Ball bearings are commonly used in construction sites, industrial areas, etc. It is a circular joint that connects the rotating part of a machine to its other parts, mostly the stationary ones.
Ball bearings are an indispensable part of various machinery. So, people may have to buy it more often. However, before buying, one needs to know all details related to it. This article talks about the types of ball bearings, their uses, and their selection criteria.
Types of Ball Bearings in India
Ball bearings are named according to their physical design. Depending on the specific purposes, one can select the type and such types are:
- Deep groove
- Angular contact
- Thrust (single-row and double-row)
- Self-aligning
Besides, there are two other types namely, Y bearings and Thin-section bearings.
Deep Groove Ball Bearings:
The grooves are cut more deeply than some alternatives in deep groove ball bearings. Being fully surrounded, they come with more wall-surface. Against it, they can roll and transfer loads in more diverse directions.
It is suitable for bearing axial loads from both the right and left directions. Also, it helps to bear radial loads. When they carry both types simultaneously, they are called radial-axial bearings.
Angular Contact Ball Bearings:
These ball bearings have asymmetrical grooves in which one groove wall is longer than the other. Its two subcategories include double row and single row.
As their name suggests, single-row ball bearings come with a single row of balls. On the other hand, double-row bearings have two rows of balls separated by a long inner wall.
Thrust Ball Bearings:
In such ball bearings, the grooves do not extend to cover enough portion of the balls’ tops and bottoms. Hence, it cannot support heavy radial loads. Moreover, these bearings may collapse if excessive force is exerted.
This category is also of two types- single row and double row. A single-row thrust bearing ball bearing is suitable for applications with axial loads in one direction.
Self-aligning Ball Bearings:
These ball bearings come with two rows of balls which provide two rows of contact points against the races’ grooves. Such ball bearings are commonly used when a perfect right angle between the shaft and the bearings is not found. Sometimes, it happens due to installation conditions.
Y-bearings are ball bearings that have an extra-long inner race. They extend like a short pipe out of the bearing’s sides.
Thin-section bearings come with thin races, smaller ball sizes and narrower grooves. The decreased width and ball size require less material. Hence, it ensures lower operating costs than usual.
Uses of Ball Bearings:
Ball bearings are used in various applications, particularly in devices with engines or rotation mechanisms. Some examples of such ball bearings are:
Agricultural sector: It is often used in the rotating parts of tractors, ploughs, and other equipment.
Construction: From cranes and excavators to compactors and other machines, ball bearings are used in diverse applications in the construction sector.
Centrifugal pumps: It is also used in the rotating shaft near the pump’s engine output and fan input.
Household items: One can see ball bearings in household items like bicycles, food processors, hair dryers, and other tools.
Office spaces: Hard drives, fans, fax machines, etc. – the list is long. Thus, ball bearings are used in many applications in office spaces.
Electric motors and gearboxes: Ball bearings support the rotating output shaft in electrical motors. Also, it provides support to gear shafts and input and output shafts in gearboxes.
How to Select the Right Ball Bearings in 2023
If one goes to select the right ball bearing, there are a few things one needs to keep in mind. First, one must check the machine’s official references for ball bearings. It will help to find a bearing recommended by the experts who made the machines.
One must focus on a few essential factors if, however, such references are unavailable. They are:
Expected direction and amount of load:
While selecting a ball bearing, one should learn how much operating load is expected. Also, the buyer should learn about the load’s expected direction. The standard inner and outer race bearings can be used for radial loads. And for axial loads, a thrust bearing is the ideal option.
Right inner and outer diameter:
One must ensure that the outer diameter fits well into the machine’s housing. And the inner diameter should provide a shrink fit and clench the shaft tightly through it.
Bearing material:
One must choose the material depending on the dynamic loading capacity and operating environment. Everything else remains equal in this matter.
Average Speed:
One can learn at which average speed the bearings will operate by checking the machine’s dimensions and production rate.
Sealed or open:
It is another vital factor to look at. One should select a sealed, shielded, or open bearing based on a few things. They are the operating environment, accessibility, and initial cost of the ball bearings.
For environments with heavy debris, one should use sealed or shielded bearings. One can use open bearings for environments with low debris.
Besides these, there are other factors like shaft alignment, the width of the races, and so on.
Buy Ball Bearings online at L&T-SuFin
A suitable ball bearing can help the rotating part of a machine perform well. Machines with bearings are essential in daily life and across various industries. So, if one is looking for a reliable source to buy quality ball bearings without a second thought, L&T-SuFin is here. It’s time to check out the wide collections of ball bearings and many other products on this leading site for industrial products and also to learn about them more from the published articles and blogs.