A ball bearing is generally defined as a ring-shaped track that has freely moving hard metal balls against which a turning shaft or other part revolves. Ball bearings, in essence, provide longevity, safety, and better operation by minimizing the friction common in rotary applications.
Ball bearings come in all shapes, sizes, and materials according to the operational requirements of the ball bearings. The ABEC (Annular Bearing Engineers' Committee), ANSI (American National Standards Institute), and AFBMA (Anti-friction Bearing Manufacturers Association)
all determine the quality and standard rating of ball bearings. Ball bearings are generally constructed from various high-quality ceramics, metals, stainless steel, and other hybrid material.
Radial ball bearings and thrust ball bearings are two major types of ball bearings. Radial ball bearings are designed to accommodate both axil (thrust) and radial loads. Thrust ball bearings are only designed to handle thrust loads. Radial ball bearings are mounted on a shaft or housing, and most types of thrust ball bearings are mounted directly to a seating surface.
Important specifications when considering the type of ball bearings needed for a specific task include overall width, outside and inside diameter, and bore. For ball bearings using a metric diameter bore, a standard number system is used. The standard number system is specified by the ball bearings industry. When deciding the outside diameter of ball bearings, the outside housing unit is included in the measurement if used, but does not include the flange.
Ball bearings are used in ways that are quite common, such as skateboards and roller blades, and some uses are not so common, such as military aircraft and oil drilling. Though ball bearings are useful, they are easily overloaded. By paying careful attention to the specifications of the type of ball bearing being used, this problem is minimized.
Ball bearings are by far the most common bearing used, but other types of bearings include roller bearings, tapered bearings, magnetic bearings, and giant roller bearings. While some ball bearings may be inexpensive, many can be very expensive depending on the ball bearing’s quality and intended use.
Ball bearings are a required component in many personal, residential, commercial, and industrial applications. As such, ball bearings are an often overlooked, important part of everyday life.
