Author: kateharden

RADIAL BEARINGS

~ kateharden

3D STEP Files of our range of Radial Bearings can now be downloaded from our website.

Our Radial Bearings are designed to run in our standard steel channels. They can be welded into place. Or they can be welded to a mounting plate and then bolted into place.

Please see our webpage here: https://www.euro-bearings.com/radialhub2.htm

If you need a different file type of our 3D model, please email us your request.

Corrosion Resistant Linear Motion

combined roller bearing with TDC coating
~ kateharden

In some applications, it is necessary to specify corrosion resistant products (e.g. food, drink & pharmaceuticals) while in other applications it may be desirable but not essential (e.g. offshore, external use). While a few linear motion products are available in stainless steel, there are often high prices, long lead times & lower load capacities associated with specifying stainless steel.

So what options are there?

For light duty applications there are a few options available in stainless steel. For example miniature motion guidance, round shaft linear products and track guidance systems.

For heavy duty applications there is little choice but some products can be made corrosion resistant by the use of coatings. The most effective coating for linear motion systems is Thin Dense Chromium (TDC). TDC coating provides a hard finish which is able to withstand the high contact load between the bearing and its corresponding track.

Which Products are available?

Euro-Bearings Ltd can offer Combined Roller Bearings with TDC coating to provide a heavy duty corrosion resistant linear motion system. The bearings retain their load capacities (unlike stainless steel alternatives) and maintenance and downtime can be reduced. The TDC coating can also be applied to the rails (channel) and flanged clamps if desired. The combined roller bearings offer a versatile linear motion system which can be used in horizontal, vertical or cantilevered applications.

Euro-Bearings Ltd’s Combined Roller Bearings & Rails with TDC corrosion resistant coating

Another linear motion system to benefit from TDC coating is Vee bearings. While the Vee bearings themselves can be supplied in stainless steel, the T rail to suit the bearings is not so readily available due to the high costs associated with stainless steel. The rails can be TDC coated after any necessary fabrication work and the lead time can be as little as two weeks.

What should I choose?

Every linear motion application should be assessed individually. Use our flow chart to help select which product might be suitable, or ask our technical sales team for advice.

If corrosion resistance is required then consider the following products:

Light to medium duty –
Miniature Motion Guidance (Stainless steel)
Linear bearings & shafts (Stainless steel)
Track Guidance System (Stainless steel)
Exterior Slide System (Aluminium & Delrin)
Vee Bearings & Rails (Stainless steel or TDC coated)

Heavy duty –
Combined Roller Bearings (TDC coated) & Channel (TDC coated or Stainless steel)
Linear bearings & shafts (Stainless steel – small range & lead times are likely to be long)

Summary

Traditionally, corrosion resistance of linear motion products has been provided in the form of stainless steel. However, today, coatings such as Thin Dense Chromium can provide corrosion resistance to bearings without compromising on load capacities and incurring long lead times.

Range of Products to Buy Online

~ kateharden

Euro-Bearings Ltd’s online shop has been revamped to be more user friendly. It offers wide range of Linear Bearings, Vee Bearings, Anti-Vibration Mounts & Combined Roller Bearings, all of which are available to buy online. Our technical sales team are on hand should you need any help with selecting the right product.

image of Euro-Bearings Ltd's online shop
Euro-Bearings Ltd’s new e-commerce website offering a wide range of products including Anti-Vibration Mounts, Linear Bearings and Linear Housings, Vee Bearings and Vee Rails, and Combined Roller Bearings and their corresponding Steel Profiles.

Reasons to Use Tolerance Rings

~ kateharden

“Tolerance Rings are simple and inexpensive fasteners that enable easy assembly and also facilitate disassembly. Other benefits include torque control, compensation for thermal expansion and a reduced requirement for machining of the connecting parts.“

Tolerance rings are corrugated stainless steel rings that are used to connect two components. The corrugations around the circumference of the tolerance ring act like springs and consequently apply a pre-load force between the parts being assembled. One major advantage of tolerance rings over gluing together or press fitting parts is that they can be easily assembled AND disassembled. This enables components to be reused and hence saves money.

tolerance ring with springs

Tolerance rings allow the transmission of high torques and can be used over a wide range of temperatures. They can also be used to provide protection against damage when the torque becomes too high. Another advantage of tolerance rings is that they can compensate for differences in thermal expansion between the parts they connect.

Advantages of Tolerance Rings

  • Quick & easy assembly and disassembly
  • Compensation for thermal expansion (in some cases up to 450ºC)
  • Secure connection over a range of tolerances reducing requirement for post processing of components
  • Reduced vibrations & oscillations due to the spring effect of the Tolerance Ring which also helps with noise reduction
  • Cost savings in assembly and damage protection
  • Facilitate torque control
  • Wide range of standard sizes on quick delivery
  • Customised solutions possible

Example applications for Tolerance Rings

  • Electric Bike Motor – the stator is fastened using a tolerance ring. Time and money is saved as there is no curing time for an adhesive and the stator does not require post processing due to a wider range of permissible tolerances. Thermal expansions of the different materials are also compensated by the tolerance ring.
  • Pump – Tolerance rings can be used as a simple and inexpensive fastener to connect the pump impeller or rotor to the drive shaft. They offer the added benefit of compensating for variations in thermal expansions between the different materials.
  • Conveyor Rollers – This application requires the connection of a drawn steel tube with the cast aluminium shaft of the driven roller. There are two benefits to using a tolerance ring to connect these components. Firstly the tolerance ring allows the connecting parts to be finished to a lower precision, hence eliminating the need to further work the items. Secondly the tolerance ring compensates for the different thermal expansions of the steel tube and the cast aluminium. Furthermore, the assembly of the components is simplified and the torque transfer is maintained even with the lower precision of the parts.

