euro bearings

Simply the Best in Linear Motion

~ kateharden

Euro-Bearings Ltd’s Combined Roller Bearing range offers one of the most versatile linear motion systems.

combined roller bearing application

The combined roller bearing is a unit consisting of two roller bearings assembled on a weldable hub and it is designed to carry both axial and radial loads. The bearings are used in conjunction with special steel profiles (C or I) to form a heavy duty linear sliding system.

The bearings and rails can be used both horizontally and vertically, and can also be arranged telescopically to allow for full extension. The simplest system consists of just four bearings and two rails. Some application examples are shown below.

With the standard range of bearings offering diameters from 52.5mm to 149mm, and the Jumbo range offering sizes up to 390mm, the system is suitable for a wide variety of applications.

The bearings can be supplied pre-welded to a mounting plate which can then simply be bolted on, or they can be welded directly to the structure for a more compact configuration.

Our knowledgeable technical sales team can offer advice on applications, design, corrosion resistance and sizing. Please call or email to discuss your requirements.

Application Examples for Combined Roller Bearings and Profiled Rails:

horizontal linear motion applicationhorizontal and vertical systemSimple cantilever using combined roller bearings
Simple Horizontal SystemCombined Horizontal / VerticalHorizontal Cantilever
Telescopic heavy duty linear motionThree stage telescopic linear systemcantilevered systems using an I or H section
2 Stage Telescopic System3 Stage Telescopic SystemI Beam Cantilevered System

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.

A Fresh Look

~ kateharden

We are pleased to announce that we have launched our new website. The new layout is better suited to viewing on mobiles phones and tablets whilst remaining just as informative as ever. We hope that you find it easy to navigate. Please do give us your feedback on it (good or bad).

euro-bearings new website
New Website from Euro-Bearings Ltd

Multi Purpose Combined Roller Bearings

~ kateharden

Combined Roller Bearings were originally designed to be used in forklift truck masts. However, today they are used in a variety of applications (horizontally and vertically) and in a huge range of industries.

The smallest bearing is just 52.5mm in diameter and when used in conjunction with the corresponding steel profile, each bearing offers a load capacity of approximately 550kg. At the top end of the range the largest bearing is 390mm and has a capacity of over 30 tonnes.

The primary benefit of a Combined Roller Bearing over a standard track roller bearing is the integral side thrust roller bearing. This small roller is able to carry lateral loads and ensures free movement of the system.

To make a complete slide you simply need 2 rails and 4 bearings. The bearings can be welded directly to the structure or can be supplied pre-welded to a mounting plate and simply bolted into place. More complex, telescopic systems can be made by using additional rails and bearings to create further stages.

The application examples below show how versatile this sliding system is.

 

euro combined bearings and channels combined roller bearings forklift horizontal cantilever using combined roller bearings
Combined Horizontal / Vertical
telescopic combined roller bearings and rails telescopic combinaton bearing application i beam combi bearing cantilevered system
2 Stage Telescopic System

Being so versatile, combined roller bearings can be used in many applications including:Please click an image for more details.

  • Lifting & Handling Equipment
  • Offshore Cable & Pipe Laying
  • Specialised Vehicles
  • Packing Machines
  • Furnace Loaders
  • Agricultural Equipment

If you think you might have an application for Combined Roller Bearings, please contact our technical sales team. We have many years of experience and our team includes Engineers and Designers.

Sliding Gardens

Image ~ ~ kateharden

When the Landscape Director from N T Killingley contacted us about sliding a planter in and out of a glasshouse at RHS Chatsworth, our Technical Sales team listened to his specification and suggested various options. Their requirement was a system that was simple to install and robust enough to carry the weight of a laden planter, but most importantly would not cost a fortune as the display was temporary.

The combined roller bearing system met this criteria. By using the rails upturned, there was very little set up involved and the bearings and mounting plates were simply bolted to the underside of the planter.

The end result was a system that was discreet and could be operated with very little effort. The display formed part of the “Garden for a Changing Climate” at RHS Chatsworth in June 2017 and featured on BBC’s Gardeners World.

The RHS video of the garden can be viewed here. And the BBC Gardeners World episode can be viewed here (approximately 41 minutes in).

If you need help to specify a linear sliding system, please contact us. We have a team of Engineers & Designers who can guide you through both selecting the most suitable product and specifying the correct size.

Photo courtesy of N T Killingley © 2017

Did you know…?

~ kateharden

Combined roller bearings can be used in a huge variety of applications. In the simplest arrangement (4 bearings & 2 rails) they can be used to make a forklift mast (vertically), a telescopic slide (horizontally) or just to slide something from A to B.

combined bearings and rails
Combined Roller Bearings and Mating Steel Profiles (Rails)

The main advantage of a combined roller bearing is the small axial roller that helps to keep the system running parallel and prevent it from jamming or crabbing. The combi bearings come complete with a weldable hub so they can be welded directly to your structure or, for ease of maintenance, they can be purchased pre-welded to a mounting plate. This mounting plate is simply bolted on with 4 bolts.

Used together with the mating steel channels (rails), the combined roller bearings offer a simple and cost effective way to make a heavy duty linear slide system. The smallest bearing diameter is 52mm, and the largest Jumbo bearing is 390mm. The rails are available in both C and H (or I) sections.

What Products are Available?

Standard Range
standard combined roller bearings rails for combi bearings mounting plates for combined bearings flanged clamps for CR rails eccentric adjustable CR bearings
Precision Range Jumbo Range
standard combined roller bearings rails for combi bearings mounting plates for combined bearings flanged clamps for CR rails eccentric adjustable CR bearings

Precision Range: For heavy duty applications requiring high precision, the Precision Combined Roller Bearings offer a reduced clearance between the bearing & the rail and consequently minimise the play in the system. The rail is machined in the web and the bearing diameter is increased to match this, with a tolerance of 0.2mm – 0.4mm.Click on an image to visit the relevant webpage.

Jumbo Range: For ultra heavy duty applications, the Jumbo bearings can offer an affordable solution.

Corrosion Resistance: In some environments (e.g. Offshore) it can be beneficial to use a corrosion resistant system. The Thin Dense Chromium coating withstands salt spray and can considerably improve the operating life. We can offer all of the ranges with coating.

Please visit our website for full details. Datasheets & pdf catalogues are available to download.

Advantages

+ Very heavy load capacities. See Hertzian Pressure for system capability.

+ Side (axial) roller prevents crabbing. Channel (rail) is self supporting in many applications.

+ Easy to engineer, assemble and set up. Low maintenance.

+ Tolerant of dirty / dusty environments.

+ Bearing diameters from 52mm to 390mm.

Applications

– Access Equipment

– Handling Equipment, including forklift trucks & scissor lifts

– Palletising Machines

– Lifts for goods, personnel and wheelchairs

– Paying Out Systems

  

– Agricultural Machinery

– Primary Food Processing Equipment

– Furnace Loading Equipment

– Production Lines

– And lots more…

Why Euro-Bearings Ltd?

– Large UK-based stock of Combined Roller Bearings

– Over 30 years in the industry

– Always speak to Technical Sales

– Fast delivery

– Family business who value their customers

– Ability to offer custom plates or special diameter bearings

Welcome to our Blog!

~ kateharden

Euro Bearings Products
Some of our products

Hello, and welcome to our blog.

This blog is being developed to provide you with more information about our product range. Each blog will focus on a product range. The aim is to highlight the advantages it offers and give you an overview of typical applications.

I hope you enjoy following us.