SKF, Gothenburg, Sweden, has launched a new version of its specialist handbook for rolling bearings in paper machines to help industry professionals maximize bearing service life. Now in its fifth edition, the technical manual has been developed to provide an invaluable wealth of information and advice for those working with paper machines, from designers and operators to maintenance staff.

This latest edition of the handbook includes up-to-date information according to advances in SKF bearing design and performance, and offers guidance on application-specific bearing selection, for everything from the forming section to the reeler, in line with the changes in bearing dynamic load ratings in recent years. Created by bearing experts and product specialists, it also contains recommendations for arrangement, mounting, maintenance, and lubrication procedures to boost efficiency still further. 

"Our rolling bearings in paper machines handbooks have been helping industry professionals to maximize bearing life through optimized mounting, maintenance, and lubrication procedures since the first edition was published in 1964," explained Philippe Gachet, senior technical consultant at SKF. "Now in its fifth edition, it has been updated with the latest paper mill and bearing design developments in mind to continue to deliver best practice and market leading advice to the sector."

The 270-page hardback publication features important changes from the last handbook, which was published in 2011, and contains new sections on critical matters for mill staff, such as root cause failure analysis and bearing remanufacturing. The handbook offers updated and proven advice on recommendations for bearing fits and lubricant maximum water content, while new material ensures there is information on applications not covered in previous editions of the handbook, including size presses, spreader rolls, and rope sheaves, for example. 

Other additions include an equation for reeler bearing load calculations and information on the SensorMount method for mounting bearings with tapered bores to ensure optimum performance when using the latest innovations in paper industry and SKF technologies. It is also more end user focused than ever before. 

The rolling bearings in paper machines handbook is available in English either from SKF sales units or as a download from the online Knowledge Centre library.