Most Desirable Properties of Bearing Materials

December 4, 2017

At Global Bearing Imports we understand the value of having high-quality components for use in your day-to-day operations. No matter what project you have on hand, having the right tools and parts for the job can be a revelation. Today, we are going to focus on bearing materials. Specifically, we are going to be talking about the most desirable properties and traits of bearing materials. This is an advanced topic but we have faith in you. If you have a project coming up where bearings will be utilised, this is the blog for you.

Value of Bearings

When you are talking about bearings you are most likely going to be discussing some sort of simple bearing found in a wheel. You probably have known about bearings forever, but do you know what they are doing for you? Generally, simple bearings help to reduce friction by way of a smooth ball-like surface, typically metal or stainless steel. These balls end up containing the pressure of the load which allows your entire machine to operate at maximum efficiency and capacity. You can use bearings for tires on your car or tires on your skateboard and plenty of other different mechanical applications.

Desirable Properties

Now that we know what bearings are in a general sense, we can focus on the sort of properties that you are going to want to pay attention to when you begin shopping around. It would take a PHD or at least several books to dig through this topic in complete depth, but this is a good starting point.

Fatigue Strength – When it comes to your bearings, the fact that they are going to be handling the bulk of the load means that they will need a high fatigue strength. With a low strength threshold you will start to see fatigue cracks develop on the surface of your bearings en route to further deterioration. In severe conditions you will also have bearings with an embedded steel back to help stall the proliferation of these fatigue cracks.

Thermal Expansion – Certain material expand when introduced to dramatic temperature changes. As a result, you want your bearing materials to have low thermal expansion. This way, you never have to worry about your bearings out-sizing the work that it is handling.

Conformity – While we are on the subject of expansion and regression, you want your bearing material to be able to conform to the situation that it is operating within.

As you can see, there are many different qualities to pay attention to when it comes to shopping for bearings. Contact us at Global Bearings and we can guide you through the process.

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