Bearing Tips

In March 2021, a huge container ship wedged across the Suez Canal caused severe disruption to global supply chains. According to one estimate, the blockage held up an estimated 9.6 billion of trade every day. For businesses that rely on global supply chains, a single event like this can wreak havoc. When multiple factors converge, […]

The combination of design and material creates a quiet, durable tribo ball bearing for high speeds As a result of continuous research and development, igus is now introducing an innovative two-component (2K) ball bearing. The xiros bearing, which requires no lubrication or maintenance, combines a wide range of properties. It is not only wear-resistant but […]

Vesconite Bearings is proud to have supplied its largest-ever machined stern tube bearing from the long-life, wear-resistant, no-swell bearing material Vesconite Hilube. The order was completed with the assistance of a recently-purchased six-meter centre lathe, which is part of Vesconite Bearings’ newly-introduced extra-large marine bearings’ facility. The long aft stern tube bearing measured 534 mm […]

As part of the ongoing expansion of its portfolio of split roller bearings and mounted products, global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler has launched its all-new FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearing Housed Assembly. Offering all the performance and features of conventional solid cylindrical roller bearings (CRBs), FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearings provide the added benefits […]

As part of the ongoing expansion of its portfolio of split roller bearings and mounted products, global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler has launched its all-new FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearing Housed Assembly. Offering all the performance and features of conventional solid cylindrical roller bearings (CRBs), FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearings provide the added benefits […]

As part of the ongoing expansion of its portfolio of split roller bearings and mounted products, global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler has launched its all-new FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearing Housed Assembly. Offering all the performance and features of conventional solid cylindrical roller bearings (CRBs), FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearings provide the added benefits […]

As part of the ongoing expansion of its portfolio of split roller bearings and mounted products, global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler has launched its all-new FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearing Housed Assembly. Offering all the performance and features of conventional solid cylindrical roller bearings (CRBs), FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearings provide the added benefits […]

As part of the ongoing expansion of its portfolio of split roller bearings and mounted products, global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler has launched its all-new FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearing Housed Assembly. Offering all the performance and features of conventional solid cylindrical roller bearings (CRBs), FAG Split Cylindrical Roller Bearings provide the added benefits […]

Eco-friendly technology from a sailmaker in Spain is poised to revolutionize the shipping industry with systems including maintenance-free plain and radial deep-groove ball bearings from igus. Based in Barcelona, Bound 4 Blue, S.L. (bound4blue) has designed wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS), which reduce fuel consumption by up to 40% for more sustainable and economically efficient shipping. […]

SKF RecondOil’s technology, which removes even the smallest impurities from circulating oil, is now available in a compact form. RecondOil Box is a smaller version of SKF’s industrial-scale DST systems, which have previously been applied in large applications in metalworking and quenching. The smaller system is suitable for a broader range of industries and applications, […]

They literally move the world as no powertrain can do without bearings ─ be it electric cars, hybrid vehicles, or internal combustion engines. Schaeffler has now developed a special high-performance ball bearing with an integrated centrifugal disc. This disc helps lower CO2 emissions in vehicles with a combustion engine and hybrid powertrains. Electric cars, on […]

Anyone involved in agriculture will tell you that maintenance is crucial to your equipment’s life and performance and will quickly come back to bite you if it is neglected. A planting row unit has many moving parts, all of which need to work in harmony to ensure continuous and accurate seed placement, in the harshest […]

SKF and Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, have announced a collaboration to reinvent the field of industrial machine reliability and predictive maintenance with a joint solution. The engagement will deliver an easy-to-use and easy-to-scale condition monitoring and analysis solution, making the ability to collect and analyze data using machine learning technologies […]

A 7506TEU containership has left Drydocks World-Dubai (DDW) with the largest rudder bearing ever manufactured by Thordon Bearings. The 2001-built vessel, operated by a European owner, was retrofitted with a 1230mm (4-ft) long, 1111mm (3.6-ft) diameter SXL bearing after the vessel’s original bronze rudder bearing required replacement due to excessive wear. Thordon’s authorized Distributor in […]

Vesconite Bearings has established a dedicated extra-large bearings facility within its factory. It will manufacture no-swell low-friction self-lubricating bearings for large ocean-going vessels, including container ships and oil tankers. The dedicated facility houses five large horizontal lathes, including a six-meter lathe and two large vertical lathes. It also includes an upgraded Superclad machine, which builds […]

The motion plastics specialist igus has introduced an exciting new approach for linear carriages — a clip mechanism that enables easy installation and removal from the linear guide in just a few seconds. Whether it’s building technology, mechanical engineering, industrial handling systems, measuring and testing systems, or camera technology, linear systems are integral to everyday […]

igus, a global manufacturer of engineered components to increase the service life of customers’ machines, has expanded its igubal insert bearing line to include inner diameters sizes of 1.0, 1.5, and 2-in. Until now, the low-cost igubal spherical insert bearings were limited to metric sizes only. Engineered with high-performance polymers, the igubal bearings from igus […]

igus, a global manufacturer of engineered components to increase the service life of customers’ machines, has expanded its PRT slewing ring bearing series with an incredibly compact slewing ring for even more space savings. Installing drives and allowing movements in even the smallest of installation spaces is a challenge companies face in many areas. Requirements […]

Most applications involving radial bearings use one or more types of ball or roller bearings, which are available in various precision levels known as tolerance classes. To rate these tolerances uniformly, we use the ABEC and RBEC rating scales as the industry standards in the U.S. For ball bearings, these tolerance classes are ABEC 1, […]

SKF, a global manufacturer of bearings, seals, and lubrication, has been named an Overdrive Award winner as part of GM’s 30th annual Supplier of the Year awards. First presented in 2012, the Overdrive Award is a distinction reserved for suppliers who display outstanding achievement across the Global Purchasing and Supply Chain organization’s key priorities. These […]

There is a common misconception that all corrosion-resistant bearings are suitable for underwater use, but this is not the case. Underwater robots, drones, propeller shafts, and submerged conveyors all require application-specific design considerations and specialist bearings. Here Chris Johnson, managing director at underwater bearing supplier SMB Bearings, investigates which bearing materials are suitable for underwater […]

In 2019, NSK reported the seizure of counterfeit NSK packaging and labels in Hebei Province, China. During the seizure, more than 23,000 fake boxes and cartons were discovered in Linxi County, Xintai City. With bearing counterfeiting seemingly on the rise, how can we combat the risks of this damaging practice? Here Chris Johnson, managing director […]

drylin linear systems and iglide plain bearings from igus provide lubrication and maintenance-free adjustment of advanced robotic exoskeleton for stroke patients. Many stroke patients worldwide suffer from hemiplegia (partial paralysis). Exoskeletons such as Harmony from Harmonic Bionics can help rebuild the nerve tracts in arms and shoulders. To quickly adapt the robot-supported system to different […]

Michell Bearings has announced the opening of a U.S sales and engineering office in Fort Washington, Philadelphia. The office opening follows the incorporation of the U.S business, Michell Bearings Inc., in 2021 to better support customers in North America, especially those in the U.S. naval industry. Key contacts in the Fort Washington office are Joseph […]

LM76 has expanded its popular “Black Racer” family of ceramic-coated linear bearings. The new series, Linear/Rotary Thin Wall Bushings, features the same high speed, high load, high acceleration, low friction characteristics of the standard “Black Racer,” ceramic coated linear bearings. This new series of thin wall bushings is designed to replace a variety of thin […]