Various Uses of Ball Bearings

What Ball Bearing Is?
Ball bearings are used in a wide array of machines for rotary motion. Ball bearings support rotary parts and reduce friction to facilitate the smooth operation of machines.

Let's discuss about the various uses of ball bearings in anonymous applications:

Ball Bearing in Kitchen Whisk
Ball whisk is much easier to clean than an average closed loop wire whisk, where it's difficult to scrub between the loops. Each of the 11 stainless steel ball bearings is attached by sturdy but flexible wires to the metal handle. There is a larger ball bearing in the center to give it more heft. The overall whisk is heavier but can be easier to use because they give substance and resistance to the motion of whisking.

Ball Bearings in Construction:
It have been used in construction for many years, one of the most common forms of technology in earth resistance technology is the idea of seismic isolation, where the building itself rests on giant, frictionless ball bearings. This means that when the ground moves, the bearings move too, but the building does not. No force is therefore transferred to the building, meaning the building does not experience the earthquake.

Ball Bearing in DC Fans
In low-flow electronic cooling fans for computers, where the aerodynamic noise is low, the predominant noise emitted by the fan is generated in the bearing system. This type of fan usually has either an oil-impregnated sleeve bearing or ball bearings. Both bearing systems create noise that can be very different in both frequency content and amplitude. Furthermore, ball bearing fans can become noisier by mishandling or long term running.

Extend the life of Ball Bearings
With continuous use in both old and new applications, improvements in lubrication have helped to extend the life of ball bearings. This has helped to reduce the need for maintenance and replacement. Some ball bearings are sealed and therefore do not require lubricant. Ball bearings that do require lubricant typically use grease.

Bearings Suppliers - We supply various types of deep grove ball bearings and ball bearing products with world class quality suitable for various industrial and domestic machinery equipments. We are also an authorized dealer for IKO Japan, SKF.

Importance of bearings Materials in its Application

Choosing correct type of bearing for its applications is important like that material of the bearing plays a vital role in bearing performance and also life of the bearings is also based on the materials like types, materials also based on its application

Here are the properties of the material should have:

Compressive Strength: pressure that is acting on bearing is greater than the average pressure.
Fatigue strength: to avoid fatigue failure, the bearing material should have sufficient endurance strength.
Bond ability: ability of the material to form strong bond with other materials.
Corrosion resistance: In the applications where there is high working temperature, this temperature oxidizes the lubricating oil and forms the corrosive acids. This formed acid attacks on bearing material and corrodes it.
Conformability: It is the ability of the bearing material to yield and adopt its shape to that of the journal.
Embed ability: The dirt or dust particles in the lubricating oil may cause the jamming in the clearance space.
Thermal Conductivity: For the rapid dissipation of the heat, bearing material should have high thermal conductivity.
Cost and Availability: The bearing material should have low cost and also it should be easily available in market for its production.

Previously we saw about strengthens of the materials have to be want. Next we will see about the individual material type unique strength.

   Babbitt (white metals) : The original name for tin-antimony-copper white alloys used for machinery bearings it is light weighted bearings and also it have hardness so it is used to high speed applications.
    Bronze: Bronze was especially suitable for use in boat and ship fittings prior to the wide employment of stainless steel owing to its combination of toughness and resistance to salt water corrosion
    Copper-lead alloy: The lead in the copper alloy also gives some degree of embed ability. Lead-free bearings are widely used in the production car world.
    Cast iron: Monolithic ferrous bearings are made of gray cast iron, pressed and sintered iron and steel powder, and many wrought steels. Most cast-iron bearings are made of gray iron because it combines strength with the lubricity of graphitic carbon.
    Silver: Silver-coated bearings are used extensively in heavy-duty equipment and high-tech applications in which superior resistance to corrosion and fatigue is needed.
    Aluminum alloy: Aluminum bearing alloys have wear resistance, high load-carrying capacity, fatigue strength, thermal conductivity, and excellent corrosion resistance, and low cost
    Sintered metal or porous metal: It gives best mechanical strength, grade or porosity for oil retention and self lubrication in its finished form.
    Non-metallic materials: Nonmetallic materials offer self-lubricating properties, high-temperature stability, solvent resistance, or low cost. The most common of these are carbon graphite, wood, rubber, and ceramics.
So choosing material for bearing must be clear in which type of application want to be using these bearings that only help to identify the correct bearings.

