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Bearings are incredibly important in our world. While most might not realize it, anyone in the industrial world knows better. Industrial machine tools used to cut, bend, shape, form, and fabricate many of the metal parts, components, and products we use frequently rely on effective bearings. As the years have passed, those machines have gotten more and more precise and powerful, leading to the spindle bearings inside the machines becoming more and more advanced as well.

However, gone are the days where a little bit of imperfection was acceptable. Today, precision and accuracy are key, and without effective spindle bearings, manufacturers can’t deliver it. If you ask any spindle provider or manufacturer what questions they might frequently hear from customers, it is likely that one of their responses will be something along the lines of: “Do my spindle bearings need to be replaced?” or “How will I know when I need new spindle bearings?”

Unfortunately in most cases, by the time a spindle bearing becomes the “squeaky wheel, begging for grease” chances are it already needs to be replaced. In the industrial sector, so many businesses rely on spindle bearings. Considering the fact that many manufacturers and fabricators operate around the clock to stay competitive and meet the demands of customers, it becomes apparent that spindle bearings are constantly being used and abused – almost without thought. That’s why it often comes as a surprise when productivity suddenly stops, and it all comes down to the spindle bearing. With this in mind, it’s incredibly important to not only keep spindle bearings properly lubricated and maintained, but to also be ready with replacement spindle bearings to eliminate costly downtime.

Whether they are for a mill, lathe, cutting tool, or anything in between, spindle bearings are absolutely necessary for the high level of power and precision that machine tools require. But how do you know when they need to be replaced? The most obvious sign is that the machine stops working. However, there are a number of other factors that come into play.
When you operate the machine tool in question, is precision or accuracy suffering? Noticeable changes in precision and positional accuracy can be indicative of an underlying problem with your bearing, the rolling element, the housing, or a number of bearing components. However, many times you will hear a failing spindle bearing before you notice the results. Are you hearing a low pitched grinding noise that becomes louder with faster rotation? As is the case with any machine, if it doesn’t sound right – chances are there’s a problem. The same is true for spindle bearings.

Beyond noticeably lower precision and audible signs of poor bearing performance, you might be able to assess the bearing visually. Are the bearings balls or rollers scored and rough? Is the bearing assembly damaged and worn? Whether your bearings have received a high degree of wear and tear from regular use or lack of lubrication, if you spot any of these signs, it’s possible that your bearings need to be replaced (or will need to be replaced very soon).

If your spindle bearings don’t need replacing, don’t forget to keep them lubricated and maintained to extend their life and increase your productivity.

In every manufacturing facility in the world, you’ll find a bearing. Modern machinery, machine tools, and manufacturing equipment all rely on the movement and rotation that spindles deliver, and all of those spindles rely on bearings. At Eastern Industrial Automation, we frequently advise customers on the best spindle bearings for various applications. But if you aren’t quite initiated into the industrial world, please feel free to read on to learn more about spindle bearings and why they’re so important.

Ball bearings, as the name implies, use a ball to carry the load. Because of the single point of contact created their load carrying capacity is slightly lower than roller bearings. However, ball bearings have the added benefit of being capable of carrying both radial and axial loads. The added benefit of this configuration is the ability to handle misalignment. With these factors in mind,they can sometimes be much cheaper than other solutions.
While still containing a rolling element, roller bearings are slightly different from ball bearings in the sense that instead of multiple balls aligned as the rolling element, multiple rollers are used instead. They typically have a higher load capacity than other varieties but they are not as adept at loads perpendicular to the rolling element. Rollers also tend to suffer more when misalignment is present. So these factors must be taken into consideration when you’re choosing a bearing for your own tools or equipment.

While ball bearing configurations tend to remain relatively simple, including the balls, the cage, and the raceway, roller bearings can take a number of different forms. Cylindrical rollers, for example, are one of the most common types. In terms of bearing designs in general, roller and cylindrical bearings are some of the oldest forms of rolling-element-bearing, and date back as far as 40BC. But time has treated the basic design very well.

Other varieties of roller bearings take advantage of various shapes and forms of rolling element. For instance, while most roller bearings take only radial or axial loads, the tapered roller bearing uses conical rollers to provide the heavy load capacity of other roller bearings with the added benefit of being able to carry both radial and axial loads. However, this benefit comes with its own slew of caveats. Because of the conical shape of tapered roller bearings, added friction can often result with heavy loads due to the tendency of the conical roller to act like a wedge. On the other hand, spherical roller bearings take advantage of an outer ring with a spherical shape. This allows the spherical roller to effectively handle misalignment, while sacrificing the reduced friction achieved by other rolling element bearings. For every advantage of a bearing design, there is a disadvantage. And every design addresses a specific set of requirements many business demand for their machines. In any case, the challenge for many is finding the right features for their specific machines.

But what are all of these bearings used for? They’re in your chair, your desk drawer, and your computer. But one of the areas they matter the most is in the industrial world as machine tool and spindle bearings. One of the most common uses for bearings is in machine tools. For the many types of industrial equipment that rely on spindles, bearings ensure the precision that businesses rely on every day to stay productive, efficient, and profitable. Whether that means ball bearings or rolling element bearings, in every case – the spindle bearings in industrial equipment make a major difference. Just like bearings come in a number of varieties, spindle bearings range from the simplest ball bearings and roller bearings to highly advanced hybrid solutions needed when extreme precision and power are at play, striking a fine balance that dances between load capacity and longevity.
Regardless of the application, spindle bearings continue to dictate the level of precision many businesses are capable of. With businesses operating around the clock to manufacture the tools, equipment, and commodities we rely on – they need spindle bearings that have been engineered to last. Luckily, bearing manufacturers around the world have answered the call with solutions that have consistently gotten more and more effective and reliable.

How have you benefited from a spindle bearing today?

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