More companies are developing apps for engineers to use with their smartphones. In some situations, these apps speed the engineering design process. One of the more recent app announcements comes from NB Corporation of America, which has launched NB Linear Mobile, a free app for its line of linear products. Available for iOS and Android devices, this app…
How motion platforms improve camera design
In a recent Youtube video by “Nat & Friends” on how Google built the Pixel 2 Camera, PI’s H-860 “shaker” hexapod is shown in a motion simulation application. Modern cameras use electronic image stabilization algorithms to reduce side effects from motion that otherwise would blur images and video. The better a designer can simulate real-world…
Counterfeit bearings: what to expect in 2018
By Mike Santora | Associate Editor Year over year, the threat of counterfeit bearings remains persistent. A lucrative market and a history of spotty legal backlash keeps would-be counterfeiters emboldened. But for the last two years raids and seizures are on the upswing. Bearing manufacturers are getting better at targeting counterfeiters and creating awareness for…
BNL plastic conveyer bearings
Material handling can be a fundamental part of a business’s success in manufacturing, processing and shipping products to market. To do this efficiently, a business needs systems that can maintain performance over time. Production must keep moving and to ensure this, conveyor systems and components need to do so too. BNL have over 40 years’ […]
Biodegradable lubricants on sterntube bearings
Thordon Bearings has welcomed an industry initiative to evaluate the effect of biodegradable lubricants on sterntube bearings following a reported marked increase in sealed oil lubricated propeller shaft bearing failures. While many ship operators consider the rise in use of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EAL) a cure-all to meeting environmental regulations, particularly in waters where the […]
Can plain bearings be used for cantilevered loads?
There are few linear motion applications in which the load is perfectly centered over the supporting bearing. On the contrary – the majority of applications involve loads that are cantilevered, meaning they are offset from the bearing and induce a moment load. In this context, the term “bearing” can mean a single bearing or a […]
Stefan Hantke is taking over general management of the Schneeberger Group
Effective January 1, 2018, Stefan Hantke (50) will take over the position of CEO of Schneeberger Holding AG in Roggwil. In his new position, Hantke will be Chairman of the management team of Schneeberger Group and will be responsible for the entire linear bearings, system technology and mineral casting production business. He is succeeding Dr.…
SKF rotor positioning bearings
The belt-driven starter/generator (BSG) is the preferred architecture for mild hybrid electric vehicle powertrain designs. It provides a low-cost solution to reduce fuel consumptions and CO2 emissions. The unit enables fast stop/start, regenerative braking and boosting functions. The BSG electronic control unit (ECU) requires instantaneous detection of rotor position and/or speed in order to work […]
3D Printing removes design constraints of the past
The mechanical design of parts hasn’t changed much in the last century until the development of additive manufacturing. It now seems reasonable to believe that 3D printing has begun a new era of innovative designs that are more efficient and organically shaped. Today, end-use parts are being produced with 3D printing technologies that are often […]
Bearings help improve bone fracture operations
In a project called “Smart Drill,” students from Germany’s Bremen Institute of Measurement Technology, Automation and Quality Science (BIMAQ) developed an attachment for a medical drill with the goal of improving the safety of bone fracture operations. When fixing a fracture in osteosynthesis, or by means of surgically uniting the ends of the fracture, it […]
Emerson Bearing Boston expands line of split bearings
Emerson Bearing Boston, a bearing company catering to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) markets around the world, has expanded their line of Split Roller Bearings. Used in a variety of applications, from food processing and steel manufacturing to power generation and water treatment facilities, Split Roller Bearings offer great versatility […]
Timken deep groove ball bearings now available
A full range of metric deep groove ball bearings is now available from The Timken Company. The portfolio includes standard, thin section, narrow, wide, miniature and extra-small deep groove ball bearings from 3 to 400 mm bore sizes. Reducing noise and vibration in electric motors is a challenge in many industries, and quiet-running bearings are […]
Support bearings help fabric roll keep turning out products
Dam linings, billboards, butchery aprons, and many others are just some of the items that Arthur Dowson (Pty) Ltd. will start producing at the end of October in Johannesburg, South Africa. The laminating and coating factory is establishing a production line that will be introducing Vesconite Hilube support bearings for its fabric roll shaft. Arthur…
