Everything You Need to Know About Different Types of Ball Bearings

· Bearings

Ball bearings are part and parcel of machinery. It is a precision-manufactured part that is essential to many mechanical systems. Ball bearings are engineered to make the mechanism work more smoothly, reducing the friction in machinery.

Ball bearings often come in different types to serve other purposes. Every bearing type is designed with unique specifications for optimizing performance and longevity in machinery that are worth the ball bearing price. This ensures increasing productivity and efficiency in the long run. Here are the most common types of ball bearings manufactured:

Types of Ball Bearings

Deep Groove Ball Bearing

One of the most common types of ball bearings is the deep groove, widely used in everyday applications like household appliances, pumps, electric motors, and machinery. These bearing types have a simple design equipped with inner and outer rings and a set of balls between them. Deep groove ball bearings are an ideal choice, highly suitable for radial and axial loads, ensuring excellent performance.

Double Deep Groove

Double deep groove bearing is a smart design iteration with an additional row of balls. It is similar to deep groove ball bearings but is used in heavy-duty industry machinery where robust performance is required. The quality ensures excellent load distribution, enhancing the efficiency of machinery for heavy-duty functioning while also contributing to the reliability and durability of the machinery.

Angular Contact Ball Bearing

An angular contact bearing is designed as the angle connecting the line forming the points of contact with the radial plane. An angular contact ball bearing is an essential type of bearing commonly used in various high-load capacity and high-load precision applications like wheels, machine tools, and spindle bearings. These bearings are usually used on machines with low friction and no noise. It is also designed to handle both radial and axial loads.

Thrust Bearing

The thrust bearing is a type of rotary bearing that rotates in a single direction between the two parts to reduce friction and enhance performance. Typically, these ball bearings are designed to accommodate axial bearings and are used in heavy-load applications like gearboxes, tools, and automotive transmissions to handle thrust loads. The single-direction rotation ensures the efficient transfer of forces.

Super Precision Ball Bearing

Super precision bearings are designed to meet high running accuracy, rotational speed, and rigidity. These particular ball bearing types are used in high-speed finishing stands for steel wire, machine tool spindles, medical equipment, and aerospace, offering reduced heat, vibrations, and tight tolerances.

Self-Aligning Ball Bearing

A self-aligning ball bearing has a sphere raceway in the outer ring, two uninterrupted grooves on the inner side, and two rows of balls. These bearing types are known for accommodating shaft and housing alignment without compromising functionality. They are also used in settings like conveyor systems and textile machinery where alignments are likely to happen. Self-aligning bearings ensure the treatment of misalignments, lower the risk of misalignment, and promise more seamless and smooth functioning.

Final Thoughts

These are the most common ball bearings, with varying functionality, operations, and designs that make them all worth the ball-bearing price. Where ball bearings play a crucial role in ensuring smooth and efficient machinery functioning, SKF, the leading ball bearing manufacturer, offers innovative and high-quality bearings to meet stringent industry requirements. SKF ball bearings are popularly known for their resilience, reliability, durability, and especially their performance on light and heavy-duty appliances. Moreover, buying ball bearings from SKF promises increased efficiency and reduced downtime.