE/GETTY IMAGES

Homeward bound

Re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere is a dangerous phase of space flight. The European Space Agency’s IXV ­project is testing a...

numerical simulations

Advanced numerical simulations for optimized seal designs

These days, numerical simulations are key in developing new products and improving existing ones. To improve the overall product design...

Photo: Paul Gilhan/Getty Images

Ferrari partnership

Ferrari’s racing team division, Scuderia Ferrari, and SKF are in the longest uninterrupted partnership in Formula 1 history. This winning...

Luleå University of Technology

Academic partnership

Luleå University of Technology (LTU) in Luleå, Sweden, and SKF have established an SKF University Technology Center focused on developing...

The Orion Nebula  Photo: NASA and ESA

A dark mission

In the southernmost reach of earth, a telescope is helping scientists solve a great mystery of the cosmos. Fasten your seatbelt. What follows...

The Tribogyr test machine

The beast of Lyon – putting large bearing contacts to the test

The Tribogyr test machine at the ­National Institute of Applied ­Sciences in Lyon, France, is breaking new ground in tribological research. Sitting...