Gothenburg, Sweden, March 12, 2015: In 2015, SKF, a knowledge engineering company, will continue its partnership with Ferrari to develop specialized components and systems that reduce weight and frictional power losses.

SKF worked closely with Ferrari to produce bearing sets made of specially developed bearing steel. By changing the heat treatment process, SKF optimized the bearing surface hardness properties. This gives each bearing exceptionally high surface fatigue resistance and withstands the extremely high contact stresses of F1 applications, reducing bearing size without compromising performance or reliability.

The new bearing set is now used in the latest version of the Ferrari gearbox, reducing the weight by over 20% by reducing the size of the bearing. The use of ceramic bearing rollers combined with optimized internal geometry further improves gearbox performance, which greatly reduces frictional power losses.

Ferrari will continue to use SKF's latest condition monitoring technology in future R&D. Based on SKF's redesigned modular IMx platform, it meets the special needs of the Ferrari R&D team. It is especially worth mentioning that SKF has changed its hardware to enable it to process extremely large amounts of data at high speeds, even in the most demanding industrial applications, more than 100 times faster than normal.

The SKF Condition Monitoring System protects assets, increases operational efficiency, performs preventive maintenance and increases development speed by installing and using advanced SKF Observer software in Ferrari engine and turbocharger test benches.

Ing. Mattia Binotto, head of the Ferrari Power Unit department, explained: “SKF has played an important role in the development of the new 2015 F1 model. The IMx solution gives us a new perspective on engine performance, while new gears Box bearings and specialized components designed specifically for our energy recovery systems and other critical in-vehicle systems will help us maintain a competitive edge in the future."

Jeroen Wensing, Innovation Manager of SKF Racing Unit, said: “SKF has been serving Ferrari since 1947 and is the longest-lasting technology partnership in F1 history. Together we are committed to improving performance and reliability. Engineering knowledge, helping industry customers with new perspectives and constant innovation."