HOW TO SELECT THE BEST BEARINGS FOR YOUR APPLICATIONS: YOUR GUIDE TO PRECISION

Welcome to "Wiki Bearings" – your go-to resource for everything you need to know about bearings! In today’s episode, hosted by the expert Hassanein Alwan, we're diving into the crucial topic of how to choose the perfect bearings for your unique application.

Whether you're an experienced engineer or just getting started, selecting the right bearings is key to maximizing the performance and lifespan of your machinery. We'll break down the science of bearing selection, sharing insider tips and tricks that will elevate your knowledge and help you make smarter choices.

From understanding load capacities to comparing top bearing brands like NTN, SNR, SKF, and more, we cover it all. No detail is too small as we guide you through the ins and outs of bearing types and specifications.

Tune in now to get the inside scoop on bearing selection and discover how to make the best choices for your engineering projects. Whether you're working on a high-speed gearbox or a precision instrument, this episode of "Wiki Bearings" has the answers you need!

#BearingSelection #EngineeringTips #NTN #SKF #SNR #Bearings #MechanicalEngineering #WikiBearings #MachineryMaintenance #PrecisionEngineering #BearingsForEngineers

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome to Wiki bearings, where we dive into the worlds of engineering excellence, from the automotive marvels to the industrial giants. Join us to explore the wonders that keeps the world in motion. My name is Hassanein Alwan, and I'm your host.

So, in today's episode, we're going to talk about how to choose the best bearing. What are the main elements that impact the choice of, uh, of a bearing? Now, there are mainly eight elements to consider, to think of. When choosing a bearing, of course, the material quality. Now the inner, the outer, the rolling element and the cages.

Now, if we look at the rolling element, either it's ball or steels, uh, these materials can be made of chrome, steel, stainless steel, or ceramic. If we look at the cage [00:01:00] or what we call it, the retainer, the cage holds the rolling element in its place. And it's important that it's corrosion and wear resistant.

Common material includes steel, brass, polyamide, or phenolic cages. Now, every type of cages have its own advantages and disadvantage. Uh, of course, steel cages, they are durable, especially for high strength. They can withstand high temperature and speed. Steel cages are also suitable for applications that requires high load, especially high loads, capacity and precision.

On the other hand, now it's becoming very common for large burying to use steel cages. Brass cages. Brass cage offers excellent resistance to corrosion. And this is why when we have humidity or some environment, we select to use brass cages. They can handle also high temperature and have a good wear resistance. [00:02:00] 

They are preferred in an application where lubrication contamination is a concern. And this is usually in larger application of bearings. On the other hand, uh, we have polyamide cages. Polyamide cages are also becoming popular options in the recent years because of their lightweight and wear resistant.

They have also an exceptional damping for vibration. So, for any indoor application or a noise sensitive application, we, we usually recommend polyamide cages. Another important cage type is what we call phenolic racing cage. Usually constructed from fabric reinforced phenolic racings, the cage offers excellent dimension stability and can operate under high temperature and also suitable for high-speed application.

Anything above 1000 RPM or more, usually this is the choice we go for. However, they are not so [00:03:00] durable for heavy loads. So, when it comes to heavy loads, steel cages are way, way better choice, but every type of cage offer its own advantage and disadvantage. And we should look at the application to see how we choose the right cage for our bearings.

Now, of course we covered now the, the material, so the inner, or we call it the rolling elements and the cages. Another aspect, or the second important aspect is precision and tolerance. Bearing are, of course, manufactured with a high precision to ensure uniform dimension and accurate tolerances. This helps in maintaining consistent performance and minimizing the variation operation.

Now, if we look, there is two main standards. There is the American standard and the ISO standard for usually for precision. So, we are talking about P6, P4, P5, and so on. And usually in the American application, we are talking about ABIC 5, ABIC [00:04:00] 7, ABIC 9, and so on. Now the, usually the highest classification in terms of precision in the ISO standard is usually P2 or P4.

P4 and P2, what we call them super precision bearings or super precision application. On the American standard, we call them ABIC 9. So ABIC 9 is the top precision on the American classification. So ABIC 9 is, uh, considered to be a super precision in these precision and tolerances, the higher. So, when we, we go with the American classification, of course, ABIC 7 and BIC 9 is higher precision, but on the ISO classification, P4 and P2 are the super precision or the higher precision.

The higher the precision is, the more durable these bearings are, the more speed we can take them, and they usually are lighter in weight. This is when we come up with what we call the [00:05:00] precision and the tolerance. Of course, when we select a bearing, we have to think about lubrication. There is no bearing that would function well without a proper lubrication.

There is usually four aspects that to think about when looking at lubrication. So, of course, what do lubrication do in a bearing? One is to reduce friction and wear. Now, lubrication provides a film between the moving parts. The grease minimizes the direct metal to metal contact and reduces the friction between them.