Using additive manufacturing to make rolling bearing components
Schaeffler uses generative manufacturing with plastic 3D printers and the powder bed technology for prototype construction, small series production and tool and fixtures construction. In its latest project with DMG MORI, the engineering teams are developing additive manufacturing processes for rolling bearing components made of graded materials in small batch sizes using laser deposition welding. […]
Production times on marine bearings reduced
Vesconite Bearings has brought production times on extra large bearings down to 36 hours and was able to complete a simultaneous order for two extra large marine bearings in 48 hours in late September. The quick turnaround order was for two superstave bearings, which are bearings made from plates that are cut and milled and […]
Common applications for air bearings
Air bearings offer numerous advantages over mechanical bearings such as profiled linear guides and crossed roller slides. But they are still considered by many designers and engineers to be a high-cost solution, primarily for niche applications that require extreme precision. However, their benefits include more than just high precision, and cost is being driven down […]
New “Bearings 101” infographic added to online library
Emerson Bearing Boston, a bearing company catering to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) markets around the world, has recently developed a new guide that helps designers and engineers find bearings that meet their engineering requirements. To help designers/engineers with their next rolling bearing project, Emerson Bearing has announced the release […]
Quiet-running bearings for conveyor applications
CB-14 Series conveyor bearings from Kilian Manufacturing are specifically designed to operate quietly and dependably in the most demanding material handling applications. The unique, cost-effective CB-14 bearing design combines two major features that act together to reduce the metal-to-metal contact that is a common source of noise throughout a conveyor system. A nylon retainer separates […]
Magnetic bearings and permanent magnet electric motors
Rotating without contact SKF S2M Magnetic Bearings leverage more than 40 years of leadership in active magnetic bearing technology. With more than 130,000 SKF S2M Magnetic Bearings and high speed electric motor references in operation across many industries, and over 1,000 installations in the oil and gas industry, SKF has a unique understanding of high […]
SKF equips Jeep Compass with wheel hub bearings
The Jeep Compass, the new compact sport utility vehicle from FCA, is equipped with SKF’s third-generation, front- and rear-wheel hub-bearing units (HBU3). HBU3 is a lightweight wheel bearing system combining high levels of performance with reduced friction. Features, such as a double-row angular contact ball bearing, optimised contact angles and post-assembly machined rotating flanges, have […]
Quiet-running bearings for conveyor applications
CB-14 Series conveyor bearings from Kilian Manufacturing are specifically designed to operate quietly and reliably in the most demanding material handling applications. The CB-14 bearing design combines two major features that act together to reduce the metal-to-metal contact that is a common source of noise throughout a conveyor system. A nylon retainer separates and guides […]
September 2017 Digital Issue: Plastic bearings step up to the plate + more
In this issue: 82 Plastic bearings step up to the plate 66 Hybrid servos vs. standard servos: how do they stack up? 88 The IoT and motion control fuels a rising tide of Rapsberry PI, BeagleBoard an Arduino Boards 96 How IIoT enhances management tools Another look at reshoring Politicians’ claims to the…
PTFE-based polymers in hydrodynamic bearings
By Steven Pasternak, C.O. Engineer – Sleevoil Bearings Edited by Mike Santora Hydrodynamic bearings operate by generating a pressurized oil film that fully supports a rotating shaft. There is no shaft-to-bearing contact during normal operation, with minor wear occurring primarily at startup and shutdown when the oil film breaks down. Hydrodynamic bearings are generally used […]
3D printing materials for bearings
High strength 3D print materials 50 times more abrasion resistant than ABS and PLA – The full range of iglide tribo-filament options use the same proven technology as self-lubricating iglide bearings. Tested countess times in the IGUS in-house lab, this is the first range of 3D printer filament specifically developed for dynamic applications. Create custom, wear-resistant […]
Bearings for use in severe environments: a guide
One significant and common issue in manufacturing and processing is premature bearing failure in equipment. The failure of bearings is often due to the severe environment in which they operate, and Emerson Bearing Boston offers a solution. Catering to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) markets around the world, Emerson Bearing […]