The SKF production plant in Lüchow, Germany, has successfully implemented an advanced hydraulic system. The installation, comprising modular CytroBox units from Bosch Rexroth, is one of the largest of its kind in Europe and significantly contributes to improving energy efficiency and the reliability of production processes.
The Lüchow plant produces around 8.5 million tapered roller bearings and hub assemblies for heavy goods vehicles annually. At the same time, the plant consistently pursues a sustainability strategy, utilising, among other things, solar energy, biogas and process heat recovery. The modernisation of the central hydraulic system was one of the key projects supporting these efforts.
The existing hydraulic system no longer met economic and technical requirements. As Frank Puchowski, Project & Programme Manager at SKF, emphasises, a partial modernisation was not cost-effective, as it would have entailed additional costs and recertification. Consequently, the decision was made to implement a completely new supply system.
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Modular CytroBox units and operational optimisation
The Bosch Rexroth solution comprises nine compact, intelligent CytroBox units connected in a master-slave configuration, supported by ABMAXX modules responsible for fluid filtration and cooling. This architecture allows performance to be flexibly adapted to current demand and ensures full operational transparency across the entire system. Five units power the hydrostatic drives of the grinding machines, whilst four serve the working hydraulics, including lifts, presses and transport systems.
Thanks to the use of variable-speed screw pumps, the system pressure has been reduced from 85 to 78 bar, and in the case of the working hydraulics – to 45 bar. This has made it possible to reduce energy consumption and limit the number of hydraulic accumulators required.
Efficiency, economy and flexibility
The ABMAXX unit handles filtration, cooling and automatic system filling, which has reduced the oil volume by 40 per cent, from 20,000 to 12,000 litres. Each working group has a redundant unit (n+1), which increases flexibility and enables rapid switching and system servicing.
CytroBox improves energy efficiency by 3–5 per cent, and in combination with other measures, the plant achieves energy savings of up to 24 per cent. Additionally, the system operates more quietly thanks to flow optimisation and on-demand operation, whilst its modular design facilitates maintenance. Integrated sensors enable real-time monitoring of parameters, and data analysis by Bosch Rexroth allows for the prediction of failures, increasing system availability to almost 100 per cent.
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The implementation process was quick and efficient: dismantling the old installation and installing the new system took just two weeks. The compact design of the modules allowed for transport and installation even in confined technical spaces, without disrupting production.
For SKF, the project proved to be one of the most effective measures in the area of energy efficiency improvement. In addition to reducing energy consumption, the plant gained greater operational flexibility and the potential for further optimisation through the analysis of operational data. The implementation of CytroBox confirms the growing importance of modular, smart solutions in modern industry and represents another step by SKF towards more sustainable and efficient production.
