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Industrial Applications of Bearings – A Comprehensive Guide

Industrial Applications Of Bearings
Do you know what “bearings,” a mechanical component, actually do? They are so essential to the machine sector that they have been dubbed the sector’s “bread and butter.” They are employed in a wide variety of machines. Still, because they operate in secrecy, most individuals not engaged in the machine sector probably have no idea what they mean when they hear the name. Bearings come in a wide range of shapes and sizes and are an essential tribological part of many different types of machinery. In a system that may be under static or dynamic loading, they can be described as a machine element that supports/permits only a particular form of motion (limitation of degrees of freedom).

What are bearings?

Bearings are “components that aid in the rotation of objects.” Inside the equipment, they support the shaft that revolves. Automobiles, aircraft, power generators, and other devices need bearings. Even common household items like refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and air conditioners we use daily contain them. The rotating shafts of the wheels, gears, turbines, rotors, etc., in those devices, are supported by bearings, enabling smoother rotation. Although bearings in industrial applications may appear straightforward mechanical components initially, they are essential to our survival.

Purpose of bearings

Bearings primarily avoid direct metal-to-metal contact between two elements in relative motion. By doing this, friction, heat production, and, ultimately, part wear and tear are avoided. As low-friction rolling takes the place of sliding motion, it also lowers energy consumption. Additionally, they transfer the rotating element’s load to the housing. This load could be either radial, axial, or both. A bearing, as previously mentioned, limits the freedom of motion of moving parts in specific directions.

