In the production and engineering world where machines are vastly used, a bearing is a mechanical component that is almost inevitable. The term is derived from the verb “to bear”. Bearings are found in all sorts of machines, but they mostly do their work in the subsurface.
The mechanical component confines relative motion between two parts to the desired motion. bearings may be designed to provide free linear movement of moving parts or free rotation around a fixed axis. It may prevent a motion by controlling the vectors of normal forces that enact on the moving parts.
The primary function of a bearing is to assist objects’ rotation and reduce mechanical friction between them. Today we’ll be looking at the definition, functions, parts, classification, types, working principle, and diagram of bearing used in the mechanical field.
Contents
What is bearing?
A bearing is a mechanical part that allows linear or rotational movement and reduces friction between two objects. It eases the movement, reduces fatigue, and improves speed and efficiency between the parts.
As shafts that are required to rotate are used in different kinds of machines, bearings must be a feature to offer their great benefits. The mechanical part is widely used in automobiles, airplanes, electric generators, refrigerators, air-conditioning, vacuum cleaners as well as home appliances. With the list of these bearing applications, it seems we humans can’t do without them.
What are the functions of bearings?
Below are the functions of bearings as they serve in various applications:
Apart from making machines work smoothly, bearing still accomplish the following two major functions.
- Friction reduction and ensuring ease of rotation
As friction is the most occur event between two rotating shafts especially when lubrication is eliminated. Bearings are used between the parts to make the rotation smoother. Note that some bearings allow lubrication. Energy consumption is cut down since the friction is reduced.
- Bearing protect the part that supports the rotation and maintains the position of the shaft
Another primary purpose of the mechanical component is to withstand a large amount of force between the rotating shaft and the part that support the rotation. Bearings maintain the exact position of the rotating shaft.
What are the Types of bearing?
The various types of bearings are classified into two: Radial bearings (Rotating shaft bracket) and Thrust bearings (axial load support).
These types of bearings work with various thrust loads and radial loads. However, their difference is that a perpendicular bearing is much stronger than other types. Below are the various types of bearings designed to withstand thrust or radial loads:
Ball Bearings:
The ball bearings are designed to withstand both radial and thrust loads. They are used in different applications of various sizes as bearings receive nomenclature based on rolling elements and share equally with ball bearings.
These types of bearings are widely used in automobile industries for parts such as steering, power train, driveshaft, etc. It can also be seen on home equipment and other industrial machines.
Ball bearings can support less weight, and they also have a unique structure that can withstand loads and have a unique structure. Ball-bearing parts include the inner race, outer race, rolling element ball, and cage.
The inner race is the part that enters a rotating shaft, which tends to rotate the axis, while the outer race is mounted on the housing. The rolling element ball transfers the load through the axis, while the cage prevents the balls from colliding with others.
Tapered Roller Bearings:
The tapered roller bearings are designed to withstand large thrust and radial roads. It is widely used in the automotive industry due to the fact that it can raise heavy loads without destroying the wheels. These types of bearings generally start with the serial number “3”.
Parts of tapered roller bearings include inner and outer rings which have tapered rollers located between them. The inner ring with a rolling element forms a unit that is individually fitted on the outer ring.
The conical surface extends to allow the engagement to a single point on the bearing shaft. This indicates that the rolling conditions of the rolling elements are optimized.
The axial load capacity of this bearing is determined by the contact angle that corresponds to the angle of the outer surface of the raceway.
Ball Thrust Bearings:
The ball thrust bearings can withstand thrust loads in low-speed and low-weight applications. It’s common on a bar chair to hold the seat as it contains rolling elements. The word “push” indicates the transmission of thrust loads or axial loads. The ball thrust bearing generally begins with series “5”.
Roller Thrust Bearing:
A roller thrust bearing can handle larger thrust loads, often seen in car transmissions to support helical gears. The thrust load is supported by the bearing.
How Does Bearing Work?
The working of a bearing is quite simple and easy to understand. It consists of a ball and an interior on the outside of the smooth surface which rolls. The ball has the same weight as the load and the force of the load enables the bearing to rotate.
Watch the video to have full knowledge of how bearing works:
In conclusion, a bearing is a great component whose purpose is to provide ease of both rational and linear movement between two objects. We have looked at the different types of bearings which we say that they classified into two types; radial and thrust bearings.
Related Article:
- Signs of a bad throwout bearing
- Signs and Symptoms of wheel bearing noise
- Everything you need to know about mechanical spring
- Things you need to know about Driveshaft
- Understanding mechanic toolset
That’s it for this article. I hope you enjoyed the reading, if so, kindly comment, share, and recommend this site to other technical students. Thanks!
Leave a Reply