Typical steel mill operating conditions including high rolling forces result in severe radial loading, environmental contamination, very high peripheral velocities and – with wet rolling processes – increased levels of moisture and humidity. Not only does NSK have comprehensive experience in this area, but the company also offers several series of bearings developed specifically with steel industry applications in mind. These bearings are made from particular materials that enable trouble-free operation in the given conditions. For example, the materials used are produced such that the bearings are not damaged if contaminants are pressed into the rolling surface. In many cases, preventing or minimising such damage from the outset requires a special seal design.A practical application example demonstrates the parameters that are the most advantageous when choosing bearings. The company BWG Bergwerk- und Walzwerk- Maschinenbau GmbH in Duisburg, Germany, was contracted by Thyssen Krupp Nirosta to renew a skin pass mill at the Dillenburg rolling plant. Such mills are used in the final processing of rolled sheet strips.‘Skin passing’ is a light form of finishing that improves the sheet surface quality. Moreover, this process step can be used to achieve defined levels of roughness and textures in the strip surface and to improve material characteristics.