What is Industrial Bearings?
Industrial bearings are the mechanical components that assist any objects’ rotation. They are called the “bread and butter” of the industrial products. Their function is to support the shaft of the wheels, gears, turbines, motors, etc., that rotates inside the machinery of devices allowing them to rotate more smoothly.
Industrial bearings can be found in all sorts of machines, including automobiles, high-tech machines, airplanes, electric generators, etc. They are even used in daily household appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, and air-conditioners. But as industrial bearings aren’t directly involved in the machine industry, not many people know about it. This article will explain the absolute basics of bearings and provide insights into the functions they serve.
The bearing was traditionally made by hand in the 19th century. In today’s time, they are the most commonly used machine components due to their rotating motion feature that makes almost all movements easier and helps to reduce friction. Bearings may seem like simple machine parts but have a complex mechanism. Industrial bearings are used in our regular lives, so we must make sure to make them more definite and durable.
Importance of Industrial Bearings
- Industrial bearings are a prevalent part of many fields like in civil-engineering structures and mechanical machinery.
- These parts are present in every automobile.
- They are also used in bridges and other man-made structures.
- They are used for restraining relative movement between parts or sections of a single plane.
- These industrial parts can assist in various ways, like easing the load and rotating parts in a composed environment.
Functions of Industrial Bearings
Industrial Bearings have essential two functions:
They reduce the friction and make a smooth rotation
Bearings are used between the rotating shaft and the part of the machines that support the rotation where the friction occurs.
These industrial bearings reduce the friction and further allow the better rotation that cuts down the energy consumption.
They maintain the accurate position for the rotating shaft and protect rotation parts.
The industrial bearings prevent the damage done by a large force between the moving shaft and the part supporting the rotating motion.
It also maintains the correct position of the rotating shaft allowing us to use the machines repeatedly.
Components of Industrial Bearings
Bearings typically have the following components:
- Two rings, inner and outer or discs.
- Rolling elements in the form of roller bearings or spherical balls
- A cage for keeping the rollers apart.
- Inner Ring / Outer Ring
High purity chrome alloy steel comprises the inner and outer ring. It is a hard and pure material that contributes to a long life and high load rating. Some other unique materials like ceramic and plastics are also used for making these rings.
- Roller bearings
The axle and the bearing shaft are in two opposite directions on a downhill surface in a roller bearing. These rolling elements separate the inner and outer rings producing less friction than a standard sleeve bearing.
Common types of Industrial Bearings
There are various designs of industrial bearings, depending on their functions like handling the thrust load, radio load, or both. The following are some different classifications of industrial bearings:
Roller variants bearings: Roller variant bearings are used to carry heavy loads in which a cylinder acts as a primary roller and distributes the load through a larger area. This structure is most efficient in handling the radial loads. This particular variant is not adequate for thrust load usage.
Roller thrust variants: The roller thrust bearings are designed to handle the thrust loads much like ball thrust bearings. They can take more of a thrust load. These bearings support helical gears in car transmissions.
Ball variants bearings: Industrial ball bearings are the most common type of industrial bearing. These are capable of handling thrust and radial loads but in small weights. They are used in various applications like hard drives and rollerblades.
Tapered roller variants bearings: Tapered roller bearings are specially designed to handle significant thrust and radial loads. They are used in car hubs due to their load versatility. The car wheels are made to carry intense amounts of thrust and radial loads. It makes these bearings a perfect fit in the automotive industry.
