5 Main Types of Bearings
Bearing is a small part of every mechanical machine, used as an interface between rotating parts. It is used to avoid friction, which causes wear and tear of moving machine. In short, bearing is the part that makes a mechanical machine run swiftly and quietly.
According to the demand of the machine, several types of bearings are introduced. These bearings serve different purposes and are shaped differently. Two of the main types, differentiated according to the load that they can withstand, are:
1.Axial bearing: Manage axial force
2.Radial bearing: Support radial machine
Further, these types of bearings can be classified into sub categories as discussed below:
Ball bearing: Usually used for machines that need to drive small load, ball bearings can support both types of loads mentioned above. It is the most common type of bearing, since it works very smoothly and effectively. There are three main types of bearings that fall under the category of ball bearing:
Deep groove: They are made with great accuracy and capacity
Angular contact: Used with another bearing, it can produce perfect results
Self aligning: They have great tolerance against misalignment
Roller Bearing: Since the cylindrical shaped bearing is designed to have a line contact with the load, a roller bearing can support a heavy load. However, they fall under the radial class.
Ball thrust bearing: They are used for machines which run at a slow speed and need to support an axial load. They cannot support radial thrustRoller thrust bearing: Withstanding thrust load, a roller thrust bearing is used mainly for gearing purposes.
Tapered Roller Bearings: They have high tensile strength and hence can support huge load.
The above mentioned types of bearings are just a few of the many kinds available in the market. It all comes down to your demand and purpose and the type of load you want your machine to drive.
