Thin Section Bearing Dimensions

Thin section bearings can help save space and lower the overall weight of your designs. They also feature low friction and high running accuracy.

For an airborne turret azimuth drive assembly, a duplex pair of angular contact RBC Thin Section Ball Bearings was required to maintain low torque and multiple load capacities. This pair was designed with toroid separators and stainless steel rings.

Cross-sectional dimensions

The thin-walled design of these bearings allows them to fit into narrow spaces and reduce overall system cost. They also feature a wide range of angular and four-point contact types and cages to suit specific application requirements. They can also be used with a variety of balls, seals, and lubricants.

Standard RBC thin section ball bearings use SAE 52100 steel rings and balls, but they can be manufactured from other specialty bearing steels to offer corrosion resistance, high temperature capability, or alternative load capacity. The rings can also be coated with platings like nodular thin dense chrome to meet AMS 2438.

RBC thin-section bearings are designed to meet the demanding demands of aerospace and semiconductor applications. They can be used in a variety of applications, including aircraft gun turrets and automated test equipment. They are also ideal for medical equipment, airborne optical and infrared scanning equipment, and robotics. RBC’s extensive range of standard and custom-engineered thin-section ball bearings include radial, angular, and four-point contacts.

Bore diameter

As the name suggests, thin section bearings have very thin ring cross-sections relative to their diameters. This allows designers to reduce the overall size of their designs whilst maintaining rigidity and running accuracy. This is particularly important for applications that are exposed to high speed and heavy loads.

Thin section ball bearings can be used in a wide range of industrial applications. They can be made from various materials and offer a number of benefits. Some examples include corrosion resistance, low noise levels, and high speeds. Additionally, they can be mounted in a range of ways.

Rodriguez offers a variety of thin section bearings in both inch and metric sizes. These include standard Celcon (acetal POM) rings, machined radial ball groove construction and 316 stainless balls. For more specific requirements, custom-engineered versions can also be manufactured. For example, a duplex pair of angular contact RBC thin section bearings was designed for an airborne radar system to accommodate combined load capacities and maintain low torque.

Outer diameter

Thin section bearings have a smaller cross-section than standard ball bearings and are designed to save space and reduce weight in the design. They are used in many applications where compactness and low weight are critical, including radar platforms, medical scanners and missile tracking systems. Kaydon Rodriguez offers over 250 thin-section bearing types in both inch and metric measurements, so you can find the perfect fit for your application.

Thin-section bearings are more sensitive to shaft and housing fits than standard bearer sizes, so it is important to ensure the proper assembly of your application. Several factors must be considered, including the type of thin-section bearing, load ratings and recommended shaft and housing fits.

Depending on your application requirements, you can choose from three definitive thin-section bearing designs; radial contact, angular contact, or four point contact. These designs can also be further tailored with options like different cage designs, alternative ball types and lubrication choices.

Weight

When used in critical applications or environments, where space is limited and weight must be minimised, thin section bearings help to reduce overall system cost. Their small size and low cross-sections allow for a reduction in the amount of material needed to make up their structure, so they tend to be considerably lighter than standard ball bearings – even when their diameter increases.

An airborne turret azimuth drive assembly required a bearing that could take combined radial and axial loading while running at low torques. This was achieved by using a duplex pair of angular contact RBC Thin Section Bearings with toroid separators and stainless steel rings to maintain low torque, yet allow multiple load carrying capabilities.

RBC Thin Section Bearings are available in several series, including radial-, angular- and four-point contacts. They can be fabricated from a range of materials, including standard 52100 vacuum-gassed chrome and 440C martensitic stainless steel, as well as plastic polymers like Celcon POM (polyoxymethylene). Various cage materials are also available along with specialised coatings such as thin-dense chrome to reduce friction and improve corrosion resistance.