Discover BQ-Steel® – The Leading Bearing Steel Solution

For decades, bearing steel has been at the heart of the bearing industry, and BQ-Steel® (Bearing Quality) exemplifies this legacy. Engineered specifically for superior fatigue strength, BQ-Steel® is produced through rigorous control of steel cleanness, making it the ideal choice for high-performance bearing steel applications. Today, its advanced properties extend far beyond bearings, serving diverse industries that demand reliability under extreme conditions.

BQ-Steel®, as a top-tier bearing steel, benefits from Ovako's innovative clean steel program. This ensures ultra-low inclusion levels, resulting in dramatically enhanced fatigue performance compared to standard steels. With smaller inclusions and higher purity, BQ-Steel® empowers manufacturers to tackle modern challenges like increased loads, compact designs, and energy-efficient solutions. Whether in automotive bearings or heavy machinery components, this bearing steel delivers unmatched durability and performance.

In an era focused on energy savings, resource optimization, and lightweight engineering, high-strength bearing steel like BQ-Steel® is essential. Its exceptional fatigue resistance supports components that withstand high cyclical loading, meeting the evolving needs of tomorrow's industries.

Why Clean Bearing Steel is Critical for Longevity

The quality of bearing steel profoundly influences component fatigue life. In traditional steels, non-metallic inclusions can exceed 100 µm, acting as stress points that initiate cracks under repeated loads and cause premature failure.

Ovako's ongoing R&D has revolutionized this with BQ-Steel®, a clean bearing steel featuring inclusions typically under 20 µm. This purity boosts bending fatigue strength to 600–800+ MPa (depending on load direction), far surpassing conventional steels' 300–500 MPa range. Like other steels, BQ-Steel®'s fatigue properties are influenced by rolling direction—for optimal isotropy, consider our IQ-Steel® variant.

Leveraging a comprehensive database on defect impacts, Ovako has perfected clean bearing steel production. The outcome? Enhanced power density allows for lighter, more efficient designs without compromising safety or performance.

Tailored Support for Your Bearing Steel Needs

BQ-Steel® clean steel processing is available across all Ovako steel grades, ensuring versatility for your projects. We collaborate closely with customers to streamline the supply chain, offering customized solutions in tubes, bars, wire, and rings. Our bearing steel expertise includes packaging options that align with your production demands.

Backed by deep insights into industrial applications, Ovako provides proactive guidance to integrate BQ-Steel® seamlessly. From initial consultations to ongoing support, we're committed to optimizing your use of this premium bearing steel for peak performance.

We made it! But we are still not satisfied

What a journey! It took years of hard work to make our steelmaking operations more sustainable. In 2022, we went carbon neutral in all operations. But we´re still not satisfied - our journey continue for products with no CO2 emissions.

Read more about our path to carbon neutrality