Friedrich Fischer (March 19, 1849 – October 2, 1899) from Schweinfurt, Germany is considered the father of the modern ball bearing, having invented the process for milling standard bearings in 1883.

Biography

Fischer designed the ball grinding mill, a machine that allows steel balls to be ground to an absolutely round state in large volumes for the first time. His innovation was to tilt slightly the grinding wheel by 1.9°, forcing the balls to rotate on both their axis while they are ground. Thanks to this innovation, he laid the foundation for the entire rolling bearing industry. Thus, the worldwide success story of the ball bearing begins in Schweinfurt. Later, 1883 is officially declared the year in which the company was founded.

Legacy

Today the FAG brand is owned by the Schaeffler Group.