SKF's magnetic bearing technology has been selected by Finnish cleantech company Tamturbo for their high-speed turbo motors used in industrial air compressors. Compressed air is used in many indus­trial plants to power machines, tools and automation, as well as to move materials through the production process. The delivery of compressed air historically makes use of oil-based screw compressors, which have high maintenance costs and associated CO2 emissions resulting both from the oil they consume as well as energy waste in the form of extra heat loss.

By using high-speed, direct drive centrifugal compressors, with permanent magnet motors and active magnetic bearings as a core technology, industrial customers can generate compressed air with lower emissions, longer service intervals and a lower total cost of ownership, compared to oil-based screw compressors.