Bearing Selection Guide: Factors To Consider With Different Types Of Bearings

By Author: Darshil
Total Articles: 7
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There is no one right approach for choosing bearing assembly parts because of the variety and complexity of particular installation sites and bearing uses.

When choosing a bearing, it is important to take into account the following primary aspects in order to tailor the bearing to the host's unique installation position and operational requirements.

Enabled space

Bearings are normally chosen in mechanical design once the size of the shaft has been decided.

Ball bearings are the standard for short shafts. Large shafts often use roller bearings (either cylindrical, self-aligning, or tapered, but ball bearings are also acceptable).

Bearings with a lower radial section height should be used when radial space at the installation location is at a premium.

Bearing load

The amount of the load is often the deciding element when choosing a bearing.

When compared to similarly sized ball bearings, roller bearings have a higher load capacity.

Ball bearings can support mild to moderate loads, but roller bearings may support much greater weights.

Deep groove ball bearings ...
... and cylindrical roller bearings are suitable options for purely radial stresses.

Thrust ball bearings and thrust cylindrical roller bearings can be used for purely axial loads.

Rotation rate

Allowable operating temperature is the primary factor in determining the working speed of a rolling bearing.

High-speed operation calls for bearings with low friction resistance and minimal internal heating.

Deep groove ball bearings and cylindrical roller bearings are capable of faster speeds while supporting only radial stresses.

Angular contact ball bearings are the best option for supporting combined loads.

Rotation accuracy

Bearings with a grade 0 tolerance are sufficient for the main engine in the majority of machines.

Deep groove ball bearings, tapered roller bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, angular contact ball bearings, and thrust angular contact ball bearings with higher tolerance levels should be chosen when there are high standards on the rotational accuracy of the shaft, such as in machine tool spindles, precision machinery, and instruments.

Rigidity

A rolling bearing's stiffness is established by its ability to flex elastically under stress. The impact is negligible and can usually be disregarded. In some machines, however, such as spindle systems for machine tools, the bearing's static and dynamic stiffness are crucial to the machine's performance.

Roller bearings are often more rigid than their ball-bearing counterparts. Proper "pre-tightening" can boost the stiffness of any bearing type.

Noise and vibration

The bearing itself produces little noise and vibration. However, low-noise bearings are often used in smaller and medium-sized motors, office equipment, domestic appliances, and instruments because of their quieter operation and more stable performance.

Setup and disassembling

It is suggested that you use separable angular contact ball bearings, separable cylindrical roller bearings, tapered roller bearings, needle roller bearings, and thrust bearings in equipment that needs repeated installation and disassembly due to the bearings' cylindrical inner holes. Fixing sleeves and dismounting sleeves make it possible to attach bearings with conical inner holes on either the journal or on cylindrical journals, respectively.

Get in touch with a bearing assembly parts supplier today!