BALL, ROLLER, AND NEEDLE BEARINGS
Rolling contact bearings substitute a rolling element, ball or roller, for a hydrodynamic or hydrostatic fluid film to carry an impressed load without wear and with reduced friction. Because of their greatly reduced starting friction, when compared to the conventional journal bearing, they have acquired the common designation of “anti-friction” bearings. Although normally made with hardened rolling elements and races, and usually utilizing a separator to space the rolling elements and reduce friction, many variations are in use throughout the mechanical and electrical industries.
The most common anti-friction bearing application is that of the deep-groove ball bearing with ribbon-type separator and sealed-grease lubrication used to support a shaft with radial and thrust loads in rotating equipment. This shielded or sealed bearing has become a standard and commonplace item ordered from a supplier's catalog in much the same manner as nuts and bolts. Because of the simple design approach and the elimination of a separate lubrication system or device, this bearing is found in as many installations as the wick-fed or impregnated porous plain bushing.
Currently, a number of manufacturers produce a complete range of ball and roller bearings in a fully interchangeable series with standard dimensions, tolerances and fits as specified in Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association (AFBMA) Standards. Except for deep-groove ball bearings, performance standards are not so well defined and sizing and selection must be done in close conformance with the specific manufacturer's catalog requirements. In general, desired functional features should be carefully gone over with the vendor's representatives.
Rolling contact bearings are made to high standards of accuracy and with close metallurgical control. Balls and rollers are normally held to diametral tolerances of .0001 inch or less within one bearing and are often used as “gage” blocks in routine toolroom operations. This accuracy is essential to the performance and durability of rolling-contact bearings and in limiting runout, providing proper radial and axial clearances, and ensuring smoothness of operation. Because of their low friction, both starting and running, rolling-contact bearings are utilized to reduce the complexity of many systems that normally function with journal bearings.
Aside from this advantage and that of precise radial and axial location of rotating elements, however, they also are desirable because of their reduced lubrication requirements and their ability to function during brief interruptions in normal lubrication. In applying rolling-contact bearings it is well to appreciate that their life is limited by the fatigue life of the material from which they are made and is modified by the lubricant used. In rolling-contact fatigue, precise relationships among life, load, and design characteristics are not predictable, but a statistical function described as the “probability of survival” is used to relate them according to equations recommended by the AFBMA. Deviations from these formulas result when certain extremes in applications such as speed, deflection, temperature, lubrication, and internal geometry must be dealt with.
The most common anti-friction bearing application is that of the deep-groove ball bearing with ribbon-type separator and sealed-grease lubrication used to support a shaft with radial and thrust loads in rotating equipment. This shielded or sealed bearing has become a standard and commonplace item ordered from a supplier's catalog in much the same manner as nuts and bolts. Because of the simple design approach and the elimination of a separate lubrication system or device, this bearing is found in as many installations as the wick-fed or impregnated porous plain bushing.
Currently, a number of manufacturers produce a complete range of ball and roller bearings in a fully interchangeable series with standard dimensions, tolerances and fits as specified in Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association (AFBMA) Standards. Except for deep-groove ball bearings, performance standards are not so well defined and sizing and selection must be done in close conformance with the specific manufacturer's catalog requirements. In general, desired functional features should be carefully gone over with the vendor's representatives.Rolling contact bearings are made to high standards of accuracy and with close metallurgical control. Balls and rollers are normally held to diametral tolerances of .0001 inch or less within one bearing and are often used as “gage” blocks in routine toolroom operations. This accuracy is essential to the performance and durability of rolling-contact bearings and in limiting runout, providing proper radial and axial clearances, and ensuring smoothness of operation. Because of their low friction, both starting and running, rolling-contact bearings are utilized to reduce the complexity of many systems that normally function with journal bearings.
Aside from this advantage and that of precise radial and axial location of rotating elements, however, they also are desirable because of their reduced lubrication requirements and their ability to function during brief interruptions in normal lubrication. In applying rolling-contact bearings it is well to appreciate that their life is limited by the fatigue life of the material from which they are made and is modified by the lubricant used. In rolling-contact fatigue, precise relationships among life, load, and design characteristics are not predictable, but a statistical function described as the “probability of survival” is used to relate them according to equations recommended by the AFBMA. Deviations from these formulas result when certain extremes in applications such as speed, deflection, temperature, lubrication, and internal geometry must be dealt with.
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