Showing posts with label Bearings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bearings. Show all posts

Tuesday, 10 March 2009

Stainless Steel Bearings

Bearings are the very thing that enables machinery to move at extremely high speeds as well as carry remarkable loads with ease and efficiency. In order to do this effectively however they are highly engineered and precision made. Some of the aspects that are expected of them include being able to offer high precision, reliability and durability as well as the ability to rotate at high speeds with minimal noise and vibration.

Some of you may be surprised at how many aspects and applications bearings are actually used in. Some examples of these are automobiles, airplanes, computers, construction equipment, machine tools, DVD players, refrigerators and ceiling fans. Basically if you have an application or piece of machinery that twists, turns and generally moves, chances are it probably has a bearing in it and one of the most popular types of bearings comes in the form of stainless steel. So why are stainless steel bearings so frequently used?

One of the main reasons as to why the popularity of stainless steel bearings is so high is down to the fact that they work so well under environments that contain moisture and that can be corrosive and abrasive. This makes them the perfect bearing to be used widely for food and beverage processing machinery as well as medical appliances and medicine equipments.

As well as these bearings being able to withstand moisture, corrosion and abrasion they also have a number of other benefits and features, which are as follows:

• They provide machinery and applications with reduced maintenance and equipment downtime.
• You can get them in a range of custom sizes and shapes to fit specific applications.
• Corrosion resistant for extreme environments and climates.
• Have a wide operating temperature.
• Thanks to the multiple proprietary formulations of the material, they eliminate noise and squeaks within equipment and machinery.

Stainless steel bearings consist of a single row of deep groove ball bearings and have the same deep raceway grooves and close conformity between raceways and balls as standard deep groove ball bearings made of carbon chromium (rolling bearing) steel. What makes these bearings stand out is they are without any filling slots and they can carry axial loads acting in both directions, even at high speeds.

The main common motions submitted by not only stainless steel bearings but all bearings are axial rotation, linear motion and spherical rotation as well as hinge motion. In order to complete all of these in the best way you need to use a bearing that can cope with a range of circumstances; stainless steel bearings do just this.

Without bearings we would be constantly replacing parts of machinery and applications that were worn out from friction. They play an essential part in a number of industries and as a result these industries need the very best when it comes to bearings, which is why so many industry professionals choose to use stainless steel bearings as they provide efficiency and of course because they are excellent when faced with corrosive and abrasive conditions.

For all of your Stainless Steel Bearing needs look no further than Howcroft Industrial Supplies.

Thursday, 12 February 2009

Special Lubricated Bearings

In order to maximise a bearings life within today’s market of increased speeds and higher temperatures lubrication is defiantly the key but understanding what lubrication does for a bearing is important in order for you to decide what form of lubrication is best.

The main purpose of lubrication for bearings is to prevent contact between the rolling elements, raceways and cage. It is ultimately used to prevent the bearing from suffering from corrosion and wear. It has many uses when it comes to prolonging the life of the bearing and helping it to work at its best. Also it has additional features and functions such as the sealing and cooling of the bearing.

There are many ways in which a bearing may be lubricated in order for it to do its job more effectively. In some cases the bearing may be lubricated with grease or oil. These represent two of the most commonly used traditional methods of lubrication. However in many other cases you may use a special lubricated bearing. These special lubricated bearings are generally made of bronze powder by uniaxial pressing. The microscopic cavities following pressing (porosities) are filled with oil, which comes to the surface when the bearing is used.

These special lubricated bearings are generally used in low pressure, high frequency and small amplitude applications as well as within methods of operating and constructing. The choice however of which lubricated bearing you decide to use depends primarily on the temperature range, operating speeds and loading conditions of the bearings that are concerned.

The lubrication of bearings has an important effect on the function of the bearing. This is why it is important you choose the right form of lubricated bearing as it has an effect on the life span of the bearing. So what exactly are the advantages of lubricated bearings?

