The Schaeffler Group has launched a high-performance stainless steel for rolling bearings. Cronitect® provides maximum corrosion resistance under extreme operating conditions, including dry running applications or when bearings come into contact with aggressive media such as water, salt spray, acids and cleaning chemicals. Cronitect® steel is a high-grade martensitic hardening steel that is based on the consistent refinement of high-grade NIROSteels. Through its unique composition and new thermo-chemical surface layer treatment process, Cronitect® achieves an extremely high hardness. Even after 600 hours of salt spray testing in accordance with DIN 50021 SS, the material shows no signs of corrosion. The heat treatment process optimises the surface zone and core properties of the base material. This produces a hard, wear-resistant surface zone with very high corrosion-resistance and a tough core. Cronitect® is suitable for a wide range of industrial applications, including food and beverage processing, materials handling, heavy machinery (e.g. gear pumps, flow dividers), power transmission systems (gearboxes), hydraulic and pneumatic systems, consumer products and packaging. In the food industry, the demand for dry running bearings is increasing. Cronitect® can be used across most of Schaeffler’s product range, including rolling bearings, linear guides and plain bearings. Rolling bearings that use Cronitect® are available in both sealed and non-sealed versions.
