SKF visual monitor of truck bearing damage

The SKF Wheel End Monitor, which is now in volume production, is designed to alert truck operators to the early signs of damage to truck and trailer wheel bearings.

Mounted on the wheel rim, this self-contained monitoring device helps to track possible damage and wear long before bearing failure occurs, allowing operators to schedule any repairs within their normal maintenance patterns and to avoid the unnecessary downtime of their vehicles.

Attached to the wheel rim from the outside using two adjacent wheel nuts, the Wheel End Monitor records vibrations from the wheel in such a way that it can differentiate between those generated by bearing damage - such as that caused by raceway spalling - and the normal vibrations attributable to tyre rolling and road conditions.

Built-in evaluation logic detects vibration signals from damaged bearings and automatically puts the Wheel End Monitor into alert mode.

This is indicated by a flashing red light-emitting diode (LED) on the device for several days, although the status of the monitor can be read manually at any time to gauge the wheel-bearing condition.

This is achieved by placing a small magnet 'read key' against the device for one to two seconds, causing the monitor to check its collected data about the bearing's condition and indicate the results via LED signals.

A green light indicates that everything is in order, while a red light shows that a faulty bearing has been detected and requires checking and, if necessary, replacing.

Alternating green and red lights indicate either the incorrect mounting of the device or that its battery needs changing.

As the SKF Wheel End Monitor detects and indicates the first signs of bearing damage, the truck or trailer affected will still be able to cover considerable distances - possibly several thousand kilometres - before there is any danger of full bearing failure, according to the company.

Preventative maintenance measures can thus be employed at routine service intervals without having to take the vehicle off the road for unscheduled repairs.

The Wheel End Monitor has been fully road tested and has proved itself under a range of climatic conditions in two large-scale field trials in the US and Australia.

The SKF monitor is the first step in a series of mechatronic products for checking the condition of wheel ends.

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