Different types of bearings

There are various types of bearings, each used for a particular function and designed to support a specific type of load, like ball bearings,  Ball bearings A ball bearing is a specific kind of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to keep the bearings’ inner and outer moving components apart. A ball bearing’s main functions are to support radial and axial loads and lessen rotational friction. Ball bearings in industrial applications have a straightforward design, are reliable, and are simple to maintain. They come in open and sealed varieties and single and multiple-row styles. They are appropriate for high speeds since they have low frictional torque. Ball bearings connect the shaft to the motor housing, for instance, in electrical motors when the shaft is free to rotate but the motor housing is not. They are further divided into
  • Deep groove ball bearings
  • Angular contact ball bearings
  • Thrust ball bearings
  • Self-aligning ball bearings
Applications of the ball bearings:
Household items: Bicycles, Washing machines, Hair dryers, Fishing rods, DVD players, and Food processors. Office equipment: Fax machines, hard drives, fans, etc.  Industries: Elevators, assembly lines, Chain saws, power pumps, toy manufacturing, etc. Automotives: Engines, steerings, electric motors, gearboxes, etc.
Advantages of ball bearings:
  • Do not require much lubrication.
  • Long service life.
  • Low price.
  • Can handle thrust hold.
  •  Good wear resistance.
Disadvantages:
  • Can break easily due to shock
  • Can be loud
  • Fail to handle heavyweight
Cylinder roller bearing The outer ring, inner ring, and cylindrical roller bearing roller all have a straight geometry. The cage may be made of brass, steel, or polyamide. You can separate the outer and inner rings. As the roller makes line contact with the raceway, these bearings can support significant radial loads. The bearings come in a variety of styles and dimensions. Cylinder roller bearings are of different types:
  • Single row
  • Double row
  • Four rows
  • Full Complement
  • Thrust cylindrical roller
Application of cylinder roller bearings: Mining, petroleum production, rubber mixing equipment, electric motors, rolling machines, etc. Advantages of cylindrical roller bearings:
  • They offer excellent stiffness
  • These bearings can face challenges of heavy radials and high speed.
  • It comes in split and sealed variants
  • Low friction
  • Long service duration
Disadvantages
  • Not suitable for thrust loads
  • When the inner or outer rings have two ribs, cylindrical roller bearings can withstand some axial load in one direction.
  • Double-row cylindrical roller bearings are utilized largely in precision machine tools and have high radial stiffness.
Taper roller bearings
In general, taper roller bearings application can be mounted independently from the cup because the cone assembly, which consists of the inner ring with roller and cage, is removable (outer ring). Mounting is made simpler by being detachable. The appropriate rolling motion of the roller on the track surfaces of the cone and cup is ensured by the projection lines of all the taper surfaces (Cup, Cone, and Roller) meeting at a single point on the bearing axis, known as the apex point. Single and double-row taper roller bearing applications in inch and metric series are produced by NBC. Taper roll bearing is further divided into
  • Single row
  • Double row
  • Four rows
  • Tapered roll thrust
Application of taper roll bearings: Agriculture, construction & mining industries, sports robot combat, propeller shaft, engine motors and reducers, wind turbines, etc. Advantages of taper roll bearings:
  • Low friction
  • Long service life
  • Rigid bearing applications
  • Separable and interchangeable
  • Enhanced operational reliability
Disadvantages:
  • Not suitable for high engine speed.
  • Increase heat due to large contact surfaces.
Spherical roller bearings Self-aligning spherical roller bearings in industrial appliocations are designed for high radial loads. They automatically make up for significant angular faults (shaft misalignments). They typically have a two-row arrangement, with shared spherical raceways in the outer ring between both rows of rollers. Spherical roller bearings are divided into
  • Spherical rollers.
  • Spherical roller thrust bearings.
Application: Industrial gearboxes, conveyors, cement grinding rolls, passenger coach axle boxes of railways.  Advantages:
  • High load-carrying capacities
  • Low friction
  • Self-aligning
  • Reduce noise and vibration levels
  • Extended service life
Disadvantages
  • Lower limit speed
  • Poor heat dissipation with compound material
  • Relatively high starting friction 
Needle roller bearings Typically, needle rollers and cages make up needle roller bearings. To facilitate flawless rolling action, several needle rollers are put between two hardened, smooth surfaces, and a cage prevents the needle rollers from touching one another. Needle roller bearings have relatively tiny roll bearing application diameters and great length-to-diameter ratios, which increases load-carrying capacity and makes them perfect for oscillation motion. Further divided into
  • Needle roller and cage assembly
  • Shell-type needle roller bearings
  • Machined ring needle roller bearings
  • Thrust needle roller bearing
Application: rocker arm pivot, pumps, gearboxes, two or more stroke engines, etc. Advantages:
  • Convenient at high and low temperatures
  • Easy lubrication
  • International standards and specifications are uniform.
  • Easy to get interchangeable products
  • Fewer friction
Disadvantages:
  • Loud noise
  • Complex structure
  • Fatigue.
Conclusion:
We don’t frequently see these products immediately in our daily lives, such as machines that produce energy, materials, or machining equipment. However, as we’ve mentioned in this blog, a lot of bearings in industrial applications. These bearing applications help our daily life in addition to the force and rotation. Additionally, the functionality required of bearings is growing, and bearings suitable for many applications are in high demand. NBC, the leading bearing manufacturer, is acknowledged for its excellent quality and delivery.  
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Electric Motor Ball Bearings – Everything You Need To Know

Electric Motor Ball Bearings
As the name suggests, electric motor ball bearings are bearings that are used to support electric motors and make them function by transmitting the power between various elements of the machine or rotating the shaft. To help you understand more, This blog covers everything you need to know about electric motor bearings. The bearings are critical to support varied types of machinery and can work in any kind of environment within the mechanical systems. Electric motor bearings are designed to provide smooth, efficient operation of electric motors. The bearings are made of high-quality materials that can withstand the high speeds and loads exerted by electric motors making them apt for high-performance applications while ensuring an optimal operational life. These bearings are available in a variety of sizes and designs to meet the specific needs of different electric motors.

Electric Motor Ball Bearings: How they Power Electric Motors

Electric motors require reliable solutions to work in an optimum manner. In terms of mechanical characteristics, electric motors are powerful and versatile, making them useful to work in high-performing machinery. Be it machines at the factory or electric vehicles, these bearings can be used in any of the electrical motors to allow rotary motion and transmit the power to make various parts of the machinery function well. The bearings that support these motors need to allow for smooth, quiet operation while providing key features such as high load capacity, long life spans, and low running noise.  Electric motor ball bearings are subject to a variety of forces, including radial and thrust loads, as well as vibration and shock. To withstand these forces, bearings must be carefully designed and manufactured. The most common material used for electric motor ball bearings is steel, but other materials such as ceramic or plastic may be used in some applications.

