SKF rail expert: “Cut energy use by reducing frictional losses”

<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/ueditor/php/upload/image/20260826/1787754846131457.png" title="1787754846131457.png" alt="1.png"/></p><p><span style="font-size: 14px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">At InnoTrans 2026, SKF will present its new low-friction bearings that reduce energy consumption - leading to cumulative savings across a rail fleet or network. In its efforts to improve sustainability, the rail industry must keep raising energy efficiency. There are many obvious ways in which this can be done: lower carriage weight; better aerodynamics; and more efficient HVAC systems. However, there is a problem.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 14px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“Most of these big levers have already been used. So, we must now focus on smaller, less visible sources of energy loss – such as friction in axle bearings”, says Jan Babka, Global Manager for Railway Application Competence at SKF. This is a classic example of a ‘hidden’ energy loss, he says. Every wheel bearing in a train generates friction. Across a network, this adds up to significant frictional losses – and higher energy consumption. Following a recent pilot study, SKF has developed a low-friction platform for tapered bearing units and cylindrical roller units – the most common types used in wheelset bearings. Babka, as part of an expert SKF team, has spent decades reducing friction in railway wheelset bearings, to deliver advantages such as extended maintenance intervals. More recent design improvements have focused on cutting friction to deliver cumulative energy savings. Developing a solution, though, has not been straightforward. First, there is currently no standardised test to determine the friction torque of railway bearings. The behaviour of grease in bearings is also inherently unpredictable. In addition, test methods developed in other industries – such as automotive – cannot be directly applied, due to differences in bearing design and tolerance requirements.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 14px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;“The answer is to combine modelling with precise testing. Modelling helps us understand where to intervene in the design – then full-scale testing verifies that the solution works under ‘real’ conditions,” says Jan Babka.&nbsp; At InnoTrans 2026, SKF will reveal details of its low-friction wheelset bearings. Babka and other specialists will be on hand to explain how the new product – and SKF’s expertise in friction – can help rail companies reduce power consumption. “The axle bearing is not a major energy consumer, but on a lifecycle and fleet level its impact is significant. Railway vehicle manufacturers cannot neglect axle bearing friction”, says Jan Babka, Global Manager for Railway Application Competence at SKF.</span></p>