• They reduce the friction and wear by lubricating every part of the bearing.
• It takes away the heat that is generated inside the bearing as a result of friction or for many other reasons.
• It forms an oil film within the rolling contact surface in order to elongate the bearing life.
• It prevents the bearing from rusting as well as suffering dust contamination.

It has been stated that all lubricants must be changed from time to time due to the fact that their properties deteriorate as a result of aging as well as the contamination. If you are currently in this position then have you thought about investing in special lubricated bearings? These are generally self lubricated bearing, which are made from bronze and have built in lubrication that kicks in when it is needed. These forms of lubricated bearings have a tendency to last longer than other forms of bearings and could give you the optimum performance that you have been looking for.

These special lubricated bearings will not only solve the problems with oiling operations but they will also extend the service life of machines. Even under severe conditions, special lubricated bearings have superior durability, quality, stability and performance within various applications. These bearings offer advantages such as compact design, longer service life, manpower and environmental saving as well as non environmental pollution. So next time you are after lubricated bearing look no further than special lubricated bearings.

Hybrid Bearings

The use of hybrid bearings has opened up a whole new field of different applications for rolling bearings. The reason for this is down to the fact that they have numerous advantages over more conventional bearings, which makes them an economical and high quality solution within a number of fields of use. Some of these advantages are as follows:

• Prevents Electrical arching
• Have lower maintenance costs
• Provides an extended life service
• Ensures an extended grease life

So what makes hybrid bearings better than other traditional bearings? Well one answer to this question lies within the fact that conventional bearings such as steel bearings limit the design potential as technology requirements roll forwards at a fast and impressive rate. Also the hybrid bearings that are on the market today use Silicon Nitride, which is what makes up ceramic bearings. These hybrid bearings not only meet but exceed today’s high technical requirements by offering a long list of characteristics that are superior to that of conventional bearings.

The numerous advantages that exist within the world of hybrid bearings make them an economical and high quality solution within a number of fields. The bearings consist of rings manufactured from high-grade rolling bearing steel and rolling elements made of Silicon Nitride. Hybrid rolling bearings are generally characterised by the following properties:

• High speeds
• They are suitable for media and starved lubrication
• Being suitable for extreme temperatures
• High stiffness
• Having a high resistance to corrosion
• Being low in weight
• Demonstrating low friction
• Providing high reliability
• Having low wear
• Being safe to run dry
• Giving you low operating costs
• Electrical insulation

Hybrid bearings are lighter, harder and more durable than bearings such as steel ones. They can run at higher speeds and lower operating temperatures as well as offer inherent insulating properties and exhibit superior wear-resistance for optimised performance and longer service life.

By using hybrid bearing you will basically be prolonging the life of your electric motors, machine tools and fluid machinery etc. You will be helping any piece of machinery or technology where the operating conditions may include electrical-current passage, high speed and contamination or poor lubrication.

Hybrid bearings, like ceramic ones, are able to last up to ten times longer than bearings such as steel ones or more conventional options. They have substantially higher wear resistance as well as the ability to work well in difficult running conditions and electrical insulation properties makes it the best option for electric motors, professional hand tools and fluid machinery.

The longer grease life of hybrid bearings is what leads to its longer service life but as well as this the designers of this particular bearing can alter the bearing to suit a variety of uses. They can increase the speed or reduce the friction as well as the temperature; this is especially true with sealed hybrid bearings.

Hybrid bearings could play a vital role within your machinery or pieces of technology. So next time you are looking to invest in some new bearings, why not give hybrid bearings a go.

Ceramic Bearings

Ceramic ball bearings are the latest must have when it comes to some of the best bearings on the market. They are what many people across various industries have been waiting for. So what makes ceramic bearings better than there competitor the steel bearings?

Ceramic bearings are lighter, smoother, stiffer, harder and corrosion resistant as well as being electrically resistant. It is characteristics such as these that allow for a wide range of performance enhancements in bearings. They are constructed with a ferrous inner and outer ring/race with ceramic balls taking the place of steel balls. They offer many advantages over their competitor steel balls such as higher speed and acceleration capability, increased stiffness and lower friction plus much more!