Use Case in Real-Time Scenario

The main performance characteristics of electric motor bearings are high load capacity, high-speed operation, high precision positioning, low noise, etc. They are used in the load and speed requirements of the motor. In terms of general applications, they are widely used electronic appliances, large-scale machinery in factories, electric vehicles, railways, wind turbines, etc. Since these machines have different requirements, various types of bearings are used in different scenarios to power them:
  1. Ball Bearings: These are mostly used in non-belted and direct-coupled applications where the motor runs under 150 horsepower speed. Ball bearings are designed specifically to handle both axial and radial loads in varied conditions within the machinery systems. The most common application of these types of electric motor bearings is in AC motors.
  2. Standard Roller Bearings: These kinds of roller bearings are designed for belted applications and are perfect for radial loads. They are not used to handle axial loads. It also works with motors that operate at a minimum of 150 HP.
  3. Angular Contact Ball Bearings: These kinds of electric motor bearings are perfect for high-speed rotating applications with axial loads. It can be configured with different types of cage designs and rows.
  4. Cylindrical Roller Bearings: These roller bearings are perfect for handling extremely high axial loads. Cylindrical roller bearings work efficiently at both medium and high speeds and support several design alternatives as per the mechanical applications. These are mostly used for belt or gear-driven electric motors.
  5. Deep Groove Ball Bearings: These ball bearings are a perfect match for electrical motors as it is apt for high-speed applications supporting moderate-type axial and radial loads.
  6. Sealed Bearings: These are specially designed bearings that work in contaminant-prone environments. However, they have a limited life span as they cant be re-lubricated.
  7. Shielded Bearings: Shielded bearings are specially designed to protect electric motors from dust, dirt, and other debris. They are made with a metal shield that covers the bearing, preventing contaminants from entering and damaging the sensitive components.

Conclusion

This blog has covered various aspects related to electric motor bearing as these bearings are the perfect fit for all kinds of performance needs. Be it any kind of motor, there is always a type of bearing that exists to meet mechanical needs. While choosing a bearing, you should also consider checking out the design and specifications needed to make it work in the best way without compromising any performance issues or incurring functional damage. This is something that makes the machinery or motor work in a reliable manner.
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Things To Keep in Mind Before Purchasing Bearings For Industries

