The Schaeffler Group has launched a high performance stainless steel for rolling bearings that helps companies achieve these goals. 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 name Cronitect is derived from the chemical composition of the material and from its special heat treatment process. The tect suffix is found in other Schaeffler coating products and refers to the material's excellent corrosion protection. Cronitect's resistance to corrosion is many times better than that of conventional NIROSteels.

Cronitect is suitable for a wide range of industrial applications, including food and beverage processing, materials handling, heavy machinery, power transmission systems, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, consumer products and packaging.

Rolling bearings that use Cronitect are available in both sealed and non sealed versions. When used in conjunction with ceramic rolling elements, Cronitect bearings are particularly suitable for dry running operation. The second version combines conventional stainless steels such as AISI440C for the rolling elements with Cronitect rings and bearing seals. In this configuration, the focus is on extended life under insufficient lubrication and on emergency operating features.