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From Lubrication to Uptime: Lifetime Solutions as a Key Lever in the Use Phase
Sunday, 30 August, 2026
Send us Fan MailRolling bearings rarely fail—only about 0.35% do—but when they do, lubrication is almost always the culprit. In this episode of Perfecting Motion, Bernhard Dreisser and Daniel Merk of Schaeffler explain why grease deserves to be treated as a fifth design element, not just a consumable. They unpack the concept of "Lifetime Solutions," tracing how First Fill decisions ripple across a bearing's entire service life, why the right additive package can extend bearing life by over 60%, and how automated Smart Lubrication systems are freeing maintenance teams from hours-long relubrication rounds. Along the way, they dig into real numbers—from calcium sulfonate complex grease advances to service-life comparisons at 120°C—and explain how closed-loop engineering keeps lab testing honest against real-world field performance. Our host, Marc Ingram, of Ingram Tribology, take a practical look at how tribological expertise translates into uptime, sustainability, and lower total cost of ownership on the plant floor. Our Guests:Bernhard Dreisser, SchaefflerBernhard Dreisser is Global Business Development Manager for Lubricants at Schaeffler, where he works on the company's Arcanol rolling bearing greases and broader lifetime lubrication solutions. He brings nearly two decades of experience in the specialty lubricants industry, having spent 19 years at Klüber Lubrication in progressively senior roles spanning technical sales, market development, and sales management for the chemical industry across Germany and the Benelux region. Throughout his career, Dreisser has combined deep tribological application expertise with a strong focus on technical sales, market analysis, and customer-facing consultation, helping industrial partners select lubrication solutions that extend service life, reduce maintenance costs, and improve operational reliability. He views high-performance lubricants not as mere operating materials, but as functionally critical components essential to the productivity and longevity of modern vehicles, machines, and plants. Daniel Merk, SchaefflerDaniel Merk is a Senior Expert in Bearing R&D Technology at Schaeffler, bringing over 15 years of engineering experience with the company in Schweinfurt, Germany. Since joining Schaeffler in 2011, he has built deep expertise in bearing research and development, with particular focus areas including bearing failure diagnosis and the application of artificial intelligence to R&D processes. In his current senior role, held since 2022, Daniel contributes advanced technical expertise to Schaeffler's bearing technology development, combining traditional engineering rigor with emerging AI-driven approaches to advance the company's research capabilities. For more information on STLE, please visit https://www.stle.org/ If you have an idea for our podcast, or interested in being a guest, please Email STLE Director of Professional Development Robert Morowczynski at rmorowczynski@stle.org . Also, we love your feedback, please take a minute to provide us with your thoughts at Perfecting Motion Podcast Feedback or Email us at rmorowczynski@stle.org.
