Flexible couplings are one of the most critical components in mechanical drivetrains. Yet they're also one of the most overlooked during maintenance and inspection. In the marine and power generation industries, neglecting coupling health can be costly. Understanding your couplings and their requirements can ensure a smooth inspection and maintenance cycle. And in turn, can lead to longer coupling life and more uptime.

SKF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Proteus Marine Renewables (PMR) and GE Vernova’s Power Conversion business. The MOU sets out a framework for a potential alliance to supply tidal turbine generation systems (TTGS) to developers of tidal arrays for commercial, multi-megawatt tidal stream projects. An initial focus will be the supply of a minimum 59MW to MeyGen PLC (MeyGen) at its site in Scotland, the largest tidal stream facility in the world. 

Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced the 2025 release of Solid Edge software, bringing new capabilities to its product development software. The latest release also introduces Solid Edge X software, delivering a cloud-enabled secure Software as a Service (SaaS) environment, enhanced with new AI-enabled tools to help users work smarter.

ABB Robotics has launched an Energy Efficiency Service providing manufacturers with a package of consultation, analysis and tools to increase the energy efficiency of their robots.  The service offers up to 30 percent energy savings¹, addressing the high energy costs that hinder the competitiveness of 58 percent of surveyed global manufacturers, according to a recent Energy Efficiency Movement report.

I would like to briefly discuss some thoughts on ball bearing efficiency specifically in terms of applied load and resulting stress. I don’t want to trivialize this subject; there are textbooks written on the subjects of electrohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), octahedral subsurface shear stress and friction losses due to elastic hysteresis. This is a just a high-level discussion on the importance of individual bearing stress on efficiency. 

Regal Rexnord Corporation has added two new models to its portfolio of Boston Gear Gen2 SS700 Series stainless steel worm gearboxes. The new sizes bring the full product lineup to seven. A larger output shaft bore expands the number of applications each model of gearbox can support, providing flexibility and versatility for customers in a range of industries, including food, beverage and pharmaceuticals. 

Forty-five percent of the world’s electricity is used to power electric motors in buildings and industrial applications. By 2030, this cost is projected to reach $900 billion annually. Lowering CO₂ emissions and increasing energy efficiency is critical for our planet, but also for ensuring stable and productive industry operations, lowering operating costs and total costs of ownership. To help motor operators better understand the financial and environmental benefits of upgrading current and end-of-life industrial electric motors, ABB has developed its NEMA motors Energy Savings Calculator.

Verification of a drive system should include all main elements of the system, which are gears, bearings, shafts, and depending on the application other parts such as screws, couplings, and connections. Gears are clearly the most complicated parts for verification, but in many cases, a gearbox failure has its origin in a shaft or bearing failure. The subject of this paper is to explain how verification of a drive system based on measured or simulated torque-speed-time data can be handled. 

The ABB Baldor-Reliance EC Titanium motor has been recognized with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2024 ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award. This annual award recognizes products that meet stringent performance criteria in specific categories. By highlighting innovative solutions with the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the award promotes promising technologies that may not yet fully align with the ENERGY STAR certification requirements or may be relatively more complex to properly install and operate.

Despite unprecedented energy challenges, 68 percent of oil and gas industry leaders express optimism for sector growth in the coming year. This confidence, revealed in a survey by DNV, underscores the sector's resilience as it balances immediate demands with long-term environmental responsibilities.