As ceramic bearings are made from silicon nitride, which means that they have a greater hardness than steel balls, but what does this mean to their performance? Well for one if ensures that the machinery you are using the balls in have a longer life. Also it means that the ceramic balls weight up to 40% less than steel ones and they can operate up to 20% or 40% faster than steel ball bearings.

The advantages associated with ceramic bearings just keep coming; another one being that with ceramic bearings you are giving your machinery or automobile a greater life span as the components won’t rust. They are non-conductive and are available in standard configurations such as angular bearings, thrust bearings, pillow block bearings, needle bearings and roller bearings. Some of the most typical uses for ceramic bearings are within high temperature applications, friction, high speed, semiconductor applications and dental hand turbines as well as many high speed electric motors requiring voltage isolation, which use ceramic material bearings.

The advantages and fundamental characteristics of ceramic bearings ensure a wide range of performance enhancements within the bearings. For example ceramic bearings are particularly well suited for use within extremely harsh environments where high temperatures or corrosive and erosive substances are present. This is down to the fact that conditions like this are generally a problem for standard bearings.

When ceramic bearings are used instead of standard bearings such as steel bearings they are able to last up to ten times longer. This is extremely important as it means it reduces machinery down-time and ultimately maintenance costs as ceramic bearings have a higher wear resistance and an ability to work well in different running conditions.

One other reason as to why ceramic bearings work better than other types is thanks to the fact that they require less lubrication in comparison to other types. Also in certain types of ceramic bearings no lubrication is required at all. This is all according to the engineers of the bearings, who also state that the noise created by the use of these bearings is far less than bearings such as steel ones or other traditional forms.

I think it is safe to say that ceramic bearings are defiantly the future and if you have any pieces of machinery or technology that require the use of bearings I recommend that you consider the use of ceramic bearings if you are looking for a generally better performance in a way that is going to save you money.

Get your Ceramic Bearings today from Howcroft Industrial Supplies; leaders in all aspects of Bearings.

Traction Railway Bearings

If you are looking for the perfect way to increase the performance that is seen on the railways then you need traction railway bearings. These are the best option you have in order to increasingly improve the performance in railway applications.

Traction bearings are so important to the railways due to the fact that special consideration should be given to the economical operation of railway vehicles as well as their overall safety and reliability.

Now more than ever countries around the world are investing in new railway networks, which comes as no surprise due to the fact that they are considered to be the ideal form of transportation, especially when it comes to long journeys. In order to accommodate this investment in the trains network a new generation of trains are required in order for the train network to go faster than ever before as well as to travel much longer distances without the hassle of maintenance. All of this of course puts a lot of added stress on the traction motors and rolling bearings of the trains, which is why it is so important for traction railway bearings to be used as they will be able to handle the extra stress.

Traction railway bearings have been designed and engineered in a way that makes them a lot stronger than just your average bearing. They have been designed in such a way that means they are able to operate under some very serve conditions, which include the following:

• High radial and axial loads
• High impact loads
• High speed
• Extended periods of operation without maintenance

All of the above points are what make traction bearings perfect for the railway network. These traction railway bearings are generally made from roller bearings and they are usually cylindrical ones because of their high-speed and heavy-load capabilities as well as easy assembly and disassembly.

By using traction railway bearings you are in effect offering new opportunities for space savings, easier mounting and longer maintenance intervals as well as improved performance. They allow you to achieve lower life cycle costs within the railway network and unlike gearbox bearings, traction railway bearings are usually grease lubricated in order to avoid the complication of an oil system and to avoid any risk of oil actually entering into the motor.

In the past grease lubrication has been used mainly for low speed bearings as this is the most appropriate and reliable. However for high speed bearings special greases have been developed in order to cope with the relatively high temperatures and high degree of mechanical working. In cases such as this however the greasing instructions need to be carefully followed and the bearing housing must have appropriate arrangements to expel excess grease. If a high speed bearing is over-packed with grease it will overheat. This generally demonstrates that the only time traction railway bearings won’t perform to their full potential is when they are accidentally over greased.

