Schaeffler, in partnership with the Lindø Offshore Renewables Center (LORC), has commissioned the world's most powerful test rig for rotor bearings in Lindø, Denmark. The facility was officially opened on October 9, 2025, strengthening Schaeffler's position as a system partner for the wind power industry. The project was completed through collaboration between Schaeffler, LORC, and R&D Test Systems at the Lindø facility in Denmark.

Schaeffler played a significant role in defining the specifications for the test facility and will serve as its first user, testing rotor bearing arrangements exclusively in cooperation with wind turbine original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Advanced Testing Capabilities

The heart of the facility is a 560-ton test load unit measuring 16 meters long, 9 meters wide, and more than 8 meters high. The three project partners specifically developed this unit to simulate the extreme loads experienced by rotor bearing arrangements of wind turbines on land and offshore installations. The test facility is designed to handle the demands of next-generation wind turbines, including those with rated outputs of 25 megawatts.

The rotor bearing system must support all forces and moments from rotors that can reach up to 300 meters in diameter, making the facility's testing capabilities crucial for the development and validation of these massive components.

Strategic Partnership and Industry Leadership

Sascha Zaps, CEO of Bearings & Industrial Solutions at Schaeffler AG, emphasized the company's comprehensive system understanding and “closed loop engineering” approach at the inauguration. He stated that this approach, which spans from initial product sketches to manufacturing and validation in real-world operating conditions, distinguishes Schaeffler from competitors as the global market leader for wind turbine bearings.

Uwe Wagner, Chief Technology Officer of Schaeffler AG, highlighted how the company's broad range of product families and manufacturing technologies enables technological innovations across various market sectors, from two-wheelers and automotive to rail technology and renewable energies. He described the Lindø test rig as another milestone through which Schaeffler sets new standards and strengthens its leadership role in global competition.

Collaborative Development Approach

LORC operates as an experienced test facility operator and owns the state-of-the-art facility at Odense Port in Munkebo. The Danish company focuses on promoting innovation in renewable energy, conducting full-scale testing of wind turbine nacelles, drivetrains, main bearings, blade bearings, components, and structures, as well as industrial-scale battery storage systems.

R&D Test Systems, the third partner in the project, is recognized as a renowned developer of test rigs specifically for the wind power industry. The collaboration between these three entities represents Schaeffler's holistic closed-loop engineering approach, which emphasizes cooperation with partners and customers.

Testing Infrastructure and Market Demands

Bernd Endres, Vice President, Regional Business Unit Wind at Schaeffler, noted that reliability is a decisive factor for the company and its customers, particularly in the offshore sector. He explained that while Schaeffler maintains a leading position with engineering tools and manufacturing technologies, certain scenarios cannot be simulated on computers alone. The new test facility enhances Schaeffler's infrastructure for testing and validation, providing a platform where innovations can be brought to market maturity.

The closed-loop engineering approach ensures that all models and computations are supported by real-world tests, offering customers a level of reliability that forms the basis for safe, durable wind turbines. The facility addresses the rapid development pace in the wind energy sector, where turbines with 25-megawatt rated outputs are now under discussion.

The demands on wind turbine bearings are keeping pace with these technological advances, requiring sophisticated testing capabilities to ensure component reliability and performance in increasingly challenging operating environments.

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