Software helps select bearings

Roller bearings are one of four sections in the SKF Interactive Engineering Catalog on CD-ROM. It give users the same information a catalog might but in a more quickly accessible format.

The left of the screen identifies the characteristics for a life calculation for a rolling-element bearing. Users select a bearing from the online catalog, and type values for load, speed, and viscosity into the fields. Pick Calculate and the software fills in the remaining fields.

The SKF Interactive Engineering Catalog on CD-ROM gives users a bearing catalog on disk along with selection guidelines, a discussion of bearing physics, and a calculator that helps make a better selection than a paper catalog alone. The disk holds information for rolling-element bearings, seals, and plain bearings.

The catalog's use is self-explanatory — it's no more complex than a Web site.

A calculation menu on the main screen takes users to nine common bearing figures for life, loads, and friction. Users must first identify a model and size. (A toggle switches between SI and English units.) The calculations are instantaneous after identifying a bearing from a list and supplying loads and speeds. If the results aren't acceptable, it's easy to change input values to find acceptable outputs.

After selecting a bearing candidate, users can read about its applications. Other topics appear to the right of the printed discussions.

The software also builds a DXF drawing of the selection for inclusion into a drawing. The CD runs in all versions of Windows.

This information provided by SKF USA Inc., Kulpsville, Pa.