bearings for industries
Bearings are available in different shapes, sizes, and types which may be specific for different applications in varied industries. This blog covers some of the points which you should keep in mind before purchasing bearings for industries. The bearings are high-precision components that power rotating assemblies in mechanical systems. Be it automobiles or aeronautics, it can be used everywhere in any size to accommodate acceleration and reduce friction between different parts or mechanical elements. The bearings are designed in such a way to make it work at high speed without generating much noise and vibration. Since varied industries might require bearings for different applications, you must consider a few things before purchasing them. Things to Keep in Mind Before Purchasing Bearings for Industries There can be various factors that might play a role in choosing the right kind of bearing depending upon your applications. Here are some of them to help you understand it right:
  1. Understanding Operating Conditions: The different applications might require different operating conditions which may vary in aspects such as loads, shaft requirements, the precision of radial positions, shaft strength requirements, etc. In such cases, it is recommended to determine which type of bearings are designed for such applications.
  1. Bearing Type and Arrangement: Bearing arrangements are a crucial factor to determine the support and location of shafts. It can be an axial or radial location where support may be required to position a shaft. For instance, bearing type and arrangement requirements can range as per location and non-locating bearing combinations where different types of bearings such as deep groove ball bearing or cylindrical roller bearings can be used. So, before planning the applications for bearings, it is crucial to understand which type of bearing and arrangement is required.
  1. Bearing Loads: It can be referred to as transferring of force from bearing to other rolling elements or bearing rings. The load generally can be axial, radial, or combined load. During the process of choosing a bearing for industrial application, it is crucial to first understand the type of the acting load and then plan which types of bearings might suit well in such an application.
  2. Considering Bearing Size: The bearing size should be adequate and precise in terms of its application. If bearing size is not considered in the right manner then it might result in rolling contact fatigue, breakdown, and deformation or might also decrease its service life.
  3. Lubrication Criteria While Selecting Bearing: It is also important to consider lubricating criteria while choosing the type of bearings. By referring to lubricant criteria, it suggests which type of lubricants such as oil or grease will be used in bearings.
  4. ISO Tolerance Classes: It signifies the tolerance capability of bearing under varied performing conditions. To understand it better, The ISO 492 Class 5 standard signifies the ability of a particular bearing to withstand tolerance limits while using it for high-performing or high-speed rotational applications.
  5. Bearing Internal Clearance: The bearing internal clearance defines how much a bearing ring can move relative to other rings in radial or axial directions. It signifies the operation of the bearing in a satisfactory manner without any constraints. This is also one of the key factors to consider while choosing bearings for industrial applications.
Conclusion The bearings can be considered vital components of any machinery or mechanical system. While it allows in reducing friction between various components, it also enables machinery and its components to operate well without any challenges. Before purchasing bearings for industries, it is crucial that you should consider varied factors to ensure optimum performance and functioning. Hopefully, the insights and points mentioned in this blog will help you get the right bearings perfect for your use case.
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How Roller Bearings Are Different From Ball Bearings

ball bearings and roller bearings
  There are slight differences between Roller Bearings and Ball Bearings which makes it different to be used in varied applications. Want to know more? Read this blog to know about how roller bearings are different from ball bearings. While Ball Bearings and Roller Bearings are different types of bearings available in the bearings market they serve the purpose of working in different applications. They may have a similar function to perform in terms of offering smooth rotation and reducing the friction to support machinery but they are also differently designed to adapt in different situations. In aspects of the design also they might look similar but in literal terms, they have some distinctions which make them different.

What is Roller Bearing and Ball Bearing?

In mechanical aspects, the bearings are designed to bear loads which makes them capable to support the functioning of machinery in varied ways. They are both particularly designed to carry loads while reducing the friction between the points of contact. In terms of design, the ball bearing is a spherical unit while the roller bearing is a cylindrical unit.

Why are Bearings Used?

Metal to metal contact is next to possible as it can degrade the metal and result in wear and tear. In such cases, the role of bearing comes to reduce the friction by rolling two different surfaces over one another which are handled by rollers or balls. The Bearings are widely used in a number of different applications such as automobiles, machinery, mechanical equipment, railways, aeronautics, etc.  

How Roller Bearings are Different from Ball Bearings?

   
1. Use of Rolling Element:
In both Roller Bearing and Ball Bearing, there is a rolling element, cage and bearing rigs that consist of a bearing. When the rolling element in the bearing is a spherical ball then it is simply termed as a ball bearing.  
2. Roller Bearings are designed to withstand Heavy Loads:
The Roller Bearings use rollers in the place of balls which makes them capable to be used in radial and axial loads where misalignments are possible. In varied cases, they are used in automobiles like trucks, buses and vehicles.  
3. Distribution of Loads:
In the case of ball bearing, they work to transfer loads from outer raceway to inner raceway while in roller bearing it distributes the load over the large area making it desirable to manage load in a better way as compared to ball bearing. This happens due to line contact which makes it capable of handling resistance and shocks.  
4. Which bearing is better:
Both ball bearings and roller bearings may have different capacities, the roller bearing may be good in terms of shock and high resistance conditions while ball bearings might be good for operability at higher speeds.
Conclusion
The different bearings are designed to be used in different applications and are capable of handling varied loads. While some are designed best to be used in mechanical applications others can be used in components where there is a need of adjusting loads and radial applications i.e. automobiles. It is important to consider different factors while choosing bearings for your purpose.