Rolling bearings – often simply referred to as “ball bearings”
Rolling bearings are bearings in which rolling elements, located between an inner ring and an outer ring, reduce frictional resistance, unlike the lubricating effect found in plain bearings. They are used to support and locate shafts and axles and, depending on their design, can accommodate radial and/or axial loads while allowing the shaft or the components mounted on an axle, such as a wheel, to rotate. Between the three main components – the inner ring, outer ring and rolling elements – rolling friction occurs predominantly. Since the rolling elements run on hardened steel surfaces in the inner and outer rings with optimised lubrication, the rolling friction in these bearings is relatively low.
Rolling bearings are classified according to the type of rolling element used, such as balls or rollers. More specifically, the term ball bearing is used when the rolling elements are balls. In everyday language, however, other types of rolling bearings are sometimes also referred to as “ball bearings”.
On the following pages, we have listed and explained some of these products. We hope you enjoy reading, and if you have any technical questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
