Bearing Arrangement

The bearing arrangement of a rotating shaft requires two bearings to locate and support the shaft radially and axially. In most applications one of the bearings locates the shaft both radially and axially. The second bearing provides purely radial support. These are known as locating and non-locating or "fixed" and "free" bearings.

Locating (fixed) bearings

The locating bearing must be capable of carrying combined loads in both directions and must also be secured to both the shaft and housing to prevent lateral movement. Suitable bearings for this purpose are deep groove ball, spherical roller, double row or paired angular contact ball or paired taper roller bearings. In some instances a purely radial bearing such as a cylindrical roller bearing without flanges can be used if paired with a thrust bearing having radial clearance in the housing.

Non-locating bearings
Non-locating bearings provide radial support only and must allow the shaft relative movement to the locating or fixed bearing to allow thermally induced dimensional changes. This can take place within the bearing itself, as in a cylindrical roller bearing, or between one of the bearing rings and its seating. Cross-located bearings In some applications both bearings are used to locate the shaft axially. All types of radial ball and roller bearings, which can accept axial loads in at least one direction, can be included in this category. In these instances the effect of thermal expansion within the bearings and shaft assembly must be provided for when fitting the bearings.

Ball Bearings
Single row deep groove ball bearings
This bearing type forms the largest group because of its ability to carry both axial and radial loads, the very low friction and low noise and the low maintenance required. It is suitable for high speed and light loads. Many of these bearings are sealed or shielded for life. Most are designated and dimensioned to the ISO standards.

Deep groove ball bearing

Self-aligning ball bearings

This bearing has a double row of balls. Its outer ring raceway is spherical allowing the rings to be dynamically misaligned, making it suitable for use in applications where the misalignment of bearings on a common shaft can occur. It can carry radial and axial loads but is not suitable for heavy or arduous operation. The number of balls and the contact area each ball makes with the raceways restrict the capacity or load rating of the bearing. Since this contact area is so small, contact stresses can be as high as 4,000 MPa, which equates to 400 kg/mm or approximately 90 tones on an area the size of a thumbnail. This capacity to carry such enormous loads makes the bearing the most highly stressed component in the equipment.

Self-aligning ball bearing

Single row angular contact ball bearings

This bearing is capable of carrying high combined radial and axial loads in one direction only. It must be used in conjunction with a similar bearing acting in the opposite direction. This pairing of the bearings is done in a back-to-back, load lines diverging towards the bearing axis, or face-to-face configuration, load lines

converging towards the bearing axis, It is extremely important that these bearings are mounted together in the correct orientation and with the correct degree of pre-load or clearance.

Angular contact ball bearing

Y-bearing units
The Y-bearing unit is a complete unit consisting of a bearing mounted in a bearing housing. The bearings are based on the deep groove ball bearing but have an extended inner ring and a spherical outer ring diameter, which allows for static misalignment of the bearings. The bearings can be fitted in various types of housing; cast iron being the most common but pressed steel and plastic housings is also used. The Y-bearing units are very robust and simple to use but do not allow for axial displacement that may take place due to thermally induced dimensional changes. For this reason the bearing centres should be short or the housing supported on a resilient material or structure, such as sheet metal

Roller Bearings Single row cylindrical roller bearings The rollers of these bearings are guided between internal flanges usually present on only one of the bearing rings The bearing ring with the flanges also carries the roller and cage assembly, which allows the other ring of the bearing to be removed and mounted or dismounted separately. The NU type bearing has two integral flanges on the outer ring and an inner ring without flanges. The N type has two integral flanges on the inner ring and an outer ring without flanges. Other less common variations are also available. This bearing is capable of carrying very high radial loads and will allow axial displacement of the shaft within the bearing. They are therefore suitable for use as nonlocating bearings. Taper roller bearings Taper roller bearings have tapered inner and outer ring raceways between which tapered rollers are arranged. The tapered surfaces, if extended, would converge towards a single point on the shaft axis. Their design makes

Cylindrical roller bearing

them very suitable for carrying combined radial and axial loads. The axial load carrying capacity is determined by the contact angle, which corresponds to the angle of the outer ring raceway. Like the single row angular contact ball bearing, the taper roller bearing can only carry loads in one direction. A second bearing must be used in either back-to-back or face-to-face configuration. Since the roller ends are in sliding contact with the flange face' good lubrication is of utmost importance. Spherical roller bearings The spherical roller bearing consists of an inner ring with a double raceway on which two rows of spherical rollers are attached by the cages. A central guide ring is present separating the roller ends. The outer ring has a spherical raceway. These bearings are capable of carrying large axial and radial loads. They also have the capability to accept misalignment. The spherical roller bearing is extremely rugged and is used in applications where heavy and arduous loads are present. The bearing can be found in two basic configurations; taper and cylindrical bore. Taper bore allows for easier replacement of bearings on the shaft and greater control of the residual clearance in the bearing during fitting. The CARB Bearing The CARB bearing is a unique bearing to SKF and has remarkable properties. It has a single row sphered raceway and rollers, which allow for dynamic misalignment and high radial load capacity while offering great freedom for axial movement within the bearing. It can be used as the non-locating bearing in arrangements that require large axial, thermally induced movement in applications such as the drying cylinders on paper machines and support rollers on continuous casting machines. This arrangement results in less vibration and greater stability and a higher product quality control and accuracy.

