Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST) and Flender have bolstered their decades-long partnership with a two-day dialogue packed with technical perspectives and information. New technological challenges and changing political conditions now require a joint approach to technical solutions.
“We are cultivating a close, trusting relationship with Flender.”
Daniel Schlick | Key Account Manager
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies
Progress often comes in small steps. In many cases, it involves the ongoing development of effective, proven solutions, not a single major innovation. If requirements expand and surpass the capabilities of existing solutions, companies have to push against the technology’s limits. Flender approached seal provider FST with this precise goal in mind. The customer is one of the leading European manufacturers of industrial gear units and couplings.
Shaft diameters and rotational speeds – or in technical terms, circumferential speeds – in gear units are increasing. Meanwhile, tribological systems, consisting of a rotating shaft, a seal and a lubricant, are supposed to be able to run over longer intervals. Overall lifespans are also expected to increase, as is the functionality of the separate components and the whole system. “We can only address this if we find new solutions in open dialogue with our customers, end-users users and lubricant manufacturers,” said Simmerring® developer Erich Prem.
With this in mind, high-level Flender representatives arrived at FST in Weinheim for a two-day meeting in early February. They were from Flender’s development, standards, strategic purchasing, oil qualification and aftersales areas. Aside from lifespan issues, the gearbox experts had another topic on their agenda that has been consuming the entire industry: the looming European Union (EU) restrictions on the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Faster, Higher, Farther
The huge array of PFAS chemicals includes fluoropolymers like the sealing materials FKM and PTFE. FST has informed its customers about its active involvement in the EU’s ongoing consultation phase. The participants also discussed possible substitutes that FST is envisioning in close communication with its customers. Technology is not always a matter of trying to go “faster, higher, farther.” Instead, the impetus for innovation often comes from new regulations, which often spur technical changes and innovations.
Similarly, the political world is driving the reduction of CO2 emissions to protect the climate. That topic was on the agenda at the meeting with Flender as well. For example, the participants discussed the extent to which gearboxes designed for energy savings and equipped with low-friction Simmerrings can shrink a user’s footprint.
To ensure the best-possible performance of its gearboxes, Flender has set high quality standards for the lubricants that it uses. One Flender practice in particular highlights the close relationship between the company and FST: In the so-called “Flender Test,” the lubricants have to prove their merits in combination with specific Freudenberg Simmerrings. The standards for the “Flender test” were also a topic of discussion.
“We are cultivating a close, trusting relationship with Flender. That’s why we were happy to show the participants individual production processes during a tour of our manufacturing area and describe them in greater detail,” said Key Account Manager Daniel Schlick.
Analyzing, Interpreting And Evaluating
Tests, measurements, calculations and analyses also play a role in the development and improvement of FST products. The goal is to optimize sealing systems for friction, wear and lubrication. It takes the expertise acquired in measurement and testing activities to interpret and evaluate the findings. Oil Seals Industry’s Engineering Services unit has these capabilities, and the meeting gave it the opportunity to present them to Flender. The team emphasizes the entire function, zeroing in on each element and how it behaves within a sealing system. Valuable findings emerge from their analyses, based on microscopy, computer tomography, x-ray and infrared spectroscopy, static and dynamic test rig trials, simulations and algorithms. They are all used to optimize the system for efficiency and a long operating life.
This is precisely the goal that Flender and FST will be pursuing together in coming years. A dialogue on technical perspectives and information in Weinheim is one milestone on the way.