The contribution of Spherical Roller Bearings in Fixing the Misalignments - Shaft Deflection

Misalignment is a condition where the centre lines of coupled shafts are non-coaxial. Normally, misaligning occur when aligning the shafts. If centre lines of coupled shafts are parallel, but it is not coincident, which is called parallel misalignment. If centre lines of coupled shafts meet at an angle which is called angular misaligning.

Commonly bearings used to rotate the shaft, reduce the friction. As bearings manufactured with very internal clearances, provide very accurate positioning of the shaft. As Bearings have small clearance does not perform well if they are misaligned. Self aligning bearings are preferable to fix the misalignment. Misalignment also occurred when mounting the bearings on the shaft. Shaft deflection and bearing mounting both causes the misalignment.

Misalignment causes the machine fault as early. As misalignment between two parts make an improper design of a machine which causes more stress on shafts and also increase the vibration on the machine. And machines can't bear the heavy burden due to its unconventional design. It causes the resulting fault. It leads to premature damage in the machine. It also affects the production. So misalignment should be detected and rectified. Fix the misalignment assists to reduce machine down-time, enhancing machine life, cost reduction and increasing process efficiency.

Spherical roller bearings are greatly fixing the misalignment. Normally, Spherical roller bearings are designed for heavy load applications. Especially spherical roller bearings are used in a severe misalignment existing application. Spherical roller bearing has two rows of rollers, which are located within the two inner ring raceways. It's covered by one common spherical outer race way. The center point of the curvature of outer ring raceway is coinciding with the axis of the bearing. As its central point of outer ring raceway is coinciding with bearing axis it cans self aligning. Due to its self aligning feature spherical roller bearings are effectively tolerating the loads in spite of the misalignment by shaft deflection. In spherical roller bearing, self aligning is attained by allowing the plane of the rollers to incline in order to the outer spherical raceway.

Features of Spherical Roller Bearings - Reduced friction torque, Insensitive to misalignment, Resist the frictional temperature, Increase operating speed, High temperature capacity

Spherical roller bearings are utilized in diverse applications such as printing presses, paper mills or coaters in high precision execution, railway vehicles, etc. Equally it is greatly reducing the frictional heat, widely utilized in high temperature applications. As well as it also applied in very arduous operating condition operations like continuous casters.

Major Using Bearings in Machine Industry and Its Characteristics

Bearing is a device that used to reduce the friction between the two moving surface. Bearing are designed according to handle the various types of loads and weights. Commonly ranges of bearings are designed to handle the radial loads and thrust loads. Radial load means, the force is applied perpendicular to the axis of bearing. Thrust load means, the force is applied parallel to bearing's axis. Bearings are classified according to their structure and load carrying capable, etc. They are ball bearing, cylindrical roller bearing, thrust roller bearing, needle bearing, deep groove ball bearing, tapered roller bearing, etc. As well as bearing can be customized as per application. Even though there are various types of bearings are available, two types of bearings are widely used in machine industry. They are ball bearing and roller bearing.
Ball bearing contains the spherical ball arrays between the inner and outer rings. Spherical balls are arranged in a cage. Cage is placed between the two finely finished steel rings. These rings are called bearing raceways. Ball bearings are support both radial and thrust loads. As the ball structure is spherical, the contact area between the races and balls are very small. There is a chance the bearing get ruin of heavy loads, because balls have the contact with their bearing raceways in a single point. So ball bearing can apply only for small load application.

Generally speaking, roller bearings are designed to handle the heavy loads. In roller bearing roller is used instead of balls. The primary roller is cylinder. As rollers are in cylindrical shape, the contact between the rollers and the bearing races are straight line. As the contact area is larger than ball bearings, it can bear heavy loads compare with ball bearings. It can effectively handle the heavy radial loads, but it is not prefer for thrust loads. There are ranges of ball bearings are available like cylindrical, needle, spherical, etc. Each type is applied for different purpose.

Ball bearings are greatly reduces the friction but it is not suitable for heavy load application. Roller bearings can handle the heavy loads as efficiently but it not appropriate for thrust loads. Ball bearing plays the important role in some kinds of application. At the same time lack of roller bearing, some application is impossible. So, both are act as indispensable one in different applications. But the truth is both are the major using bearings in machine industry.

