Explore the latest technology trends, career opportunities, and the people behind Schunk’s pioneering solutions

How carbon, graphite, and silicon carbide materials support reliable mechanical seals and bearings in demanding power plant applications.  When a pump fails at a power plant, the consequences can be significant. Reliable seals and bearings are essential to keeping equipment operating under demanding conditions. But how much does material selection influence their performance? A closer look at Schunk’s materials and solutions for power generation shows why choosing the right material early in the design process matters. 

Demand for high-performance batteries continues to grow, placing increasing demands on battery active material production. During calcination, sintering, and coating processes, components must withstand high temperatures while maintaining stable processing conditions. Manufacturers need to ensure consistent product quality while keeping energy consumption low and equipment availability high.  The materials used in these processes play an important role. Their properties affect not only process reliability but also heating and cooling times, maintenance intervals, and the overall cost of production. 

Carbon brushes – also known as sliding contacts – play a key role in transferring electric current between rotating and stationary components. They’re an essential part of electric motors and generators, ensuring continuous electrical connection even at high speeds. From power tools to wind turbines, carbon brushes are everywhere. At Schunk, we develop advanced, application-specific carbon brush solutions based on decades of material expertise and in-depth industry know-how.

Methane pyrolysis is a promising technology for climate-friendly hydrogen production. However, the extreme conditions inside the reactor place enormous demands on materials and components. In this interview, Felix Schmidt explains how Schunk contributes to making this future technology industrially viable—with advanced materials, coating technologies, and engineering expertise.

Parasitic shaft currents are among the most common causes of bearing damage in electric drive systems. Inadequate grounding can lead to costly failures – in rail transport, industrial production facilities, and electric mobility alike. The Schunk Group addresses this challenge with a comprehensive portfolio of grounding systems, ranging from traditional grounding contacts to innovative carbon-based solutions.

Lightning strikes to wind turbines are not uncommon. According to the industry portal Windbranche, each wind turbine is struck by lightning 0.6 to once a year on average - usually on a rotor blade. The risk is even higher for multi-megawatt turbines. Studies show that these are exposed to direct lightning strikes at least ten times a year. No wonder, due to their exposed location on hills or off coasts, wind turbines attract lightning particularly strongly. Strikes can have serious consequences - from repair-related failures to the destruction of the entire plant.

Sustainability is a top priority for the regional energy provider, and thanks to its location in sunny Breisgau in the southwest of Germany, the proportion of renewable energy flowing into Badenova's grid is high. Balancing the weather-related imbalance between energy generation and consumption, however, presents challenges for the company. In a pilot project, the company therefore tested the use of redox flow batteries. In our TechTalk with Schunk expert Dr. Hartmut Groß, Business Developer Dr. Malte Thoma from Badenova tells us what makes this storage technology interesting for energy providers, where the advantages lie compared to lithium-ion batteries, and how Schunk, as a manufacturer of graphite bipolar plates, can contribute to the development of this technology.

With decades of know-how in materials and an understanding of the special requirements in various industries, we develop trailblazing solutions together with our customers. The delivery and installation of our products is by no means the end of our involvement with the customer. The visitations of our Scandinavian colleagues to a total of six different hydro power stations provide an example of how our customers also benefit from our extensive experience through after-sales service.
  → Learn more about our solutions for power plants.