When it comes to power transmission systems, high-load machinery, or rotating equipment in heavy industries, thrust roller bearings are non-negotiable components. Their ability to support axial loads in one direction with exceptional stability makes them indispensable in countless applications, from automotive and aerospace to marine propulsion systems, steel mills, and heavy-duty gearboxes.
An Ultimate Guide on Thrust Bearings - Bearings Suppliers
When two objects rotate about the centerline of an object but not in a straight line, a thrust bearing is needed to keep the shaft centered. A thrust bearing is a bearing on which a shaft is thrust axially against another part.
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It is a type of rolling-element bearing that permits rotation about an axis parallel to the bearing axis. Thrust bearings can support axial loads, thrust, or moment.
The bearing is designed to allow axial loads in both directions. This type of bearing is used whenever axial loads are applied to the shaft. Thrust bearings provide high rigidity, high stiffness, and high speed.
Thrust bearings have a vast range of applications, including mining, car manufacturing, medical, and aerospace.
How Do Thrust Bearings Work?
Thrust bearings usually include a shaft, a cage, a thrust washer, a thrust ball bearing, and a nut. A thrust bearing can provide axial support, provide rotational support, and dissipate axial thrust. Thrust bearings are distinguished by the support they provide.
They can support rolling elements, such as balls, rollers, or cylindrical rollers.
They can support axial forces, such as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders.
They can also support rotational forces, such as from an electric motor or engine.
In a thrust bearing assembly, the thrust washer is located between the cage and the shaft. The thrust washer distributes the axial force applied by the shaft across the cage. The thrust washer also prevents any axial movement of the cage relative to the shaft.
Thrust ball bearings are often used to support and rotate shafts. They consist of an inner ring, outer ring, and balls. The balls are pressed tightly together in the inner and outer rings. The outer ring remains stationary, while the inner ring rotates. The balls roll freely between the inner and outer rings, inhibiting the axial movement of the shaft.
How to Choose Thrust Bearings?
Thrust bearings are identified by:
The size of the bearing ring (the outer diameter).
The bearing material.
The bearing shape.
The location of the bearing.
The thrust washer.
The clearance between the raceway and the shaft.
Thrust bearings are usually made from stainless steel, but they can also be made from carbon steel. Thrust bearings are available in various shapes, including cylindrical, conical, and spherical.
Thrust bearings are classified by load rating and thrust load rating. You can find these details from the bearing manufacturer.
Thrust bearings can also be classified by their shaft alignment, which is determined by the location of the thrust washer on the mounting surface of the bearing.
Our engineers at Hi-Bond help every client choose the right type of thrust bearing based on these and several other elements. We are reliable bearing and bush suppliers for many companies due to our attention to detail in identifying and procuring suitable thrust bearings based on the location and usage.
What Are the Types of Thrust Bearings?
There are many different types of thrust bearings, which can be broken down into three subcategories:
Cylindrical Thrust Bearings
Cylindrical thrust bearings are the simplest and most widely used type of thrust bearing. They consist of a cylindrical housing with rollers and cages. Generally, cylindrical thrust bearings are used in lower thrust applications.
Tapered Thrust Bearings
Tapered thrust bearings are the most commonly used type of thrust bearing. They are formed with a tapered housing and feature rollers and cages. Tapered thrust bearings are designed to accommodate combined loads, i.e., simultaneously acting radial and axial loads.
Spherical Thrust Bearings
Spherical roller thrust bearings offer the highest load rating density of all thrust bearings.
Based on these types, there are several types you can choose from: flange bearings, linear sleeve bearings, needle roller bearings with metal bushings, and much more.
Bearing Selection Guide | How to Choose a Bearing
There are many different types of bearings available today, but there is very little information on the differences between them. You may have asked yourself, “Which bearing will be best for my application?” or “How do I choose a bearing?” This bearing selection guide will help you answer those questions.
For more Thrust Roller Bearings manufacturer information, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
First, you need to know that most bearings with a rolling element fall into two broad groups:
Ball bearings
Roller bearings
Within these groups, there are sub-categories of bearings that have unique features or optimized designs to enhance performance.
In this bearing selection guide, we will cover the four things you need to know about your application in order to choose the right type of bearing.
Find the Bearing Load & Load Capacity
Bearing loads are generally defined as the reaction force a component places on a bearing when in use.
When choosing the right bearing for your application, first, you should find the bearing’s load capacity. The load capacity is the amount of load a bearing can handle and is one of the most important factors when selecting a bearing.
Bearing loads can be axial (thrust), radial, or a combination.
An axial (or thrust) bearing load is when force is parallel to the axis of the shaft.
A radial bearing load is when force is perpendicular to the shaft. A combination bearing load occurs when both parallel and perpendicular forces produce an angular force relative to the shaft.
To learn more about axial and radial ball bearings, contact our team of engineers!
How Ball Bearings Distribute Loads
Ball bearings are designed with spherical balls and can distribute loads over a medium-sized surface area. They tend to work better for small-to-medium-sized loads, spreading loads via a single point of contact.
Below is a quick reference for the type of bearing load and the best ball bearing for the job:
Radial (perpendicular to the shaft) and light loads: Choose radial ball bearings (also known as deep groove ball bearings). Radial bearings are some of the most common types of bearings on the market.
Axial (thrust) (parallel to the shaft) loads: Choose thrust ball bearings.
Combined, both radial and axial loads: Choose an angular contact bearing. The balls contact the raceway at an angle which better supports combination loads.
Roller Bearings & Bearing Load
Roller bearings are designed with cylindrical rollers that can distribute loads over a larger surface area than ball bearings. They tend to work better for heavy load applications.
Below is a quick reference for the type of bearing load and the best roller bearing for the job:
Radial (perpendicular to the shaft) loads: Choose standard cylindrical roller bearings.
Axial (thrust) (parallel to the shaft) loads: Choose cylindrical thrust bearings.
Combined, both radial and axial loads: Choose a taper roller bearing.
Bearing Runout & Rigidity
Bearing runout is the amount a shaft orbits from its geometric center as it rotates. Some applications, such as cutting tool spindles, will only allow a small deviation to occur on its rotating components.
If you are engineering an application like this, then choose a high-precision bearing because it will produce smaller system runouts due to the tight tolerances the bearing was manufactured to.
Bearing rigidity is the resistance to the force that causes the shaft to deviate from its axis and plays a key role in minimizing shaft runout. Bearing rigidity comes from the interaction of the rolling element with the raceway. The more the rolling element is pressed into the raceway, causing elastic deformation, the higher the rigidity.
Bearing rigidity is usually categorized by:
Axial rigidity
Radial rigidity
The higher the bearing rigidity, the more force is needed to move the shaft when in use.
These bearings typically come with a manufactured offset between the inner and outer raceway. When the angular contact bearings are installed, the offset is removed which causes the balls to press into the raceway without any outside application force. This is called preloading, and the process increases bearing rigidity even before the bearing encounters any application forces.
For more information, please visit One-Way Thrust Ball Bearings.
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