How Do Ball Bearings Work?
Ball bearings are some of the most commonly used bearings in rotary movement applications. They comprise a row or multiple rows of balls between inner and outer raceways. This design capitalizes on the concept that rolling elements produce less friction than sliding elements. One ring is normally attached to the rotating assembly, or shaft, and as it rotates the balls roll around the inner raceway, while the other ring remains stationary. This allows for rotational movement with an extremely low friction coefficient, making it great for applications with high speeds and low friction requirements. Bearings typically need to handle two types of loads: thrust loads and radial loads. Thrust loads, also called axial loads, are forces acting parallel to the bearing axis, while radial loads act perpendicular to the bearing axis. Ball bearings can withstand both thrust and radial loads. However, they have a relatively low load capacity, so they are typically used in applications wi...