As the railway industry is growing and improving it is vital that traction railway bearings are made a part of this. They can help to change the way the network runs and could be just the thing to get more people using the trains again.

Howcroft Industrial Supplies are leading suppliers when it comes to all forms of Bearings, which includes Traction Railway Bearings.

Electrically Insulated Bearings

The passage of electrical currents under certain circumstances may damage rolling bearings that are used in electrical machines. Such damage can cause considerable and expensive problems, which will probably result in you replacing the machine.

Bearings are an essential part of many, if not most machines. They are found in pretty much any piece of machinery or technology that twists or turns. This includes most forms of automobile. Without these bearings many pieces of machinery would fail to work, which is why you need to ensure that your bearings are protected against certain aspects such as electro corrosion.

There are a number of modern electrical machines that have high degrees of performance as well as demanding reliability and service life. It is due to factors such as this that equipment failures due to electro corrosion can result in causing significant problems. This generally happens when the machines that the bearings are present in is used in unfavourable operating conditions; this is how bearings in electrical machines can be damaged by the passage of electrical currents.

Damage to bearings due to electro corrosion can be caused by a number of factors such as faulty or damaged installation of bearing shields. This is down to the fact that the contact areas between housing, outer ring, rolling elements, inner ring and the shaft can all act as electric contacts. This enables damage to occur to rolling elements as well as raceways of bearing rings. The one way however that you can help to protect machines and pieces of technology from electro corrosion is through the use of electrically insulated bearings. This form of bearing is available in all standard sizes with rind diameters ranging from 80-400mm.

Electrically insulated bearings protect against damage to ensure that your automobile or piece of machinery continues to run smoothly. They are sough after for this exact reason. They are really important for the fact that reliability is an essential requirement for modern bearings and these provide you with the most reliability that you are going to get from a type of bearing.

Electro corrosion can damage automobiles and pieces of machinery in a variety of ways. The appearance and the degree of electrical damage of the bearings depend on the individual operating conditions e.g. the actual effective voltage; but how do you know when electro corrosion has occurred? You may notice the process only by the symptoms, which could include an increased running noise or vibrations until the bearing fails prematurely. The appearance of the damage may vary from visually detectable single craters and to fluting with discolorations around the affected areas.

Electro corrosion could happen to any piece of technology or machinery and automobile; especially when they are exposed to harsh conditions. Out of all the forms of protection that are available I feel that it is safe to say electrically insulated bearings are the only solution that provides optimal protection against damage. Not only do these bearings protect again electro corrosion but they also help to improve the overall reliability of electrical machines compared to conventional bearings.

Electrical insulted bearings are defiantly worth looking into as the benefits and protection that they can bring to your electrical machinery is better than anything else currently on the market.

Electrical Insulated Bearings are used in a number of applications, so if you are thinking about investing in them then look no further than Howcroft Industrial Supplies.

Motor and Gearbox Bearings

In order for any automobile form of transport to work correctly and efficiently they need to be fitted with motor and gearbox bearings. They are crucial components to the working of motors and gearboxes.

In our society today, thanks to electrical motors and gearbox speeds there is a requirement for the bearings of these two aspects to cater for higher radical loads and a greater carrying capacity. Due to this you are now able to get a hold of precision ball bearings that have been designed and created to provide smooth and quiet operation as well as adding a longer life to the application.

It is thanks to the increased loads and greater carrying capacity that is being placed onto motor and gearbox bearings that many industries and designers are seeking to reduce the size and weight of products to improve market competitiveness without any loss of reliability or life.

Many people often don’t know when they need to replace the bearings within a motor or gearbox. If you are in this position then I have a few tips for you. If you can hear a rumbling sound with the car ticking over then it is a good idea to push in the clutch; if the noise stops when you do this then you have noisy gearbox bearings. What this means is that the bearings may not be too worn but it acts as an indication that they will need renewing soon. If however the rumbling sounds more like grating then your bearings have worn down and they will need to be replaced as soon as you can.

