How Do Bearings Work?

Bearings are everywhere. Inside anything that rotates, there is likely a bearing, used to reduce friction and provide smooth movement. But how do bearings work?

In this complete guide, we’re going to break down how bearings work, some of the key components, the different types and the importance of lubricants. Keep scrolling to learn more, or to speak directly to a bearings expert, just call us now on 01527 509620.

WHAT IS A BEARING?

A bearing is designed to support and guide moving parts. They generally allow either rotational or linear movement, minimising friction and wear. Bearings are installed between the two moving components, facilitating easy motion.

There are a few different types of bearing, each designed to support a different kind of movement as well as varying degrees of load and use. Bearings are used in everything from skateboard wheels and children’s toys to vehicles and industrial machinery.

COMPONENTS OF A BEARING

In most bearings, there are four main parts:

• Inner Ring – the inner ring is seated onto the rotating shaft or surface, and moves with it, transferring load into the bearing
• Outer Ring – the outer ring is stationary, and supports the bearing within the equipment it’s mounted to, transferring load out of the bearing to the equipment
• Rolling Elements – these can be balls, needles or rollers, and are designed to allow smooth movement with minimal friction
• Cage (or separator) – the purpose of the cage, sometimes called a separator, is to keep the rolling elements evenly spaced and ensure the load is evenly distributed

HOW DO BEARINGS WORK? THE BASICS

The purpose of a bearing is to allow for low-friction movement of two components, generally between a rotating shaft and a fixed housing. Bearings feature rolling elements, often balls or rollers, which create smooth, low-resistance movement.

They include an inner ring, which sits around the rotating shaft, and an outer ring, which presses against the housing, with the rolling elements sandwiched in between. This spreads the rotational load and makes movement easy, reducing friction and heat build-up.

BEARING LOADS

A bearing load is the rotational force that’s applied to the bearing, which it is designed to support. There are three main types of bearing load:

• Radial loads – act perpendicular to the shaft, found in conveyor rollers, electric motors and hydraulic pumps
• Axial loads – act parallel to the shaft, found in gearboxes, vertical pumps and turntables
• Combined loads – a blend of both radial and axial loads, found in automotive wheel hubs, industrial gear drives and construction machinery

Each kind of load requires a different type of bearing to handle it.

• Radial loads = radial bearings such as deep groove roller bearings and cylindrical bearings
• Axial loads = thrust bearings
• Combination loads = tapered roller bearings and angular contact bearings

TYPES OF BEARINGS

There are many types of bearings, each used for a slightly different application and load type:

• Ball bearings
• Roller bearings
• Cylindrical roller bearings
• Spherical roller bearings
• Tapered roller bearings
• Needle roller bearings
• Thrust bearings
• Angular contact bearings
• Deep groove ball bearings
• Plain bearings
• Slewing bearings
• Magnetic bearings

You can find more information about the different types of bearings and what they’re used for in our blog post.

THE FUNCTION OF ROLLING ELEMENTS

Inside a bearing, there is a collection of rolling elements, which are usually either balls or rollers.

BALLS

Balls are used inside bearings to create smooth, low-friction movement. They create very small contact surfaces, allowing for seamless rotation of the bearing. This makes them ideal for lower-load applications where smoothness and speed are more important, such as in electric motors, pumps and fans.

ROLLERS

Rollers serve the same purpose as balls, but have a larger contact area, allowing them to spread loads over a greater surface. This makes rollers the preferred choice for high-load or heavy impact applications such as heavy plant machinery, manufacturing equipment and agriculture.

THE ROLE OF LUBRICANTS

Lubricants are used inside bearings to further reduce friction, heat and wear. Most bearings use largely or entirely metallic components, and without lubrication, these parts would get hot and worn very quickly. Lubricants extend the lifespan of bearings dramatically, playing a critical role in their construction and ongoing use.

Different types of lubricants are used in various bearings depending on the type and application, including grease, oil and solid lubricants.

BEARINGS AT THE BEARING COMPANY

There is a wide variety of different bearing types, each suited to a selection of applications from skateboards and toys to large-scale machinery. They come in various shapes and sizes but all use a similar underlying principle of rolling components and lubrication.

At The Bearing Company, we make finding the right bearing for your application a breeze. Just use our simple search tools to browse thousands of bearing types and sizes and enjoy free tracked shipping on all orders over £50. If you need speciality bearings, just give us a call.

Shop our huge selection today or for any questions, call us on 01527 509620, email us at sales@thebearingcompany.co.uk or fill out our contact form.