The roller bearing steel wire from voestalpine Wire Technology is designed for the production of ball, roller, tapered, and needle bearings. Continuous production from ore to finished wire ensures high material purity, consistent quality, and defined hardenability, formability, and dimensional stability, even under extreme loads. Our roller bearing steel wires meet the requirements of applications in which service life, precision, and reproducible material properties are crucial. As the first European manufacturer, voestalpine Wire Technology also offers ball bearings via the CO₂-reduced continuous casting route - proof of our innovative strength and collaborative development work. The homogeneous microstructure and low core segregation support stable further processing and contribute to the high fatigue strength and service life of the subsequent bearing components.
✔ From ore to wire
✔ 400+ steel alloys
✔ Own R&D facilities
✔ CO2 reduced processes
Applications of roller bearing steel wire
Mobile industry:
- Use in ball, roller, and needle bearings for vehicles
- Bearing components for the railway sector
Mechanical engineering:
- Use in highly stressed bearing points of machines and systems
Customized wire solutions:
- individual wire development for special industry requirements
- prototypes & small series for research and industry
- material consulting for demanding projects
Technical details on rolling bearing steel wire
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EN ISO 683-17/04.00 EN Steel number 100Cr6 1.3505 100CrMnSi6-4 1.3520 -
EN 10263/02.02 + AC + C annealed on spheroidised carbide + cold drawing + AC + C + AC annealed on spheroidised carbide + cold drawn + annealed on spheroidised carbide + AC + C + AC + LC annealed on spheroidised carbide + cold drawn + annealed on spheroidised carbide+ light cold second drawing -
Standard dimensions are 0.50 mm - 42.0 mm
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Tightest diameter tolerances EN 10278 (h8, h9, h10, h11)
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- Phosphated
- Finally phosphate coated, soap, borax or lime coating
- Bright drawn
- Red-bright
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- ISO 9001
- ISO 14001
- EMAS III
- IATF 16949
- ISO 17025
- ISO 45001
- ISO 50001
With advanced technologies such as electromagnetic stirring and soft reduction, made possible by the commissioning of our new jumbo continuous caster, we can produce a clean and highly homogeneous microstructure. This is critical to meeting the stringent inclusion and segregation requirements for bearing steel.
News, Stories, Use Cases:
Your advantages with voestalpine Wire Technology
- Optimized for bearing applications: Specially developed for ball bearings, roller bearings and tapered roller bearings with high dynamic loads.
- Minimal core segregation, maximum purity and structural stability: Free from non-metallic inclusions, with minimal segregation and homogeneous microstructure for maximum service life.
- Excellent dimensional stability & formability: Particularly important for drawn products with the tightest tolerances - supported by state-of-the-art annealing systems with an optimum annealing cycle.
- Integrated value chain: From the ore to the finished wire product - for maximum flexibility, complete traceability, shorter response times and consistently high quality.
- State-of-the-art testing technology for maximum surface quality and optimum solidification structure: Inline surface inspection, e.g. eddy current testing, optical testing technologies - for a zero-defect philosophy.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about rolling bearing steel wire
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Customers receive wire with the highest surface quality, the lowest tendency to segregate, optimum solidification structure and excellent hardenability. The annealing systems used also guarantee ideal forming properties for further processing.
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Materials with the highest purity, homogeneous microstructure and excellent surface quality are essential. These properties are crucial for the performance and service life of ball, roller and needle bearings - especially under dynamic loads.
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voestalpine Wire Technology offers premium rolling bearing steel wire of consistently high quality. Customers benefit from a unique integrated value chain from ore to wire product, state-of-the-art testing technology and decades of application expertise.
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The approval of ball bearings via the continuous casting route represents a technological milestone. voestalpine Wire Technology is the first European manufacturer to offer wire products of this quality - proof of innovative strength and partnership-based development work.
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Customers can choose between wire rod (5.0-28.0 mm) and drawn wire (1.1-26.5 mm). The main material 100Cr6 in accordance with EN 10108 class B is ideal for ball, roller and tapered roller bearings.
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Through inline surface testing (e.g. eddy current, optical testing systems), non-destructive testing methods, highly equipped laboratories and qualified specialist personnel. These measures ensure maximum process reliability and product quality.
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The wire products are packaged safely for transport, with surface protection and in accordance with customer-specific specifications in order to avoid surface damage and maximize shelf life.
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Customers are placing increasing value on CO₂-reduced production, maximum process reliability and a zero-defect philosophy. The requirements for sustainable, documented quality are constantly increasing.
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Tight dimensional tolerances, excellent formability, high hardenability and a uniform microstructure are in demand. These properties are reliably ensured by state-of-the-art annealing processes and strictly controlled production steps.
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With projects such as the CO₂-reduced continuous casting route, we are setting standards in sustainable steel processing. We are also working on further solutions for reducing emissions and resource efficiency along the entire value chain. Our customers therefore benefit not only technically, but also in terms of their own sustainability goals.
Do you have a new project that requires bearing steel wire?
Our experts will be happy to advise you and find the right solution for your requirements!