Bearings are extremely critical components within any motor or gearbox as they can be subjected to a very demanding regime. The bearings within your motor or gearbox will be subjected to raised temperatures, which come as a result of high loads and operating speeds but also from severe ambient conditions and lubricant which will feature inherent contamination.

You are able to get motor and gearbox bearings in a variety of sizes as well as being specially designed to cater for low noise and vibration. The sizes of these bearings are generally available from 3mm shaft size up to 40mm. So whatever you need you are able to get the size bearing you need to do the job. But just what exactly are the basic necessities of electric motor bearings?

There are certain aspects that you need from your motor and gearbox bearings such as the following:

• Emergency running capability at very high temperatures
• Shutdown and restart capability
• Long service life at normal motor temperatures
• Satisfactory performance in cold climates
• Quiet operation and re-lubrication options

The way that bearings for motor and gearboxes are designed usually feature a deep groove radial, angular contact ball and cartridge bearings. Due to their design they have enhanced internal tolerances, lubrication, seals and shields, which ensure limited vibration and noise. They may also have contact or non-contact seals or shields.

Using the right bearings and ensuring that these bearings are taken care of is essential to the running of your motor and gearbox so make sure that you get the best and keep your eye on them.

For all of your Motor and Gearbox Bearings visit Howcroft Industrial Supplies. Even if they don’t have the Bearings in stock they can order them in especially for you.

Agriculture Bearings and Chains

The term agriculture refers to the production of food, fibre and other goods that we use in our everyday lives through the concept of farming and forestry. We rely on agriculture a lot more than we realise, which is why it is so important that the machinery and tools used in the trade are not only up-to-date but also in the best condition possible.

All of the equipment that is used in the agriculture trade needs to have reliable operation. This is especially true due to the dirty environments that surround aspects of agriculture. It is because of the need for reliability that agricultural equipment needs to be provided with the best and most suited parts such as bearings and chains. These are just two aspects that make up various agricultural machinery but they represent two of the most important parts that keep the machinery going.

Agricultural chains help a range of machinery do its job. Some of the prime examples of this machinery can be seen below:

• Combine Harvesters
• Vegetable Grading Conveyors
• Grain Elevators
• Round Balers
• Circular Bale Unrollers
• Back-Feed Hoppers
• Box Scrapers
• Fruit Packing Conveyors

When it comes to agricultural bearings, they can mainly be seen in aspects such as tractors, mowers, harvesters, cultivators, front loaders, trailers, baler pressers and silage cutters as well as hoes and ploughs. Both the bearings and chains that are used in various forms of agricultural machinery should be designed to meet the requirements of the agricultural industry, which includes extreme temperature changes and different loads and capacity. They should be low maintenance and they need to be sealed in order to prevent corrosion.

Without the correct bearings the machinery that is needed to make a success of the agricultural industry would fail to work. It is the work done by the bearing inside a machine that enables that machine to turn and twist in order to do its job. This emphasises the importance of bearings within the agricultural industry.

When it comes to agricultural chains, they are continually enhanced and modernised in order for them to meet the changing demands that are arising from the ongoing technical progress of agricultural machinery.

Agricultural chains are available in standard lengths or as ready-to-install kits for all makes and models of agricultural machines. They are one part of agricultural machinery that are highly versatile, meaning they can be supplied to exactly fit a specific customer’s need.

As I have already mentioned agricultural machinery is highly exposed to the elements, which means that the chains, and of course the bearings that are used in them are also directly exposed to influences such as dust, dirt and cold as well as damp conditions so their reliability is constantly tested. So when you come to purchasing your agricultural chains and bearings you need to make sure that you do so off a reliable source that has industry knowledge and experience otherwise you could end up replacing them again before you know it.

Howcroft Industrial Supplies are established as a leading UK provider of specialist Industrial Products, including Agriculture Bearing and Chains

Low Noise Bearings

If you were given the choice between two products that both do exactly the same job but with one difference; one has low noise, in fact it is almost silent whereas the other is noisy, which product would you choose to do the job for you?

