Finding the right bearing for industrial applications is critical to high production, low downtime, safe maintenance programs, and long life.
After all, almost every moving part in a machine, whether it’s a car or a factory floor, must have rolling and ball bearings to reduce friction, smooth motion, reduce automation costs and improve the overall longevity of moving parts.
The evolution of bearings over the years
Surprisingly, the concept of reducing friction through the use of a “bearing” was developed much earlier than the wheel. In fact, it was almost a precursor to the wheel.
There are cave paintings all over the world. That shows how logs and fallen trees were used to move heavy objects from point A to point B. As logs rolled across the ground, heavy items were pushed across a series of logs. That was repeatedly placed in front of each other until the journey was completed.
This was a common practice for centuries and was even used in the innovations of the ancient Egyptians. Wooden bearings were used in conjunction with various liquids as lubricants. Before new metals such as zinc and bronze were introduced. But they were inadequate in terms of strength and suitability as bearings.
However, when the industrial age began, it was a time of metal forming where steel became a popular industrial material. In 1794, a man named Philip Vaughan patented a design that resembled the ball bearing we know today.
The importance of choosing the right bearing components and materials
In industry, we all know how important it is to find the right components to reduce costs and increase performance.
It’s no different when it comes to sourcing bearings. Selecting the right bearing components and materials for industrial use becomes a smooth process.
If proper attention is not paid to the fit of ball bearings and roller bearings, there is a risk of lost efficiency, unnecessary downtime, increased maintenance, frictional wear on adjacent components, and even equipment failures. Visit also: Buy Miniature Ball Bearings
To avoid rolling contact fatigue (RCF) and damage caused by improper bearing components and materials, the following points should be considered:
1. load
A bearing must be able to handle the expected pressure and weight of the radial load, thrust load, and combined load in order to function efficiently and for its intended life.
2. speed
Machines operating at high speeds must have speed-matched bearings that can withstand the additional force applied to the bearing during motion. For example, they must be able to withstand minor misalignment during rotation.
3. temperature
A ball bearing must have the proper space to allow for thermal expansion and the resulting frictional heat. Failure to maintain uniform contact between the ball bearing and the attached component can increase friction and thermal conductivity between the components. This is the reason that caterpillar temperature sensor is used in heavy machineries to help maintain the required temperature.
4 Sealing
Sealing the bearing is critical to maintaining lubrication and reducing the ingress of foreign matter into the bearing components and materials. In a high debris system, a shield seal is recommended.
5. maintenance
The proper ball bearing or roller bearing has maintenance requirements that meet or exceed the maintenance program in service. Balancing the cost of the bearing with its service life can be critical to avoiding costly downtime.
Read more about how to find the right consistent and actionable maintenance program to extend motor life and avoid downtime.
The different types of bearing materials
Since the industrial revolution that brought the steel bearing on the scene, there have been considerable developments in the different materials.
Usually, steel is used as the main material for roller and ball bearings, both for the rolling elements and for the rings. However, in some industrial cases, other properties are required, such as higher corrosion resistance, porosity, cost savings, seizure resistance, lightweight, and long life.
Therefore, the bearing materials listed below are selected depending on the mechanical processes:
1. carbon steel bearing
Carbon steel is also called “commercial grade” and is not stainless steel because it has a carbon content of up to 2.1% of its weight. The higher the carbon content, the stronger the bearing. However, this makes it less ductile, has a lower melting point, and is not suitable for large loads or high speeds.
The advantages of carbon steel bearings include that it is the cheapest bearing material that can be used and that it is very hard.
This kind of carbon steel bearing is often found in rolling mills, locks, bicycles, roller skates and shopping carts.
2. chrome steel bearing
Another type of steel bearing is the chrome steel bearing, which is one of the most popular types of bearing components and materials due to its low cost, high hardness, and quieter operation noise. Unlike the name suggests, a chrome steel bearing has a low chromium content in the steel compound.
The advantages of chrome steel bearings are high hardness, high load capacity, low noise, affordable cost, and wide availability. However, it requires lubrication and is not resistant to corrosion or chemicals.
As one of the most commonly sourced bearings by bearing suppliers, it has a wide range of industrial applications. For example, vibrating motor systems, food processing machinery, and linear motion components.
3. stainless steel bearing
The last steel material used to produce industrial-grade bearings is stainless steel. The composition has a lower carbon content than carbon steel bearings and a higher chromium content than chromium steel bearings.
A stainless steel bearing is highly effective, accurate, strong, durable, corrosion-resistant, chemical resistant, softer, and temperature flexible than most other types of bearings. The only negative aspects are heavier composition, the need for lubrication, and higher cost.
Therefore, the stainless steel bearing can be used in a variety of industrial applications, including those that are temperature sensitive. Examples include food processing, manufacturing, metal coating, instrumentation, high humidity, and high chemical areas.
4. ceramic bearings
Ceramic bearings are manufactured to produce a highly corrosion-resistant and durable bearing with two rings of ceramic and a fluororesin retainer. This material is preferred over stainless steel and its variants due to the non-magnetic requirements of machinery.
The advantages of a ceramic ball bearing include its high hardness, corrosion resistance, durability, lightweight, high-temperature resistance, low density, and low maintenance as it does not require lubrication.
In industry, ceramic ball bearings are widely used in aircraft, dentistry, and food processing machinery.
5. polymer plastic bearings
Many non-metallic materials are also used in the manufacture of ball and roller bearings, partly because of their lightweight. Plastics and polymers used in the bearing industry include:
– Nylon
– silicone nitrate
– phenol
– Teflon (PTFE)
– Nitrile rubber
Because of their porous material, polymer-plastic bearings often have a high-temperature range and inherently low friction properties, so lubrication is not required. Other advantages of polymer plastic bearings include corrosion, chemical, and rust resistance, as well as a lightweight body with high strength, which is used for a variety of industrial machinery.
Polymer plastic bearings are widely used in electrical switchgear, water turbines, marine propeller shafts, household appliances, rotating equipment, instruments, textiles, factory equipment, and more.
6. hybrid bearings
Finally, hybrid bearings are manufactured according to the best practices. By using high radial and axial strength steel for the rings and bearing grade silicon nitrate to make the rolling elements. Electrical insulation is achieved.
Thus, hybrid bearings offer the advantages of high wear resistance, diverse industrial application scenarios, higher speeds than most. And non-conductive components for temperature rises or RCF.
Machines for research and science at the highest level, such as cryogenic chambers, aerospace technology, and medical equipment. Use the components and materials of hybrid bearings.
