Rothe Erde
Rothe Erde
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Innovation Rothe Erde
Product and process development
Highly specialized products
As slewing bearings are machine components that are tailored to individual customer requirements, they are often manufactured in small quantities. For wind turbines, cranes and tunnel boring machines all over the world, we design slewing bearings that have enormous dimensions and can withstand the toughest operating conditions. You can see a selection of these applications in our flagship projects.
In order to develop the best possible products for our customers, we rely on both: extensive fundamental knowledge and practical experience under real operating conditions since 60 years. In order to keep our knowledge up to date and to expand it, we make use of our long-term and close cooperation with regional and national research partners. We regularly supplement this with challenging student work.
The operation of slewing bearings and their components are tested on a one-to-one scale. While our test stands initially occupied small areas in the production halls, this area grew to 1,200 square meters in the early seventies. In spring 2015, our newly established development center, financed from our own funds, commenced research operations. With 3,200 square meters of indoor and 7,500 square meters of outdoor space, it is the largest and most modern of its kind in the world.
Our test center not only has the task of further developing slewing bearings and their components. Rather, it ensures a high level of quality through continuous and recurring testing of slewing bearings and components from production on a 1:1 scale.
Fact check
Our test benches
"Great things are created where theory meets practice."
The conducted tests are ranging from conventional service life tests to near-operational or highly accelerated service life tests (the so-called HAL test) to functional tests and customer acceptance tests in the climatic room using the original companion structure. In addition, we also support our customers in measurement campaigns on slewing bearings and in the installation and calibration of condition monitoring systems developed in-house.
Axial test
stands for up to 4 m Ø
Main bearing test
rigs up to 20 MNm tilting moment and 5 m Ø
Pitch bearing test
rigs for up to 15 MNm pitch moment and 3 m Ø
Pitch & rotor bearing test rigs with pitch & hub tests
up to 75 MNm approx. 5 m Ø
Due to the high level of vertical integration, the slewing bearings components of rings, rollers, balls and manufacturing and quality assurance processes are also developed and optimized. This is how, for example, by means of material developments, optimal features for the respective field of application can be achieved. This development is sometimes carried out in cooperation with universities and suppliers. The continuous development and inspection in the test centre enables the determination of slewing bearing of specific suitability.
In addition, further test rigs are available for slewing bearings up to approx. 3 m Ø for:
High and low temperature tests
Acoustic evaluation
High speed tests
These are supplemented by a large number of other test facilities for bearing components, such as:
Rolling elements
Lubricants
Seals
Cages
Coatings
Balls as a component in our slewing bearings
Rings as a component in our slewing bearings
rothe erde® rings as a component in slewing bearings
Due to our expertise in production, the slewing bearing components such as rings, rollers and balls, as well as their manufacturing and quality assurance processes, are also the subject of development and optimization. For example, material developments are used to achieve optimum properties for the respective area of application. This development is partly carried out in cooperation with universities and suppliers. Continuous development and testing in the test center enables slewing bearings of specific suitability to be determined.