Full details on the range of Tolerance Rings available from Euro-Bearings Ltd can be found here.

Stainless Steel Channel for Combined Roller Bearings

~ kateharden
Corrosion resistant combined roller bearings and rails / channels
Stainless Steel Rail for Combined Roller Bearings

Is corrosion resistance is an important factor in the design of your linear motion system? Take a look at our stainless steel rails together with our corrosion resistant combined roller bearings. When used with the combined roller bearings, these rails offer good load capacities and are suitable for a wide variety of applications. The system can be horizontal, vertical and even cantilevered!

Stainless steel EC053 (to suit 52.5mm ø bearing) is now available from stock. Other sizes on request.

Our technical sales team are on hand to answer any questions.

Corrosion Resistant Linear Motion System

~ kateharden

Our aluminium motion guidance system is now fully corrosion resistant. The profiled linear rails are made from aluminium with stainless steel inserts and the carriages have stainless steel balls. The carriages are available in standard and flanged styles and there are three sizes available. The rails can be specified as either top or bottom mounting. This lightweight system is ideal for exterior applications or where there is a requirement for low ferrous content.

Check out our new mobile friendly website!

~ kateharden
euro bearings mobile website
Euro-Bearings Ltd’s new mobile friendly website

Euro-Bearings Ltd’s website is being updated to be mobile friendly, making it easier to use from both mobile phones and tablets. It contains just as much technical information as our usual website but is more accessible by portable devices. Our technical sales team are working as usual so please do ask if you need any help (or want to give us feedback about the new website).

Quiet Linear Motion from Euro-Bearings Ltd

~ kateharden
Linear Motion without noise – Vulkollan coated bearings for use with steel C rails

Are you looking for a quiet linear motion system? Then look no further. Our new Vulkollan coated bearings are designed to run in our steel C channels to make a sliding system that is both smooth and quiet.

Choose from V.053P (52.5mm ø) or V.054P (62.5mm ø).
V.054P is also available in stainless steel.

The Oilamid rubbing block can be adjusted – by simply turning a screw – to provide axial guidance and support which helps the system to run true.

Full details can be found here

What is a Mast Bearing?

~ kateharden

Mast bearings are found on fork lift trucks. They carry the forks (carriage) up the mast and they also enable the various stages of the mast to extend.

There are four main types of Mast Bearings:

  1. Mast guide bearings – these bearings guide the mast stages up as the forks are raised beyond the first stage. They also attach the fork carriage to the mast rails.
  2. Carriage bearings – these provide lateral guidance to the fork carriage as it travels up the mast. They are typically smaller than the mast guide bearings.
  3. Side thrust rollers – these bearings transfer the lateral (sideways) loads to the mast and help to prevent twist. Typically they are mounted on a shaft (pin).
  4. Chain roller bearings – these guide the leaf chain that raises & lowers the mast. The bearings are usually flanged like a pulley to ensure the chain is captive.

Sometimes the mast guide bearings and side thrust rollers are fitted as a complete assembly, known as a Combined Roller Bearing.

What features do Mast Bearings have?

  • Thick Outer Ring: Mast bearings operate at relatively low speeds. They travel along the rail as a track bearing (like a wheel) and consequently experience high loads. The outer ring (steel tyre) of a mast bearing is much thicker than a standard bearing, to enable this load to be transmitted.
  • Inseparable Design: The components of the bearings are held together to form an inseparable ‘wheel’.
  • Balls or Rollers: Due to the high loads, mast bearings usually have balls or rollers as their rolling element.
  • Seals: Mast bearings are usually to sealed to prevent the grease from escaping and to keep debris out. The seal can be rubber (RS) or metal (ZZ), or sometimes a combination of both (ZRS).

How to Identify a Mast Bearing?

Our Technical Sales team are very experienced in identifying mast bearings. To help them, you will need to provide the following information:

  1. Make of the fork truck (e.g. Toyota)
  2. Part numbers or brands stamped on the bearing, or a part number from the parts book. Everything helps.
  3. The dimensions as accurately as possible. That is the ID (shaft size), OD (outside diameter) & width. The width of the outer ring and the inner ring are likely to be different. It is important to know both to ensure the bearing will fit back on the shaft. For side thrust rollers, the length of the shaft and the hole centres is also critical.
  4. The shape of the bearing & whether is has rollers or balls inside. Choose the nearest type from our drawing list or send us some photos.
Mast Bearings - mast guide bearing, chain roller bearing, side thrust roller and carriage bearing.
A typical set of Mast Bearings
(Clockwise from back left: Chain Roller Bearing, Mast Guide Bearing, Side Thrust Roller & Carriage Bearing)

Oversize or Custom Mast Bearings

If the bearing you need is no longer in production or you have a special requirement, Euro-Bearings Ltd can manufacture bespoke mast bearings to suit your needs. Typically we would need a sample or pattern to quote and lead times can be as short as 24 hours.

Contact Us

If you need help to identify a mast bearing or want a quotation, please contact our technical sales team by email or telephone.