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FEATURE BEARINGS, SEALS & GASKETS heading


Corrosion tolerant bea ri meets aerospaCe industr y With the aviation industry demanding


more efficient engines, sKf has introduced a breakthrough steel alloy for bearings that helps support sustainability goals


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ext generation jet engine designs are evolving to aid the industry in meeting net zero emissions by


2050. However, these groundbreaking architectures require rolling bearings capable of higher power density and speeds beyond the current design rules. Helping meet the design requirements,


SKF has developed an innovative temperature- resistant, corrosion-tolerant, steel for aero


engine bearings: ARCTIC15.


Cutting fuel Consumption SKF’s customers are designing new engines that aim to cut fuel use by 20 to 25% while also helping to reduce emissions. ARCTIC15 will support these aims. Commenting on this, Gregory A Zimmerman,


director of Aerospace Business Unit at SKF, said: “As aviation moves toward designing


engines that aim to cut fuel consumption by up to 25%, reducing emissions significantly, SKF is innovating to match that ambition. Our new steel alloy ARCTIC15 is engineered as a breakthrough material to allow for smaller, more compact bearing solutions that handle higher loads, unlocking new engine architectures and driving efficiency across the entire lifecycle, with repairability as a key driver. This novel steel enables faster development cycles and supports industry sustainability goals for the future.” For such a performance increase, the


first step is made by replacing steel rolling elements with ceramic rolling elements. The second step comes by pairing ceramic rolling elements with an advanced aeroengine bearing steel with higher load and temperature capacity than existing steels. These distinctive


how ball bearings benefit the film production industry


During filming, camera operators and sound technicians carry heavy equipment through long, intense days. While working as a cameraman on drama, documentaries, reality shows, and news, Johan Hellsten noticed the toll it took on his body, and that insight became the starting point for one of the Swedish film industry’s most appreciated innovations: Easyrig. For Easyrig, which is a support system now used by professional film


crews in nearly 120 countries, SKF bearings have been specified as they meet the high reliability, low friction, requirements. The patent was approved in 1994 and, since then, Easyrig has evolved


through several generations. The latest model, the Vario 6, is lighter and more flexible. The company also manufactures the Easyrig Boom Rig, a specialised system for sound technicians working with boom microphones. In the development department, Johan works alongside Robert


Olofsson. Here, new rigs are tested and prototypes are built. Each harness and support arm contains around 15 ball bearings that reduce friction in the moving parts. For Johan, the choice of components is crucial. He said: “Our customers


should have the best. Low friction, reliability and quality are essential. That’s why I use SKF bearings exclusively in our products. SKF delivers exactly what I need, and I get excellent support whenever I have questions.” The connection between SKF and the film world is, however, older than many realise. On 6 October 1948, Victor Hasselblad launched the world’s


3 design solutions MAY 2026 2


first single-lens reflex medium-format camera with interchangeable lenses and magazines. Hasselblad cameras were used extensively by NASA – including during the 1969 moon landing. Twelve cameras accompanied the astronauts, all equipped with SKF bearings weighing only 6.7g. To save weight for the return journey, the cameras were left on the moon.


www.designsolutionsmag.co.uk


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