What is a Ball Bearing, and How Does It Work?

Ball bearings are vital elements. They are widely used across industries and applications. Hence sometimes, they don’t require any introduction. Ball bearings are rolling elements that ensure several machines (with rotary movements) work smoothly and more efficiently. These include a diverse spectrum, right from engines and wheels of cars to turbines and other medical infrastructure.

Key function of ball bearings

Any ball bearing has three key functions:

• bearing loads
• positioning machine parts that move, and
• lowering overall friction levels.

Ball bearings use balls to separate a couple of races or bearing rings to lower surface-based contact and overall move plane friction levels. The ball rotation leads to a lower friction coefficient than flat surfaces that rub against one another. Minuscule surface-based contact exists between the races and balls. Hence, these bearings usually have comparatively lower capacities for bearing loads about their sizes than you would expect for other rolling element-like bearings. They also offer more support for components that rotate, including shafts, while taking loads carried by the components that rotate.

What Are the Principal Components of Ball Bearings?

Ball bearings have three key components.

Outer ring in ball bearing

This is the outer ring, which fits snugly within the external structure that does not usually move. This includes things like motor casing or pumps.

Inner ring in ball bearing

At the same time, there is an inner ring, which snugly fits upon the shaft and rotates in tandem with the same. Some balls cover the gap between the outer and inner rings while ensuring a point contact to enable better relative motion between these rings.

Cage in ball bearing

Lastly, a cage or ceramic/metal framework holds the balls at their respective positions. At the same time, these balls can rotate in a free manner as well.

Ball Bearing Types And Diversified Applications

Here’s taking a closer look at some of the types and how they essentially work:

Angular contact bearings

They are tailored to function under combined axial and radial loads.

Axial bearings

These are also known as thrust bearings. They help in working under the application of force in a parallel direction to the axis of the bearing.

Deep-groove bearings

They help bear both kinds of loads mentioned earlier.

Linear bearings

This helps enable a single-direction movement based upon a linear axis.

High-speed angular contact bearings

These helps tackle higher revolutions per minute (RPMs) with higher accuracy and precision.

Self-aligning ball bearings

These have two ball sets with a self-alignment feature. They can carry both types of loads, i.e. axial and radial loads.

Sizes, Materials, And Shapes of Ball Bearings

The sizes of ball bearings mostly vary as per their desired usage. The width also varies as per the application in question. Thinner section bearings are deployed in scenarios where there is limited space.

The materials are also dependent upon specific applications.

Bearings made of Stainless Steel.

Most bearings are crafted from steel, while others include stainless steel for better resistance.

Bearings made of Ceramics and Glass.

Hybrid ball bearings contain ceramic balls. These balls are the moving components of the bearing between the outer and inner races. They help achieve higher rotation speeds. Glass balls are also used whenever metal-free types are required.

Borosilicate glass ball bearings.

Borosilicate glass is also used, although it is costlier than regular soda-lime glass. It comes with abilities to resist chemicals. It has great resistance to heat along with temperature as well. Other features include mechanical stability along with a lower coefficient for linear expansion. Aluminum oxide is mostly used for balls with ball bearings made of ceramic.

Ball bearings made of Silicon nitride.

Silicon nitride is used for making balls that have lighter weight along with more corrosion resistance and toughness alike.

Find the Best Suited Ball Bearing for Your Product at L&T-SuFin

Choose as per your specific requirements. Make sure that you take the use of ball bearings into account. Different types have different functions as well. Ball bearings are versatile options. The best part is that you can find various ball bearings online at L&T-SuFin.  There are several options available for buyers on this platform. This is the best place to get hold of all the ball bearings you need and those in diverse avatars.