Swedish bearings manufacturer SKF has completed the acquisition of Rubico Consulting AB, an industrial consultancy firm with 10 employees based in Luleå, Sweden. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Rubico Consulting AB specializes in “visualization and analysis of signal data,” and the company’s “expertise will be integrated into SKF’s offer around the rotating shaft, as well as powering new technology areas such as bearings with fiber-optic sensors.”

“Rubico’s expertise in signal processing enhances our existing technology base, spanning from traditional IoT hardware to the latest in edge computing,” said Victoria Van Camp, president, SKF Technology. “The patented edge algorithm developed by Rubico simplifies and automates analysis of machine data and is an enabler for wireless, energy efficient systems. We look forward to engaging the Rubico team in the development of SKF’s proprietary fiber optic-based load sensing, a technology already being piloted in the north of Sweden.

“With its leading university and focus on sustainable technology investments, Luleå is quickly becoming a hub of industrial innovation within both renewable energy and green steel. This is one of the reasons why SKF continues to invest in developing its hub for IoT development in Luleå.”