Bearings and support services provided for the Eiffel Tower

The Schaeffler Group has extended its longstanding relationship with SETE (Soci©t© d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel) by providing additional services for the company that operates Paris' greatest landmark. FAG Industrial Services (F'IS), which is Schaeffler's maintenance and asset management division, is not only providing rolling bearings and technical support in selecting the most suitable products, but also vibration analysis and bearing mounting services.

An urgent need to replace the bearings in the cabins of the hydraulic elevator in the Eiffel Tower's western column resulted in FI'S being awarded an extended services agreement by SETE. These bearings support a total weight of 20 tonnes, which means that they are permanently subjected to extremely high loads. Furthermore, the axial clearance of the original bearings was too large. It was therefore imperative that an alternative solution was found.

By working in close collaboration with SETE, application engineering experts from Schaeffler France selected the most suitable FAG tapered roller bearings. These bearings meet all requirements with respect to the radial and axial load ratings and can be easily integrated within the existing design. An experienced F'IS fitter provided on-site support to the maintenance team that mounted the elevator cabin bearings, which took just one day to complete.

When the upper pulleys of the elevator in the eastern column of the Eiffel Tower needed to be inspected, SETE once again contacted Schaeffler France. F'IS engineers carried out measurements using an offline vibration measuring device, after which SETE received a detailed condition report on the bearings, together with recommendations regarding future maintenance measures.

Bearing upgrades

At the end of the 1980s, FI'S provided support to The Eiffel Tower operator for the first time in an extensive project to overhaul all of the mechanical systems. At that time, in order to modernise the elevators, the bronze rings in the pulleys were replaced with FAG rolling bearings. This significantly increased the reliability of the elevators. In 2002, Schaeffler was involved in the development and mounting of an INA gear ring that aligns the revolving floodlight at the tip of the tower.

Schaeffler and SETE are already planning more joint projects. What SETE particularly appreciates about the relationship with Schaeffler is its portfolio of rolling bearings that meet customers' increasing demands for innovation and higher quality. This portfolio is complemented by the extensive range of product and service offerings for the maintenance and repair of rolling bearings, which have helped reduce maintenance costs, optimise the elevators' efficiency and avoid unscheduled shutdowns.

For more information about rolling bearings, condition monitoring and bearing mounting services, go t www.schaeffler.co.uk or email the marketing department at [email protected].