4 Major Types of Bearings Used in Machine Tool Spindles
A machine tool spindle, the heart of machinery, is a rotating shaft designed to hold and drive the tools. It is that component that enables the precise cutting, shaping, and milling of materials. It is a crucial part of the process that impacts operations, enhancing the machine's productivity.
Where the spindle helps machinery operate, bearings facilitate their movement. They withstand all the loads, distributing them and ensuring smooth rotation. Bearings are of different types, and the common four types are:
Angular Contact Ball Bearing
An angular contact ball bearing is a type of bearing that is a very common spindle bearing. It is designed with a contact angle and consists of one or more rows of rolling balls carrying axial and radial loads. Angular contact ball bearings are preferred for machines that rotate and work heavily at high speeds.
Common features of angular contact ball bearings are:
Designed to handle combined radial and axial loads.
Optimized to handle both thrust and radial forces together.
The angle formed in the contact angle of the ball bearing determines the load-carrying capacity.
They are often used where there is high precision and rigidity involved.
Deep Groove Bearing
A deep groove is another popular bearing type in industrial machinery. They are primarily designed for load bearing on axial loads. Deep groove bearings enable high rotational speed with low friction, noise, and vibration. These bearings benefit efficient and smooth operations by distributing the loads in machinery.
Common features of deep groove bearings are:
These bearings have both outer and inner rings to accommodate axial and radial loads in both directions.
They consist of one row of balls, which ensures smooth rotating motion.
Designed with pre-lubricated oil to minimize friction and wear during operations.
Self-Aligning Ball Bearing
Designed with two rows of balls, the self aligning ball bearing has a single raceway in the outer ring and two deep raceway grooves in the inner ring. Since they have a low contact angle, they have a low radial load capacity. When the alignment of the shaft and housing is difficult and there is a chance of bending the shaft, the self-aligning ball bearing functions.
Common features of self-aligning ball bearings are:
Effectively accommodates static and dynamic misalignment.
High-speed performance that accelerates machinery to operate better.
Designed in a way that ensures low friction and low noise.
Roller Bearing
The roller bearing is the rolling element equipped with machinery. Unlike ball bearings that distribute the load, roller bearings are designed to transmit loads using cylinder rolling elements but not through balls. They are made to deal with light to heavy loads with ease, enhancing the performance of machinery.
Common features of roller bearings are:
These bearings possess a higher radial load-bearing capacity but high friction and low capacity under axial loads.
Being surrounded by simple structures, these bearings require little or no maintenance or inspection.
A few roller bearings can carry both radial and axial loads.
As the market continues to rise, industries demand more efficiency and precision in their production, further assisted by bearings. Bearings are emerging as a critical element assisting machinery to perform at its best, meeting industry standards.
With decades of experience, SKF has evolved to offer an exceptional range of bearings catering to diverse industry demands. Understanding what has been needed to accelerate the machinery to produce double the power, SKF has designed the perfect bearings that have proved functional. You can find the right type of bearing with SKF, and rest assured that the rigorous quality checks and output are just unbeatable.