ABEG® audit optimized

“We’ve gathered a lot of experience from auditing our manufacturers which we have incorporated into the redesign of our ABEG® audit, which is specifically tailored to roller bearing and plain bearing production,” says Klaus Findling, Managing Director of Findling Wälzlager GmbH in Karlsruhe. What makes the ABEG® method used at Findling Wälzlager special is the manufacturer qualification for one of four performance classes: Premium, Supra, Eco and EasyRoll. Together with the product audit, where the achievable performance of a bearing is determined, Findling Wälzlager GmbH offers a comprehensive qualification process for solid classification into the four ABEG® performance classes.
 
The advantages for customers are clear. Instead of having to evaluate a product’s service life or compare load ratings between multiple manufacturers over and over, design engineers use four correction factors (ABEG® factor) to calculate the service life. This makes it possible to find technically and economically optimum bearing dimensions significantly faster. Findling will take care of the qualification of manufacturers, availability and economic savings from the use of the products.

The optimized audit no longer only takes into account quality and environmental management in accordance with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 but also tests specific, quality-relevant aspects of the production process. There is also more of a focus on the environment. The sustainability and development potential of each production system is now evaluated even more critically. “We have significantly expanded the audit’s catalog of questions so that we can evaluate and compare the product and process quality of our suppliers in even more detail,” explains Klaus Findling.
 
In order to make an objective evaluation possible, Findling Wälzlager has given all test criteria a TARGET condition. This enables auditors to carry out a precise assessment and leaves less room for subjective evaluations. The goal is to have comparable results even if there are different auditors. The ABEG® method enables comprehensive and manufacturer-independent classification of the global supply of plain bearing and roller bearing technology. It involves auditing and categorizing national and international manufacturers as well as their products and production processes. ABEG® defines four different performance classes, from high-end bearings for particularly high demands to products that are intended for use where there are minor loads and cost sensitivity. The method thus offers a comprehensible and transparent basis for decision making for selecting and configuring technically and economically optimum roller bearings. The ABEG® audit also ensures more certainty when selecting products.