BASIC TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Authorized Distributor - Jamaica Miniature Bearings - CA Phone: (805) 523-2500 - PA Phone: (215) 661-8590
Ball Bearing Components Basic Dimensions
This exploded view of a standard ball bearing can The dimensions and reference codes used throughout
help you select the bearing with the appropriate com- this catalog are illustrated and defined below. These
ponents for your design or application. The cross-sec- dimensions establish bearing size and other parame-
tional view illustrates the relative position of these ters which can help you choose the ball bearing best
components in the ball bearing assembly. suited to your application.
Cross section view of ball bearing
Exploded view of ball bearing
Bearing
O.D. Width
SNAP RING Chamfer
SHIELD PTFE
Double metallic shields Outside Seal
reduce contaminants Diameter
(O.D.)
and lubricant leakage.
I.D.
Chamfer
CAGE Inside
Two-piece Ribbon (R); Diameter
(Bore)
or Crown (H).
Stainless
BALLS Steel Shield Precision
Grade 10 standard; Ball
Grade 3 or 5 also Snap Ring Stainless Steel
Crown Cage
available.
INNER RING r
Usually made of either
stainless steel or chrome
alloy steel, both heat- d- Inside Diameter or Bore
treated for hardness. r
D- Outside Diameter – O.D.
Lo d Li D B- Overall Bearing Width
OUTER RING
Bi - Inner Ring Width
Usually made of either
stainless steel or chrome Bo - Outer Ring Width
alloy steel, both heat- Df - Flange Outside Diameter
treated for hardness. Bf - Flange Width or Thickness
Bo Li -Inner Ring Land Diameter
SHIELD Bi
Lo - Outer Ring Land Diameter
Rubber and PTFE r- Maximum Shaft or Housing
seals also available. r
Fillet Radius that bearing
corners will clear
SNAP RING Z - Number of Balls per row
r Db - Nominal Diameter of Balls
Df Lo d Li D Nmax - Maximum Speed/rpm
fn - Cage and Lubricant Factor.
See pg. 39
Bf
B
4
BASIC TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Special Assemblies & Components
Today’s high-technology products demand increas- • ISO 9002 Quality System approval
ingly critical tolerances. NHBB stands ready to sup-
• 50 years of experience in precision
port your needs with:
manufacturing and assembly
• Next-level bearing assemblies & subassemblies
Our experienced staff can help you design quality,
• Ultra-precision components cost-effective subassemblies for your specific applica-
tions—and manufacture them in small or volume
• Leading edge automated production techniques
production quantities.
• Complete in-house manufacturing
NHBB can provide complete manufacturing and
assembly for a wide variety of special designs.
Spindle Assembly. Designed with compres- Integral Super Duplex. Manufactured with outer
sion coil spring — shaft rotation. raceway ground into housing.
Typical Tape Guide. Design uses screw and wash-
er to solidly preload by clamping inner rings —
outer ring rotation.
Special Assembly. Manufacture and assemble sever-
al components to control proper fit and perfor-
mance.
Shaft/Housing Assembly. Factory assembled to
control fit ups and runouts.
5
BASIC TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Bearing Selection Shields and Seals
To ensure optimal speed and load carrying capacity, Shields and seals are used in ball bearings to retain
several factors must be considered when choosing the lubricants and prevent particulate contamination from
proper bearing for your application. These factors reaching the critical surfaces. Shields are popular for
include the ring material, design, shields & seals, most applications; seals are used where minimal
cage, ABEC grade, radial play, and lubricant. clearance to light contact is required. Seals offer
greater deterrence to particulate contamination, but
increase torque and limit operating speed. NHBB
Materials offers a variety of enclosure options. The chart on
Miniature and instrument bearings are normally page 34 in the Engineering Section describes these
made of either stainless steel or chrome alloy steel. options in greater detail.
NHBB offers 440C stainless steel for applications that
require corrosion resistance, and 52100 chrome steel
for maximum fatigue life. These materials are heat-
Cages
treated to achieve optimum hardness and dimension- The cage, also referred to as the retainer or separa-
al stability, and are suitable for most applications. tor, is the component that separates and positions the
balls at approximately equal intervals around the
bearing raceway. Proper selection of a bearing cage
Design is critical for meeting the load, speed and tempera-
The design of a bearing is critical in determining its ture requirements of your application.
load-carrying capability and maximum operating The standard cages for radial or conrad miniature
speed—factors which directly impact the bearing’s and instrument ball bearings are stamped metal rib-
operating life. Various types of bearings have been bon or crown. The application flexibility and low-cost
designed to meet the operating parameters of your design of these types make them appropriate for
application. most general purpose applications. For high-speed
The radial or conrad bearing (also referred to as deep applications, machined cages made of phenolic,
groove) is the most popular type due to its ability to polyamide-imide and other materials are available.
handle radial and thrust loads in either direction. This Refer to page 33 in the Engineering Section for more
type is offered with various seal or shield options. details on cage options.
The angular contact bearing is designed with a relieved
shoulder to allow for a greater number of balls,
thereby increasing its load-carrying capability. The
angular contact design also allows for the use of a
full section cage which is desirable for high speed
applications. This type of bearing can handle thrust
loads in one direction only.
