New SKF Electrical Discharge Detector Pen

SKF Maintenance Products, part of the SKF group has launched a new innovative instrument; the SKF Electrical Discharge Detector Pen.

With over 100 years of knowledge in rolling bearing technology, SKF offers a wide range of maintenance products to help ensure reliable machine operation.
The SKF Electrical Discharge Detector Pen (EDD Pen) is a handheld instrument innovated by SKF with a patent applied for, which detects the number of electrical discharges in electric motor bearings remotely.

Since the 1990's the use of variable-frequency drives (VFDs) to control alternating-current (AC) motors has become very common, as they can save energy. However, the drawback of using VFDs is the fact that electrical motors are more vulnerable to suffer from electrical erosion in the bearings caused by electrical discharge currents. Electrical erosion can cause bearings to fail very prematurely causing motor failure and unplanned downtime.

Until now there hasn't been an easy cost effective method to detect electrical discharge currents in electric motor bearings. Thanks to the EDD Pen this is now possible. Operating with only two buttons, the EDD Pen allows everybody to detect electrical discharge currents remotely in a safe way.

Unlike other traditional methods you can detect the electrical discharge currents directly rather than measuring the effects in later stages when damage has already occurred.

When incorporated into a predictive maintenance programme, the EDD Pen can significantly prevent unplanned machine downtime.

For further information click here.

SKF is a leading global supplier in the areas of bearings, seals, mechatronics, services and lubrication systems. The Group's service offer includes technical support, maintenance services, engineering consultancy and training. SKF is represented in more than 130 countries and has 15,000 distributor locations worldwide. The Group's annual sales 2007 were SEK 58,559 million. The number of employees was 42,888.