And this is why it also reduces the wear. Another important aspect of lubricants is to cool down the bearings or the application. What we call heat dissipation. Lubricants help dissipate heat generated by the friction in the operating elements. And this is why we can call it that it's cooling down the bearings.

Now, of course, we should not overdo it. Usually, it's a [00:06:00] common mistake that we over grease bearings or other machinery parts, and that actually can increase the heat and the friction inside the bearing. This is why we should always be aware of the right amount of grease or lubricating we are putting into the machine.

Another aspect is to protect against contamination. So grease or lubricants help to seal out dust, water, humidity outside of the bearing, and this is why it's prevented from any damage or reduce the damage. So proper lubrication prevents the contamination from the environment. Now, there is a third or another aspect which is important in terms of choosing the right lubrication, which is, uh, corrosion prevention.

For Many lubricants contain additives that protect against corrosion and oxidation, and this will definitely prolong the bearing life. So, these are the [00:07:00] most important, the role of lubricating. Of course, there are so many different types of greases or lubricants, but the most common are grease, oil, Now, generally, we grease our thickened oil that stays in place to provide a long-lasting lubrication.

Ideal for application where it's difficult to maintain a consistent supply of oil. So, if we have, for example, a gearbox, yes, there is always oil inside that machine. There is no problem. But if we have any, any machines that We cannot have a normal supply of oil, so we go with greases because they are much easier to apply, stays in the machine, and they are excellent for long term.

They do not need continuous providing or pumping of oil. Now, oil at a higher speed, if we have any high-speed application, sometimes we cannot go with grease, so we have to go with oil. [00:08:00] Now, oil provides excellent heat dissipation. So they cool the bearings or the machine much, much, much better. Uh, they are good in, uh, for minimal resistance or especially at high speed.

Now, when we have a certain application that neither we can use greases or we cannot use oils now, the latest technology is what we call solid. Lubricants or solid greases usually are used to an extreme condition where conventional lubrication does not is not used. That can be at very, very high temperature vacuum or and sometimes in food.

application where we do not desire or want any contamination in our food. So solid lubricants becomes the choice. Now, the fourth aspect to consider when choosing a bearing or applying the right bearing is the load capacity. Every bearing is designed for a [00:09:00] specific load. And it's very important that we consider what types of loads do we have?

Is it an axial load? Is it a radial load? Is it a mix of axial and radial load? These are the aspect to consider. And is it a more dynamic loads or is it more a static load? Because sometimes. We overlook some of these aspects and then we have a premature damage of the bearing or bearing failure. Now, when looking at these loads, some bearings are purely designed for radial load, for example, cylindrical roller bearings.

Other bearings are purely designed for axial, for example, what we call axial or axial spherical roller bearings or axial bearings. Usually, they can only take axial loads. Now, some bearings are very good in taking both axial and radial load, like taper roller bearings, ball bearings, they are more balanced to take both axial and radial load.

Now, when we look at [00:10:00] these loads and understand these loads, we will be able to choose the right bearing for that, uh, application. Now, many aspects of the load. Sometime we forget about it or we don't consider it. What is the dominating? Is it the ax, the dynamic load, or is it a static load to understand dynamic and static load, just to give an example, if a car is, if I have a wheel bearing and the car is rolling, this is usually what we call the dynamic load.

Now, if I use this car just for storage, so maybe I just fill the car with products and. The car is most of the time in static. This is the static load on that bearing. And we have all of these different examples of static loads. Could be a hinge of a door, or could be any other application that we do.

Most of the time, the static load is dominating that load. So just think about it. Static load, the dynamic load. And what types of loads we have [00:11:00] now we come to the fifth aspect. As I said in the beginning, we have eight different points to consider here when choosing the right pairing. Speed is one of the aspects that we should be very much aware.

What are this application and what kind of a speed rating we have something that a bearing in a, in a, in a bike that have a speed of two RPM, three RPM, 20 RPM, 50 RPM. These are types of speed. We go into a car. We have maybe 100 RPM. We go into an airplane where we have thousands of RPM. So where we are using these bearing and the speed rate is a very important aspect.

and the factor of choosing the right bearing. The maximum speed at which the bearing can operate without causing excessive heat. This is the definition of the speed rate. So usually bearing are rated into different speed rating. And this is also related to the [00:12:00] precision and the tolerance of the material.

And if we look at in today's, for example, cars or the car, EV cars, these engines are 10, 000 RPM, maybe 20, 000 RPM where, where the technology have moved to where other, uh, maybe conventional ice engines, they have a very different requirements in terms of speed. Now we come up to the sixth aspect of choosing the right bearing and how to choose is the desired durability, the longevity of this bearing.

It's very important to think about how long do I need this bearing to operate? Is it a month? Is it a year? Is it two years? Is it five years? Because that have a major factor on selecting. Sometimes we have to over dimension the bearing because we want it to work for a way longer time. If we are sending, if we are putting a bearing on a satellite [00:13:00] that's going to the space, I think we should consider a bearing with a way, way longer lifespan.

