Rolling bearings, plain bushings, bearing shells and thrust parts accommodate different motions. Material selection must consider load, speed, clearance, mating journal, lubrication, temperature rise, contamination and assembly design together.
Rolling bearing steels require cleanliness, hardness, rolling contact fatigue resistance and dimensional stability. Copper alloys, babbitt and composite plain bearing materials place greater emphasis on friction reduction, seizure resistance, conformability, embeddability, pressure and speed, and lubrication. The bearing housing is a structural part and must be considered separately from the bearing surface.
Three groups by contact type and installation position.
Identify the complete bearing designation, clearance, accuracy, cage and seals; matching external dimensions alone is insufficient.
Copper alloys cover many grades. Specify the drawing grade, composition, hardness and mechanical properties rather than simply requesting bronze.
Assess the bearing shell together with the journal, oil film, scraping and contact pattern.
Contact type, load and lubrication conditions determine material selection.
| Part / Position | Motion and Failure Modes | Candidate Materials | Required Checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling Bearing Rings / Rolling Elements | Rolling contact fatigue, pitting, spalling, indentation, wear and corrosion. | Through-hardened, case-carburised, induction-hardened, stainless or high-temperature bearing steels, selected for the application. | Bearing designation, load, speed, clearance, lubrication, contamination, temperature and OEM requirements. |
| Eccentric and Main Shaft Bushings | Slow sliding under heavy or uneven loads, boundary lubrication, temperature rise, seizure and abrasive contamination. | Cast or wrought copper alloys specified by the drawing, or composite plain bearing materials where required. | Bore and outside diameter, taper, wall thickness, clearance, journal material and roughness, oil passages, bearing pressure and speed. |
| Spider Bushings | Oscillation, impact, dust ingress, insufficient lubrication and uneven local wear. | Copper alloys balancing load capacity, seizure resistance and embeddability, or the material specified by the OEM. | Oscillation angle, load direction, lubrication grooves, seals, fits and actual wear distribution. |
| Mill Trunnion Bearing Shells | Large sliding contact areas, oil film behaviour, boundary lubrication during starts and stops, fatigue and local overheating. | Steel backing or a substrate with babbitt or the bearing layer specified by the drawing. | Journal, contact area, oil clearance, oil supply, cooling, alloy layer thickness and bond quality. |
| Bearing Housing | Structural loads, fit deformation, cracks, bore misalignment and vibration. | Cast iron, cast steel or welded structural materials, rather than a bearing steel working surface. | Housing bore, split faces, coaxiality, fastening, NDT, base contact and bearing fit. |
Bearing performance depends on material, geometry, surfaces, lubrication and assembly working together.
Check cleanliness and heat treatment for rolling bearing steel; check composition, heat or batch identification and mechanical properties for copper alloys and bearing layers.
Check bond integrity, porosity and layer thickness in composite bearing shells. Inspect large copper alloy bushings by UT/PT or other agreed methods.
Check roundness, cylindricity, taper, coaxiality, oil grooves, roughness and running clearances.
Check contact, oil supply, seals, temperature rise and contamination control; retain assembly and commissioning records.
Open the part page to check installation position, drawing number and applicable models.
Technical References: ISO 683-17 defines material categories and technical delivery requirements for bearing steels; ISO 4382-1 covers cast copper alloys for thick-walled plain bearings. SKF also identifies hardness, rolling contact fatigue, cleanliness, lubrication, contamination and dimensional stability as important to bearing performance and life. Supply requirements follow the OEM drawings and agreed technical specifications.
Please provide the equipment model, part number, journal and housing bore dimensions, load, speed or oscillation, clearance, lubrication, temperature, current material, failure photographs and quantity.
Consultation, supplier coordination, quality control and finished part delivery for custom parts, wear parts and industrial spares worldwide.
Identify parts, review drawings and operating conditions, and assess material options.
Match Chinese manufacturing resources to the technical requirements.
Track materials, machining, inspection and acceptance.
Arrange manufacturing, packaging and complete finished-part delivery.
Send the model, drawing, part number, material or operating conditions so we can define the technical review and supply process.
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