Taper roller bearing

Spherical roller bearing

CARB bearing

Radial Location of Bearings

For a rolling bearing to fulfill its load carrying potential and to function correctly, the rings must be adequately supported. Additionally, the rings must be secured to their seating to prevent them from turning. Satisfactory radial location and adequate support for the rotating ring is usually only obtained when the rings are mounted with an appropriate degree of interference. For a bearing ring supporting the non-rotating load, a slight clearance fit is acceptable and may be essential when axial displacement is required for a non-locating bearing.

Conditions of rotation - cylindrical bore

A rotating load exists if the direction of load is stationary relative to the rotating ring, or if the ring is stationary and the load rotates, subjecting all points around the raceway to the load in the course of one revolution. Under these conditions the bearing ring will turn or "creep" on its seating unless secured to the shaft or housing by an interference fit. The operating conditions and bearing type dictate the degree of interference fit. A stationary load exists when both the bearing ring and load are stationary, or if the ring and load rotate at the same speed so that the load is always directed to the same point on the ring. These rings should normally have a clearance fit. An indeterminate load exists when the direction of load can rotate in respect of both rings or cannot be accurately determined. Vibrating applications and applications where out-of-balance loads are present are some examples. In these cases both rings should have an interference fit.

Magnitude of load
The interference fit of a bearing inner ring on its seating can be affected by increasing load and relative temperature changes. The greater the load, the greater the interference required.

Bearing internal clearance

All bearing applications have to take into account the fact that significant dimensional changes occur within a bearing which has an interference fit on the shaft and/or in the housing. Additionally, temperature differences can also be present between the bearing components. To prevent the bearings going into pre-load under these conditions, bearings with varying internal clearances are available and specified with suffixes C1 and C2 for less internal clearance than normal. Suffixes C3, C4 and C5 indicate an increased internal clearance. For "normal" applications where the fits used for the bearing rings and the load and operational speed are not excessive, the SKF standard clearance range should be used. Standard clearance bearings are not identified by special marking or numbering.

Temperature conditions
Service rings often have a higher temperature than the mating components. This can result in an easing of the fit on the inner ring and reduced internal bearing clearance or an increased interference between the outer ring and its seating.

Running accuracy
Where high demands are placed on running accuracy, clearance fits should not be used. To reduce run-out and vibration, bearing seating should be machined to tolerances to least grade 5 for the shaft and at least grade 6 for the housing as recommended by SKF.

Shaft and housing design

The fit of the bearing on its seating must not lead to uneven load distribution or distortion of the bearing rings. Split housings are not suitable for applications where the outer ring requires an interference fit. To ensure adequate support of the bearing rings when mounted on hollow shafts, thin walled or light alloy housings, heavier fits are required than those specified for steel or cast iron housing or solid steel shafts.

Ease of mounting and dismounting

Bearings with clearance fits are easier to dismount than those with interference fits. In cases where interference fits are necessary and it is essential that mounting can be easily accomplished, separable bearings or bearings with taper bore and adapter or withdrawal sleeves may be used.

Displacement of non-locating bearings

When a non-separable bearing is used as the non-locating bearing, one of the rings must be free to move axially

at all times. A clearance fit should be used for the ring, which carries the stationary load. In the case of stationary outer ring where the axial movement takes place within the housing, it is sometimes necessary to insert a hardened bush to reduce wear and possible locking of the bearings movement. This would apply especially to light alloy housings. Cylindrical roller bearing types N and NU can be fitted with an interference fit on both rings, as the axial displacement can take place within the bearing.

Bearings with taper bore

Bearings with taper bore can be mounted directly onto a taper seating machined on the shaft, or with an adapter or withdrawal sleeve on a cylindrical shaft. Taper bore bearings can be identified by the suffix K in their designation. This identifies a standard 1:12 taper. The wide spherical roller bearings of the 240 and 241 series with a taper bore have the suffix K30 to identify a 1:30 taper. When mounting the inner ring, the distance the ring is driven up the taper determines the fit to the shaft. The reduction in clearance or drive-up distance must be carefully controlled when mounting these bearings. The outer ring fit should be determined as for bearings having a cylindrical bore. Shaft tolerances of h9 or h10 may be applied with the use of adapter or withdrawal sleeves. The cylindricity of the sleeve-seating diameter should be to IT5 (for h9) and IT7 (for H10).