SCHWEINFURT, 29 July 2005. There is hardly a machine component that has had such a huge impact on technological development as the rolling bearing. Progress in bearing technology has always been an essential basis for designing machines able to achieve even higher speed, higher precision and higher reliability. The FAG brand, which has almost become a synonym for rolling bearings and is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary, has largely contributed to this development.

In the beginning there was the ball grinding machine. Looking slightly archaic from today’s point of view, it yielded a high-precision product – truly round steel balls. Its inventor Friedrich Fischer – the “Kugelfischer” (= Ball Fischer) – had finally succeeded in manufacturing large numbers of balls of hitherto unknown dimensional and form accuracy. Very soon afterwards, his company known as “Erste Automatische Gußstahlkugelfabrik vormals Friedrich Fischer AG” since 1897 (= "First Automatic Cast Steel Ball Factory, formerly Friedrich Fischer AG"), delivered balls to customers around the globe. When the principal stockholders had the FAG trademark registered at the Patent Office on 29 July 1905, they followed the example of companies such as Leukoplast (1901), Erdal (1901) and Penaten (1904). The brand boom at that time had its roots in the rapid rate of industrialization. Products became increasingly impersonal so that brand names were gaining more and more importance. This was especially true of products such as ball bearings which were used unseen and as matter-of-course despite playing a vital role in the smooth functioning of a high-tech environment.

From treading wheels to automobiles
“Fischer Rolling Bearings - from the first treading wheel through to the latest racing car” – this was the title of a 1938 advertising brochure, illustrating the rapid development especially in the field of transportation. A product that had originally been designed for bicycles was now being incorporated in motorbikes, cars, planes and railways. In 1908 Dr. Charles C. Parcival covered 50,000 miles across the United States with his Ford Marmon – without having to exchange the FAG bearings once.

It was the automotive industry that drove the initial impetus in the search for rolling bearing perfection. Seven new main types of rolling bearings were developed specifically for this sector at the beginning of the last century. In 1911 Ray Harroun won the first of the Indianapolis 500-mile races in his Marmon. Equipped with FAG ball bearings, his car reached a top speed of 120 km/h with the bearings revolving at up to 800 rpm. As early as 1913, the numerous victories won with FAG showed the “enormous popularity of the Fischer ball bearing. All over the world they confirm the unique inexhaustibility and reliability of the FAG brand”.
Whether the victories of Porsche 956 at the LeMans 24-hour race from 1982 to 1985 or today’s Formula 1 racing cars, innovations from FAG such as the clutch release bearings have always made a decisive contribution to success. Yet it was not only racing cars that incorporated FAG bearings; the success story of the VW Beetle was also closely connected with the Schweinfurt rolling bearing manufacturer.

From road to rail
It was only after World War II that rolling bearings began to gain a foothold in the railway sector too. But there had been previous successful attempts to demonstrate their superiority over plain bearings. Reaching 204 km/h, the British Mallard was the only train running faster than the streamline steam locomotives of Deutsche Reichsbahn in the thirties. But instead of using state-of-the-art Fischer spherical roller bearings, the British relied on conventional plain bearings – and suffered massive problems with so-called hot boxes. Monitoring the bearings in operation was essential to avoid a breakdown between two stations. The solution was the installation of an early warning system in the form of “stink bombs” in the bearings. At excessive temperatures they exploded and the driver “smelt” that there was danger ahead. Finally, however, FAG spherical roller bearings gained the upper hand. Speeds of 200 km/h have never been a problem since.

But here, again, speed is a relative order. Since the eighties, ICE trains have reached speeds in excess of 400 km/h. The bearings were tested at more than 500 km/h – at a railway test center that was also equipped with FAG bearings.

From standard to special bearings
No other industrial sector has influenced the development from standard to special bearings as strongly as the aircraft industry. While mainly standard bearings were used until the fifties, the entry into the jet age had a catalytic effect.

The further development of jet engines led to extreme increases in demands for high speeds and operating temperatures. In response to these requirements FAG developed special materials and adjusted the bearing designs to the new tasks. The four Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines – all bearing supports and many other components were supplied by FAG – generate a thrust of 35 tons each and will enable a cruising speed of 850 km/h for the Airbus A380 with 100,000 hp. The engine bearings are manufactured from Cronidur 30 steel. This offers outstanding toughness, corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength and was developed by FAG especially for use in the main drive of space shuttles.

Now Cronidur 30 steel is being used in all applications where high speeds and extremely long service life are vital – for instance in machine tools. Many characteristics, technologies and concepts from the aerospace bearing sector have been adapted and transferred to the rapidly growing demands for precision and accuracy of machine tools. Today’s Cronidur 30 high-performance bearings reach speeds of up to 300,000 rpm.

X-life, the shared seal of quality of INA and FAG shows that the bearing still holds considerable potential. Improved surfaces and many more design modifications have enabled increased life expectancy and performance of these catalog items by up to 50 percent – a benchmark in competition.

It is specifically the productive cooperation of INA and FAG that will bring about further performance increase and product improvements. Whether through the integration of sensor systems, the development of easy-to-mount modules or matched systems solutions – future bearings will perform even better and offer more intelligence. FAG stands for more than 100 years of rolling bearing knowhow and there is still a lot more to expect from this label.


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