Normally speaking, a bearing is a device used in vehicles, machines and other tools for reducing friction and avoiding stiffness and stress in a leaner or rotational movement.

It is many designed for enabling linear or rotational movement. It allows a device or a tool to roll freely and frequently and helps to avoid the friction created between the surface of the bearing and the surface on which it is moving or rolling. It enhances the speed, productivity and efficiency of a device. Bearings are made up of metal or plastic. Many bearings are likely to experience radical and push loads.

How Bearings Work

Bearings use a simple structure consisting of a ball with smooth metal surfaces both internally and externally. This aids a bearing rolling and moving easily. As the balls within it carry the weight of the load, it is called bearing.

There are two basic types of bearings named as radial and thrust bearing. Besides, there are different types of bearings falling in either of these two categories.

Given bellow are various types of bearings used for meeting various purposes.

Ball bearings

Ball bearings are the most common type utilized for handling both radial and thrust loads. They use balls to rotate, move and carry the load. The only disadvantage of it cannot carry the heavy load. It can handle only a lower amount of weight. They have their extensive applications in many hard drives and roller blades. Various types of machines and wheels of many vehicles like motorcycles, bikes, scooters, and skateboards include these. They create lower noise and consume lower energy. However, they are available in different shapes, sizes and structures.

Advantages of it

It can save power by reducing friction.

It ensures reliability by eliminating the time-consuming rebabbitting.

Apart from periodical lubrication, it does not require time and money for maintenance.

It requires no adjustment or repairing

As it lowers the fiction, no unexpected incident like fire hazard (due to heavy heat) takes place in any way.

It permits higher speeds that can increase the production

It Increases the life of smaller motors or associated equipment.

Roller Bearings

It is similar to a ball bearing. The only difference is that it includes small cylindrical rollers instead of balls. These cylinders have a larger diameter. Unlike ball bearing, it can carry heavy loads. They carry loads by placing rolling elements. They have extensive uses in machinery and rotary appliances.

The many benefits of roller bearings

They can carry heavy loads. For high carrying capacity, they are used in high industry.

They ensure accuracy, reliability and durability.

Magnetic Bearing

As the name suggests, we can guess that this type uses the principles of magnetic fields to carry the loads. Therefore, it needs an uninterrupted power supply to keep the load stable. This type is very good as it has very low friction. It has the capability to run a device without using any lubrication. It always requires a backup bearing in case of a power cut or control system failure.

Various advantages of Magnetic Bearing

It is free of lubrication

It does not require regular maintenance and servicing as long as the control system works well.

It helps to keep clean room environments

The magnetic properties are highly resistive. These never change with the change in temperature, pressure, tension and the presence of chemical compounds.

Jewel Bearings

A jewel bearing is a plain bearing consisting of a metal spindle for turning into a jewel-lined pivot hole. The hole looks like a torus. It is slightly bigger than the shaft diameter. It has high load carrying capacity. It is used where low friction, long lasting, and dimensional accuracy highly needed. It has wide uses in clocks and mechanical watches.

Advantages of Jewel Bearings

These are miniature in size and highly polished

These need lower friction

They are shock and heat resistant

These are known for their accuracy and hardness

They are non-magnetic

They ensure high dielectric strength

They ensure long life of the devices and accurate wear life

These are available in lower price and resistance to corrosion and distortion

They have long life

Fluid Bearings

Fluid bearings are specific kind of bearings that uses a thin layer of gas or liquid to support their load. They are of two types: fluid-dynamic bearings and hydrostatic bearings.

Hydrostatic uses fluid like oil, water or air. Whereas, fluid-dynamic uses rotation from the liquid used for a lubricating wedge against the inner surface.

Advantages of it