Ball Bearings
25 May 2018

A ball bearing is a rolling element that uses balls to maintain the separation between the bearing races. Ball bearings support rotary parts and reduce friction to facilitate the smooth operation of machines.

Ball Bearing Components

Ball bearings are comprised of four main parts: a large ring (outer ring), a small ring (inner ring), balls between the rings (steel balls), and a cage.

Inner Ring and Outer Ring

The inner and outer rings are typically made from high-purity, chrome alloy steel. This material has the necessary hardness and purity important factors for high load ratings and a long service life.

Balls Of The Bearing

Balls of a bearing separate the inner ring and outer ring and permit the bearing to rotate with minimal friction. The radius of the ball is made slightly smaller than the grooved ball track on the inner and outer rings. This makes the balls to contact the rings at a single point. Ball dimensions are further controlled to very high accuracy. Ball roundness, surface finish, and size variations are important attributes. These attributes are controlled to a micro inch level.

Cage

The cage is responsible for keeping the rolling elements separated while guiding them in motion. The materials used include steel, brass, and plastic

From small and large motors to car axles to electric fans and hard disc drives (HDDs), ball bearings are used in a wide array of machines for rotary motion. However, the size of ball bearings can range from smaller than a grain of rice — small enough to fit inside a wristwatch—to over one meter in diameter for factory and power plant applications.

NRB is one such company that offers a wide range of high-precision friction solutions for all mobility applications. They are leaders in the production of needle bearings and cylindrical roller bearings. The company also manufactures ball bearings, taper roller bearings and all types of thrust bearings.