Needle Roller Bearings - Structure, Types, Applications

Needle roller bearing is a type of bearing which is used to reduce the friction of rotational surface. It has needle or cylindrical roller element whose diameter is much less than their length. As needle roller element has small cross sectional length, which have large load - bearing capacity. And its rigidity is regarding of their volume. Moreover, it has less clearance that means difference between the diameters of shaft and bearing, so this bearing is more compact. Needle roller bearing is compact and light weight as well as which is replacing with sliding bearing. Inertial motion on needle ball bearing is limited, so which is idle option for application with oscillation motion. Needle roller is fit for bearing application where radial space is limited. As needle roller bearing configured as light weight, which reduces the weight of machineries.

Needle bearing has cylindrical roller element instead of using usual balls. In needle roller bearing, cage comprises with needle roller which length is four times bigger than their diameter. Due to cylindrical element diameter is smaller, which is reduces the size of bearings. So, this kind of bearing is suitable for bearing arrangement where radius space is smaller. Needle roller bearing has roller element and cage. Cages are used to direct rollers and it also act as housing of needle rollers. Cages are guide to rollers act parallel to axis. Needle bearings are obtainable with or without inner ring.

There are various kind of needle roller bearing in the basis of their configuration and operational method. Needle roller bearing is classified as two types in the basis of connecting rod application, such as connecting with large end and connecting with small end. This bearing type is used for connecting rod in reciprocating compressor and internal combustion engine. Drawn-cup needle roller bearing is one of the types of needle roller bearing. This bearing has outer ring and roller element which are both drawn from steel plate by precision deep drawing. Cage that directing the needle rollers. In this type, a special full complement roller is available as an option. Machined ring needle roller is one type of needle bearing. In which configuration, both inside and outside rings are available. In this bearing, needle roller is driven by side plate of the outer ring that is otherwise called as Rib. As a result of this, cage and roller are cannot separated from outer ring. Due to its low cross section height and large load capacity, this is well fit for space-saving design. This bearing is available in both single and double row type. It has machined outer ring which has high rigidity. So this bearing can be used with a housing made of light metal. Outer ring also have lubrication hole.

Needle roller bearings are used for various applications based their many factors like load factor, gear factor, etc. Needle bearings are commonly used for various applications like electrical machines, machine tools, measuring instruments, railway vehicles, automobiles, rolling mills, metal working machines, paper making machines, printing machines, aircraft, textile machines, electrical units, office equipment, crushers, agriculture machines, construction machines and cranes.

HR bearing is one of the pioneer manufacturers of bearings based in India, provides all kind of bearings like ball bearing, roller, needle roller, spherical roller, thrust roller, etc.

Ranges of Bearings - Characteristics and Applications

Bearings are used in mechanical machines which are used to avoid the friction and also without this we would be replacing the spare parts constantly. Bearings work as a roller, that if the two surfaces can roll over each other, the friction is greatly reduced. But if a thing slides, then there will be more force which cause a friction and may slow down. For example, if your cycle is designed based on slide movement, then it takes force to move and slow down, but if it is designed mechanically with bearings, it rolls over each other and the friction is avoided.

Bearings qualities are based on its efficiency, consistency, reliable and ability hold the load and force. These bearings are lubricated for high performance and enhance its efficiency, were it can be lubricated by grease or oil depending on the equipment and its user.

There are different types of bearings which are used in different products like automobiles, tools for construction, machines, DVD players, ceiling fans and refrigerators. Due to these bearings the devices are able to run, rotate. Based on the customer requirement the bearing manufacturers customize and produce the bearings.

Types of bearings are deep grove ball bearings, Needle bearings, Pillow block unit, Thrust ball bearings, Angular contact ball bearings, Self aligning ball bearings, Spherical roller bearings, cylindrical roller thrust bearings, Spherical roller thrust bearings.

* Ball bearings:
These bearings are used to reduce the rotational friction between two body parts. They are been used in various equipments, machineries, hardware and in some home based objects.

 * Needle bearings:
Needle bearings are bearings which are used to reduce the frictions of a rotating surface. It is also featured with greater rigidity, lower inertia forces that facilitate size and weight reductions in machinery. They perform well under severe conditions and interchange with sliding bearings. It is mostly used in farm and construction equipment, gear pumps, gasoline engines, and other engine components. It is lubricated with oil, which enhance the longevity and smoothness of the bearing.