Now, are we putting this in a, in a, in a smaller machine that we can change? regularly, then that requirements becomes very different. Normally a good bearing should have a long service life and capable of with the stand, the operational conditions. Now, if we look at the application that we have and how often we do the maintenance and how, how long life do we expect that that is a factor that have.

impact on the cost and have impact on all the other aspects when selecting the bearing. So if we are looking at a bearing to change a bearing every six months or every one year, that requirement on quality and maybe price would be very different than if we need a bearing that's going to work for, I don't know, 50 years.

Of course, this leads us to our seven Parameter, which is the budget, the cost. So [00:14:00] cost effective, how can we be more cost? How are we cost effective when selecting a bearing? So we want a high quality bearing, but I think in many times we consider these bearings and, uh, of course we want the best bearing possible, but then we come when it's come to the reality of.

dimension or the engineering, then we have the, the budget or the cost, which plays a role in selecting a bearing. Now, I, I, we have seen, um, how these play a role in sometimes in selecting a bearing and, and the life out, a life out of it. Now, I think we need to have a balance between What I call it performance and cost.

And this is the nightmare of the engineers, how to select the best bearing for the best application. And cost plays a role. Now, um, I've worked with some engineers, uh, a few years ago on, uh, producing some, for example, the air conditions. And we, uh, chose the exact, the [00:15:00] right bearing for the application and this bearing with.

Last for five, six years without any problem. Now, when it's come to the tender and we put the cost together, then we cannot afford to put that bearing. So we have to go back and look at the requirements. How many years are the warranty? What are the expected, uh, life of, uh, from the consumer perspective, we look, came back to the board and say, okay, so we cannot afford this, this bearing, but maybe we can, we can look at other aspects or cheaper application or something that is more cost effective.

And then sometime that determines. So, we went moving from, um, an air conditions that are guaranteed for five years to two, three years warranty instead. And that is only to fit in the budget of the customers. So again, this is, this is a balance that we, we, we should think of now. Do we have the budget? Yes, we [00:16:00] can select a better bearing that can last way longer, but the reality is.

Is normally different. Now we come to the, the last aspect, which is the maintenance requirement. Now, when it comes to the bearing or in an automotive application or any application could be agricultural, we usually have an expectation on how often we can do the maintenance. What is the routine? How easy to do the maintenance?

How easy to do the repair? Is this product remotely or this machine remotely located or is it an easy to? That puts a lot of requirements on choosing the right bearing. If you need a bearing that will operate one year and we do the maintenance every year, yes, it is one aspect of that. Just to give you an example, a few years ago, we worked with an agricultural farm.

Uh, let's go. We work with a small farming company and they have a, their [00:17:00] own routine on maintaining and changing the bearings and the seals and all of that before the harvest season. Now to reduce the possibility of any failure, they would in any way change all the bearings before the harvest season.

And then they will run the season without any problem. And before the next season, they would change that again. Now, initially as an engineer looking for something that's going to work forever, I wanted to work for five, six years and so on. I wanted to put the best bearing possible there. But their requirement was different.

If they're going to put the bearing that runs for two or three years, it can happen that during the harvest season or during the, the season that we're have the highest demand that a breakdown can happen and they cannot afford it. So, this is what they decided. Now, if we look at, at a season or harvesting season, it's usually last three, four, five months.

So technically [00:18:00] they needed a product that works. For these few months and then they will do the maintenance. So, the requirement on the quality of these bearings bars, not so high, we were able to reduce the cost and expecting a life of six months to one year, and that's it. And that was their way of maintenance, their way of ensuring their cup, you know, they, the best result for their machines or for their, uh, operation.

Now, if we look at other application, maybe these are very remote application or machines that are sitting could be a wind turbine where the maintenance are very, very difficult and requires a major change, or it's a gearbox sitting in a crane in our port. We don't want to do this every year or every six months.

We want something that really last long, and this is what puts the requirement of the maintenance in a different way. So, we want things to last a bit longer. And that again, minimize the choice or give us [00:19:00] the right direction of the choice of the right pairing. Now, sometime we move from open type bearing to seal type or shielded type, uh, just to protect the bearing, uh, and to reduce the maintenance.

Now, the seals or the shield protect the bearing from any contamination from outside or the moist and so on. So, selecting could be sometimes selecting the bearing or some parts or aspects of the bearing so it will last longer and give us the right type of bearing. operation, the right lifespan for our application.

Now, this was the eighth most important aspect of selecting a bearing and how to select the best bearing. So, if you know these, if you remember them, this is what we Need to select the best bearing in the world. Thank you. And that wraps another episode of Wiki bearings. Don't forget to subscribe for more insight into the fascinating realm of the [00:20:00] engineering innovation.

Until next time, keep spinning towards greatness.