Rail transport is currently one of the ecological national and European priorities in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy efficiency, especially in long-distance transport. ZKL has been supporting the steps to reduce energy intensity and carbon footprint, both in its own production processes and through a strategic focus on the development of special bearings that bring more efficient operation of railway vehicles.
Based on this strategy, ZKL has developed and tested a compact sealed railway cylindrical roller bearing unit CRU 130x240TNG designed to accommodate rail wheelsets. The expected service interval for this unit will be 1.32 million km under normal operating conditions. The technical solution and production in the ZKL plant in Klášterec nad Ohří complies with the requirements of the standard for axle bearings of railway applications EN 12080: 2017 and ISO / TS 22163: 2017. The bearing units contain a special synthetic lubricant, they are easier to handle during assembly and have an optimized internal geometry.
For the development of the CRU the production plant ZKL Klášterec nad Ohří was awarded the Innovation Company of the Ústí nad Labem Region award for 2020. This title was announced by the Innovation Center of the Ústí nad Labem Region in cooperation with the CzechInvest agency and the Ústí nad Labem Region. The company ZKL – Výzkum a vývoj also played a significant role in the development of the CRU 130x240TNG.
