Benefits of Thin Section Bearing Design

Thin section bearings have many benefits and are perfect for a wide range of applications with critical space limitations. They are often used in indexing, rotary tables, and other work holding mechanisms.

Silverthin's radial contact thin section bearing design is ideally suited for applications with primarily radial loads. However, this type of bearing also handles moderate axial and reversing loads.

High Precision

Thin section bearings are used in applications where space is a premium or weight reduction is required. These bearings are available in a number of styles. They can handle radial, double-direction and combined loads or four-point axial and tilting moments. They can be installed using standard bearing installation practices. However, they should be mounted in a clean and contamination free environment since the thin section allows grit to enter and damage the bearing.

Silver Thin Section Bearings can be supplied with a wide variety of special features. These include different roller-contact types, materials and finishes together with cages, seals and lubrication choices.

In addition to this, they can also be supplied with a range of special coatings. These can help to increase the lifetime of the bearing by reducing friction and corrosion. They can also be provided in a variety of grades and sizes. This means that designers can find the perfect thin section bearing for their application.

Low Friction

Precision thin section bearings can significantly improve the overall efficiency of any machine or equipment - from greater accuracy and reliability to increased speed. They also help to save weight and space, allowing for greater design flexibility in machinery or equipment.

Unlike rolling bearing series, which have the cross-section size increase with bearing diameter, all sizes within a thin section bearing series have a similar cross-section. This allows for smaller design envelopes, reduced mass and improved rigidity.

Depending upon application requirements, designers can choose between three definitive types of thin section bearing: radial contact (code C); angular contact ball bearings (code A); or four-point contact ball bearings (code X). Each offers specific advantages in terms of load distribution, stiffness and accuracy. In addition, these bearings can be manufactured in a wide range of materials such as 52100 vacuum-gassed chrome steel, 440C martensitic stainless steel and 17-4PH tool steel. They can also be specified with alternative cage designs, ball type options and lubrication choices.

Lightweight

The small cross section of thin section bearings allows them to perform at a higher capacity with less overall weight than standard bearing sizes. This leads to design efficiency and cost savings for the system as a whole.

Thin section bearings, like the Kaydon Reali-Slim series, are a great choice for reducing the size and weight of equipment in aerospace, defense, satellites, radar, medical, robotic, oil and gas drilling, packaging, food processing equipment and semiconductor manufacturing applications. These lightweight bearing types often offer an 85% space reduction and 83% weight reduction compared to conventional 6010 bearings.

Due to the split inner and outer ring design, thin section bearings can be supplied with internal clearance or preload set at the assembly stage, reducing the potential need for additional costing in the future for special shaft and housing fits. This can also improve the precision and running accuracy of the bearing. This is particularly important for applications such as the moment load bearings found in aircraft gun turrets and medical imaging equipment.

Compact

Many applications need to be compact and space saving, but this doesn’t have to compromise performance. The hollow bore design of thin section bearings allows for air or hydraulic piping, shafts and cables to be guided through the inner or outer rings. They can also be preloaded to increase rigidity and accuracy of movement.

For example a duplex angular contact RBC Thin Section Bearing was used in an airborne radar system to achieve a combination of load carrying capability and low torque, while minimizing space. It was designed with one outer ring and two inner rings each with a preload of 0.1 Nm, which reduced both the mass of the bearing assembly and the overall size of the system.

Kaydon Rodriguez offers a wide range of slim bearing types, including the Reali-Slim series which has a small cross-section that remains constant as the bore diameter increases. They can also be manufactured in a range of materials, with 52100 vacuum-gassed chrome steel and 440C martensitic stainless steel being popular choices, as well as a variety of seals and specialist coatings such as thin-dense chrome.