Using innovative production technologies, CeramTec has succeeded in developing ceramic bearing rollers under the Cyrol brand featuring quality and value that will enable them to open up a broader spectrum of applications. For many years, steel has been the standard in roller bearings. However, advanced ceramics are now becoming an established alternative material. Bearings made from silicon nitride ceramics offer new solutions for difficult bearing situations.

The material’s high wear, temperature and chemical resistance properties make silicon nitride ceramics ideal for maintenance-intensive applications. But that’s not the only reason. The fact that this ceramic material is an extremely low-friction and non-magnetic material with a very low specific weight, excellent dry running properties and therefore superior emergency operating features is what makes it the material of choice for demanding applications. For example, the combination of specific electrical resistance and low friction make it possible to redefine generators and electrical drive systems. The increased service life of the lubricant is yet another key argument.

This opens up entirely new fields of application. Silicon nitride is the key to long-term success wherever maintenance costs and expenditure for systems and machines must be reduced or generators are used, such as in wind turbines and tidal power stations, in printing machines, in the textile and chemicals industries, in mining, high-speed spindles and even in electric powertrains in vehicles. In fact, certain applications will not be possible at all without Cyrol rolling elements.

The new production method for silicon nitride bearing rollers is the result of years of development work and meets the requirements and desires of the rapidly growing high-end market. To satisfy this demand, CeramTec is building a new production line for ceramic rollers that meet the highest standards in terms of materials and geometries. The competitive prices come from the fact that the line is designed for medium to high production volumes and not for single parts. Depending on the customer requirement, the cylindrical rollers are sorted by diameter and length in the desired quantities so that the finished silicon nitride bearing rollers can be installed immediately.

CeramTec already produces bearing rollers in various shapes – from cylindrical to conical – and the product range will soon grow to include barrel rollers. All of the shapes and designs CeramTec manufactures exceed even the highest standards in the bearing industry, which is good reason to believe that very soon these products will be in use in a growing number of applications.