5 Things to Know Before Buying Deep Groove Ball Bearings

19 Aug.,2024

 

Bearing Selection Guide | How to Choose a Bearing

 There are many different types of bearings available today with very little information on the differences between them. Maybe you&#;ve asked yourself &#;which bearing will be best for your application?&#; Or &#;how do I choose a bearing?&#; This bearing selection guide will help you answer those questions.

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First off, you need to know that most bearings with a rolling element fall into two broad groups:

  1. Ball bearings
  2. Roller bearings

Within these groups, there are sub-categories of bearings that have unique features or optimized designs to enhance performance.

In this bearing selection guide, we&#;ll cover the four things you need to know about your application in order to choose the right type of bearing.

Find the Bearing Load & Load Capacity

Bearing loads are generally defined as the reaction force a component places on a bearing when in use.

When choosing the right bearing for your application, first you should find the bearing&#;s load capacity. The load capacity is the amount of load a bearing can handle and is one of the most important factors when choosing a bearing.

Bearing loads can either be axial (thrust), radial or a combination.

An axial (or thrust) bearing load is when force is parallel to the axis of the shaft.

A radial bearing load is when force is perpendicular to the shaft. Then a combination bearing load is when parallel and perpendicular forces produce an angular force relative to the shaft.

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To learn more about axial and radial ball bearings, contact our team of engineers!

How Ball Bearings Distribute Loads

Ball bearings are designed with spherical balls and can distribute loads over a medium-sized surface area. They tend to work better for small-to-medium-sized loads, spreading loads via a single point of contact.

Below is a quick reference for the type of bearing load and the best ball bearing for the job:

  • Radial (perpendicular to the shaft) and light loads: Choose radial ball bearings (also known as deep groove ball bearings). Radial bearings are some of the most common types of bearings on the market.
  • Axial (thrust) (parallel to the shaft) loads: Choose thrust ball bearings
  • Combined, both radial and axial, loads: Choose an angular contact bearing. The balls contact the raceway at an angle which better supports combination loads.

Roller Bearings & Bearing Load

Roller bearings are designed with cylindrical rollers that can distribute loads over a larger surface area than ball bearings. They tend to work better for heavy load applications.

Below is a quick reference for the type of bearing load and the best roller bearing for the job:

  • Radial (perpendicular to the shaft) loads: Choose standard cylindrical roller bearings
  • Axial (thrust) (parallel to the shaft) loads: Choose cylindrical thrust bearings
  • Combined, both radial and axial, loads: Choose a taper roller bearing

Ball Bearings - A Complete Buying Guide

Ball bearings are rolling-element bearings which use balls to maintain the separation and distance between the bearing races. They are designed to reduce rotational friction while supporting both radial and axial loads.

The types of ball bearings that we think of today were initially manufactured at the end of the 19th century. The Welsh inventor Phillip Vaughan was given the first patent for ball bearings and his was the earliest design to feature a ball running along the groove in the axle assembly. Another major development came in when the Paris-based bicycle mechanic Jules Suirray created the first ball bearing of the radial variety. This radial bearing was included in the manufacture of the bicycle that French racer James Moore rode to victory in the first Paris-Rouen race of .

The use of ball bearings for manufacturing purposes has become widespread since the turn of the 20th century. They are integrated into the production of various mechanical instruments and devices due to the associated ease of movement and friction reduction. Ball bearings allow for the injection of motion between different parts and transmit energy for mechanical operation.

For more information, please visit Deep Groove Ball Bearings.