Axlebox bearings enable new benchmarks in high-speed trains.
- Accolade acknowledges technical performance and high quality of the latest generation of Schaeffler’s high-speed axlebox bearings
- New record in German high-speed rail segment: Siemens Velaro Novo platform reached speeds of 405 km/h with Schaeffler bearing technology
- Optimized bearings for inboard-mounted powered wheelsets reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) and extend maintenance intervals
Siemens Mobility has awarded Motion Technology Company Schaeffler the 2025 Supplier Award in the ‘Moving Beyond’ category. The award was in recognition of the newly developed bearing for inboard-mounted powered wheelsets, which was optimized in collaboration with Siemens Mobility for use in high-speed trains. It will be used, for example, in the Siemens Velaro in Deutsche Bahn’s ICE fleet.
“We are proud to have received this accolade in the shape of the Siemens Mobility Supplier Award. It affirms our role as a technological leader in the field of axlebox bearing development for high-speed rail traffic,” says Dr. Michael Holzapfel, Global Sector Lead Rail at Schaeffler. “With our technological system expertise from design to production, we support our customers with best-in-class products for their development of reliable and powerful high-speed trains.”
The award also acknowledges the high level of commitment and consistent performance of the global Schaeffler team in its collaboration with Siemens Mobility to jointly drive the Siemens Mobility vision under the motto ‘Moving Beyond’.
Axlebox bearings specifically designed for high speeds
The bearings for inboard-mounted powered wheelsets are based on advanced bearing technology. They were designed with the help of the Schaeffler bearing design system Bearinx OptiKit specifically for extreme speeds of more than 360 km/h and for long maintenance intervals of over 1.2 million kilometers.
The newly developed bearings also feature an optimized internal geometry, reduced operating temperatures, and robust reserve capacity at very high speeds. Thanks to their high efficiency and long service life, they are a significant factor in reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) of high-speed trains.
Important insights for high-speed rail
In June 2025, the Siemens high-speed rail platform Velaro Novo reached top speeds of 405 km/h using these Schaeffler bearings during test runs on the Erfurt – Leipzig/Halle route (Link). Deutsche Bahn and Siemens Mobility confirmed the considerable importance of the test runs for future high-speed rail concepts.
Alongside their use in Siemens Velaro trains in Deutsche Bahn’s ICE fleet, Schaeffler’s axlebox bearings are also used in other Siemens vehicles.
Source: Schaeffler
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