What is a bearing and why do they exist? Bearings are made of various materials, including steel, plastic, ceramic, bronze or other exotic compounds. A bearing's chief responsibilities are:
- To reduce friction
- To separate two components (such as a shaft and housing) to prevent their wear
- To allow for consistent, smooth, and accurate rotation of a component (usually a shaft)
- To aid in the dissipation of heat from other components
- To be a cost-effective and easily available replaceable part
Bearings are selected for a particular application based upon many factors. Among some of the differences among commonly used bearings are:
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- Anti-friction or friction (plane)
- Shapes of the rolling elements
- Ability to accept radial or axial loads
- Sealed or unsealed (open)
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- Running accuracy
- Accuracy of tolerances
- Speed capability
- Temperature capability
- Size
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Most bearings that you may have seen are considered anti-friction bearings, in that they have balls or rollers of various shapes. For a given application, multiple factors will be taken into account to make a proper selection of a particular bearing type and size.
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