Case Study: Schaeffler Group achieves rapid virtual validation of the world’s largest large-size bearing test rig with Dassault Systèmes (Abaqus FEA)

Schaeffler Group - Customer Case Study

Schaeffler Group, a global rolling-bearing specialist, faced the challenge of proving and optimizing bearings for ever-larger wind turbines but lacked a suitably large test rig. To quantify critical operating conditions and reduce costly real-world testing, Schaeffler used Dassault Systemes’ Abaqus FEA (SIMULIA) to create virtual prototypes and perform detailed stress, modal and strength analyses before building the physical rig.

Using Dassault Systemes’ Abaqus, Schaeffler validated and optimized a 16 m × 6 m × 5.7 m, ~350‑ton test rig (capable of testing bearings up to ~3.5 m diameter and built for ~€7M). Submodeling and custom user elements cut model degrees of freedom from ~10^5 to ~10^2 and reduced per-element compute from about 5 hours to ~5 seconds, while HPC shortened full load-case runs from 48 to 10 hours; the simulation-driven design proved the rig reliable, lowered testing time and costs, improved lifetime predictions, and enabled more precise customer guidance.

Schaeffler Group

Martin Stief

CAE Integration Department Engineer