 * Pillow block unit:
Pillow block unit is a mounted or roller bearings which are composed of insert bearing installed in a special housing. This bearings can easily adjust the machine alignment error or if needed its shaft to be bent in a certain angle. It is also convenient for assembling and dismantles the bearing. The most important thing is to lubricate the bearing, as there a certain kind of oil that is used to keep it working properly.

* Thrust ball bearings:
The Thrust ball bearings are mainly used to carry the axial load only, as when a load is properly applied to this bearing, the internal contact points get aligned on a plane parallel to the shaft. Also we supply two types of bearings: Single direction Thrust ball bearing and bi-directional Thrust ball bearing.
The single direction bearings can bear axial load in one direction and locate shaft axially in one direction, but the bi-directional bearings can support loads in both directions.

* Angular contact ball bearings:
Angular contact ball bearings are designed with a contact angle which can sustain with both axial loads in one direction together with radial loads in an oblique path. The larger the contact angle the higher the axial load support, but lower the radial load. This bearing is designed to use in high speed, high accuracy applications.

* Self aligning ball bearings:
Self-Aligning Ball Bearings which are used for the applications where extensive shaft deflections or misalignment are to be expected and a significantly longer service life. This bearing has two rows of balls and a common concave sphere raceway in the outer ring which allows angular misalignment of the shaft relative to the housing. It is featured with high productivity, extremely low friction, lower noise level, reduced vibration levels, user friendly and with lower maintenance.

 * Spherical roller bearings:
The spherical rollers bearings can self align by the spherically formed outer ring raceway and have higher friction than any other bearings. These bearings are suitable to hold high radial loads and also have capacity to carry lower axial load in two directions. Also they are mainly used in applications where extreme misalignment, shocks, vibrations, high speed or critical application stresses occur. 

* Cylindrical roller thrust bearings:
Cylindrical roller thrust bearings are individual components that can be mounted separately. They are single direction bearings and are used to accommodate high axial load in one direction with moderate speed. As this bearing is used in higher speed applications they require oil lubrication. This bearing is very rigid and requires little axial space.

* Spherical roller thrust bearings:
Spherical roller thrust bearings are used to transmit the load from one raceway to the other at an angle to the bearing axis. This bearing is separable and has self aligning capability. It is particularly suitable to accommodate radial loads in addition to acting axial loads in two directions simultaneously.

Why deep groove ball bearings are widely chosen rather than other bearings?

Commonly ball bearings are used to reduce the friction. Bearings are indispensable one in the mechanical world. Even though varieties of bearings are available in bearing industry, deep groove ball bearing is widely applied in major industries for its simple design, low cost, high rotation speed, low coefficient of friction. Primarily, the intent of deep groove ball bearing reduces the rotational friction between two surfaces. Deep groove ball bearing has inner race, outer race, balls and cage. As the balls are partially lies in the curvature of inner and outer races, it makes possible to apply for both radial and axial loads.

The deep groove ball bearing can carry radial loads and part support the axial loads in two directions as well as it consist the deep groove raceways with simple curved arcs that can be accurately closed so that the bearing has low friction and minimal interference. It can support the heavy radial loads when its angle contact is nil. When its present with angular contact bearing, it supports large axial loads. Deep groove ball bearings can support heavy loads when it has larger radial clearance.

Deep groove ball bearings, widely applied for high speed operation for its durability and less upkeep. It guarantees for longer life and less maintenance. The structure of deep groove ball bearings enables to bear heavy loads easily and its coefficient of friction also very low. Based on the structure of deep groove ball bearing it can classify as various types such as Single row, Miniature ball bearings, Inch size ball bearings, etc.

Deep groove ball bearing has used in diverse industries like automobile, motor pumps, machineries, precision instruments, etc. As its rolling friction is very low compared with other bearings, it can use for ideal applications. Especially it can easily attain the accuracy in manufacturing. Deep groove ball bearing has lots of advantages compare with other bearings such as high rolling speed, simple structure, less friction rate, low cost, less attention in maintenance service, applied to support both radial and axial loads. These characters prefer the deep groove ball bearing to choose for major applications.