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FEATURE BEARINGS & LINEAR MOTION
sponsored by
taking the hybrid approach Steve Bacon, sales
In addition, lubrication is a vital part of every bearing’s optimal function.
director at Bearings and Drives, looks into the advantages of hybrid bearings
H
ybrid bearings are a combination of steel or stainless steel rings, used in conjunction with silicon nitride ceramic balls. The rolling elements (ceramic balls) can be up to
58% lighter, four times smoother, and have a 70% reduced thermal expansivity, and can typically run around 14-47˚C lower than standard steel bearings. Combining such properties can heighten efficiency, ensuring the bearings are less prone to the effects of contamination and corrosion, and have a greater tolerance to heat. Take CeramicSpeed bearings as an example. These are also
non-conductive, making them ideal for use in electric motors, generators and other applications where passage of electrical currents must be avoided. This means performance advantages over aluminium oxide coated bearings, which are often offered in these applications.
Meeting application deMands Bearings can be tailored for a specific industrial application through the use of different ball bearings, rings, seals, cages and greases. Ceramics and coatings then enhance this, with coating options including a hard coat, corrocoat or black oxide; and cages can be formed of steel, polyamide PA66, brass or peek, for example.
Application dependent, units can be offered with mineral or synthetic greases, or a solid lube polymer matrix, saturated with lubrication oil, which can help to prevent contamination ingress and add protection in washdown environments. A specific grease could also prove useful in pharmaceutical and chemical applications.
reducing bearing failures Many maintenance engineers will have experienced at least one application where repeated and frequent bearing failures have led to regular loss of production, increased maintenance costs,
as well as probable damage to other machine components. If bearings are failing on a regular basis, it is important to consider why. Could it be temperature issues, corrosion, contamination, grease problems, or a combination of those factors? With new technological advancements, there could be a solution to aid the reduction of bearing failure downtime – whether it’s an off the shelf
product, or a bearing designed to suit your very specific, individual needs. At Bearings and Drives alongside CeramicSpeed, for instance, bespoke
bearings can be sourced and hand built in 7-10 days. As an example, a local dairy was seeing cam bearings failing every 2-3 weeks due to frequent washdowns of the machinery with aggressive caustic cleaning agents. As an integral part of the production line, with the bearings located at
the heart of the machine, the failure resulted in the line being out of action for eight hours whilst it was stripped down to replace the failed bearings. By replacing the existing bearings with a CeramicSpeed Coracoated unit, with an FDA approved grease and ceramic balls, and by manufacturing 316 stainless stub shafts, the bearing life was increased to five months. Despite the initial increased cost for the bearing and manufactured
shafts, an ROI calculator indicated that savings over a 12 month period equated to in excess of a £250,000 per year, when all costs including loss of production are considered (based on eight bearings). As new technologies emerge, not only can the lifespan of bearings be
increased by an approximate factor of nine times, but the potential to increase production and make significant cost savings in reduced downtime is unlocked.
Bearings and Drives
www.bearingsanddrives.co.uk ultra-smooth linear motion
NSK has introduced ‘ultra-smooth motion technology’ for its general-purpose NH/NS series linear guides. By using elastic rolling elements, the patented technology achieves a highly consistent dynamic friction profile that is ideal for high-precision inspection and measurement equipment. NH/NS linear guides are used in
applications including semiconductor and LCD manufacturing equipment, automotive manufacturing equipment, conveyor robots, inspection and measurement equipment, and machine tools. Today, the equipment used in these applications faces the need for even smoother and more accurate motion. NSK developed the ultra-smooth motion technology by optimising
the shape of the ball circulation path and using elastic rolling elements to suppress irregular ‘micro-stutters’ (brief stuttering or jerking during motion caused by localised friction fluctuations). These elements reduce the effect of balls colliding with each other in the curved sections of the ball circulation path, which serves to prevent any increase in friction and, in turn, delivers ultra-smooth motion. Ultra-smooth technology is available for NH 15, 20 and 25 series
linear guides, as well as NS 15, 20, 25 and 30 models. nsK
3 DesiGn solutions SEPTEMBER 2023 8
www.nskeurope.com
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