I’m guessing the overwhelming answer to this question is the product with little or no noise. No one is going to buy or use a product that is noisy when they know they have the option of a product that is exactly the same but softer where the noise level is concerned. It is due to this that there is a demand across a wide range of industries for quieter products, tools and machinery. This demand has increased in recent years and one of main reasons for this is that quietness adds value to consumer goods such as office equipment and factory equipment as lets face it, no one wants to work in an unnecessarily noisy environment.

Over the past years improvements and developments have been made to the way in which products, tools and machinery can operate; including how to make them quieter. One way in which this can be achieved is through low noise bearings. Low noise and high precision running is considered to be of crucial importance for bearings, especially when they are used in products such as electric motors, fans and precision-engineered mechanical component. It is very important that if damage is caused to a bearing in a product, tool or machinery it is replaced as it can cause noise or it may act as a transmitter.

Some examples of the most popular and commonly used low noise bearings are as follows:

• Automotive Bearings – these provide low noise as well as low vibrations. As the name states this type of low noise bearings can mainly be found within automobiles.
• Pulley Ball Bearings – this type of bearing is considered to be of a high precision class with low noise and again, low vibrations.
• Deep Grove Ball Bearings – you will often find that this is small in size as well as being a low noise bearing.
• Inserted Super-Grinding Ball Bearings – you will find that these ball bearings are taper plastic roller coated as well as being low noise and having a long lifespan.

The concept of a bearing is to permit constrained relative motion between two parts; this is typically rotation or linear movement. Also the way in which bearings may be classified are according to the motions that they allow and to their principle of operation as well as the directions of the applied loads that they can handle.

The quieter a bearing can be the better. They usually come in three classifications of noise, which are as follows:

• High band – 1,800 - 10,000 Hz
• Medium band – 300 - 1,800 Hz
• Low band – 50 - 300 Hz

When most people have a product, tool or piece of machinery that is excessively noisy they generally think that there is something wrong with it; in many cases this noise is normal as it is caused by aspects such as electric motors or other rotating parts. When this is the case the item may vibrate, which can cause it to shake. One way in which this can be stopped is through the introduction of a low noise bearing.

Low noise bearings are defiantly worth the investment so start looking into them today and see how they can change the products, tools and machinery that you use in your everyday life and your industry.

If you are currently looking for Low Noise Bearings then look no further than Howcroft Industrial Supplies. As established UK providers of specialist industrial products you are bound to find the Bearings you are looking for.

Wednesday, 4 February 2009

Bearings

A bearing is a device to permit constrained relative motion between two parts, typically rotation or linear movement. They can vary greatly when it comes to the size and direction of the force that they can support. These forces can be radial, axial (thrust bearings) or moments perpendicular to the main axis.

Bearings are what enable machinery to move at extremely high speeds and allow them to carry the heaviest of loads with the most ease and efficiency. They must be able to offer high precision, reliability and durability, as well as the ability to rotate at high speeds with minimal noise and vibration. Luckily for you whatever type of bearing you need you will find what you are looking for at Howcroft Industrial Supplies.

Here at Howcroft Industrial Supplies we offer you a full range of all the worlds leading manufactured bearings. We offer a wide range of miniature bearings and precision ball bearing products. The team at Howcroft Industrial Supplies can also source any bearing that you need such as; Loose Ball Bearings, Imperial Groove Bearings, Thrust Bearings, Taper Roller Bearings, Self Aligning Angular bearings, Contact Ball Four Point Contact Double Row Ball, Cylindrical Roller Bearings, Spherical Roller Bearings and Carb Toroidal Bearings.

Pretty much any type of bearing that you need can be sourced through our international network EPTDA. Alternatively, any obsolete or special design can be made to order.

The professional Howcroft Industrial Supplies team have access to all bearings in various designations such as C4 clearance, electrically resisted and vibratory specification, for all applications. Browse through our site and see for yourself why we are your one-stop leading ball bearing supplier.

As well as all you’re bearing needs you will also gain a full technical backup and design service, including reports on all applications and bearing failures when you buy your bearings through Howcroft Industrial Supplies.