For most professionals operating in the bearing and power transmission industry, the bearing and it’s uses are common knowledge, but does the everyday person know how bearings assist us and improve many areas of our lives? From children’s toys and modes of transport helping us from a to b, to life-saving medical equipment, and satellites floating above the earth. We explore some of the uses of hidden bearings, big and small, that make our lives that little bit easier or more enjoyable.
The Power of a Bearing – The heaviest door in the world at the time, easily moved by a single person due to a special bearing
Back in 1979, the heaviest door in the world at the time was opened and closed with ease at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, USA. This was made possible with the use of a special bearing in the hinge, meaning that the employees of the laboratory could shift 44 tonnes of weight with no problem at all! The door, used to shield the Rotating Target Neutron Source-II (RTNS-II), the world’s most intense source of continuous fusion neutrons, was filled with concrete, with a thickness of 2.5 metres, and a width of 3.6 metres.
Sources: https://aijmagazine.co.uk/which-door-is-the-heaviest-in-the-world/
In more recent times, the title of world’s heaviest door was taken by the National Institute for Fusion Science in Japan, weighing 720 tonnes.
The Largest Bearing in the World – produced by Huisman for their TMC cranes
When we think of bearings, we usually picture them to fit in our hands or on a tabletop, but worldwide lifting specialist Huisman had other ideas. Currently being manufactured in China, the giant 30 metre diameter/48 metre radius bearings provide a vital pivoting system for cranes in the drilling and subsea sectors. They are used in the world’s largest Tub Cranes, weighing 10,000mt and a semi-submersible!
The smallest bearing in the world – Smaller than a grain of rice!
With an ultra-small outer diameter of only 1.5mm, this bearing is easily missed. In 2009, Minebea in Japan successfully commercialised the smallest bearing in the world at the time, being designed for active use in the moving parts of medical devices, micro-motors, micro-machines and other fields where the conventional ball bearings were not suited.
Product photo (on a rice grain)
Product photo (with a mechanical pencil)
Sources: https://www.minebeamitsumi.com/english/news/press/2009/1184264_6002.html
The everyday bearing – the most commonly used bearing in the world
The deep groove ball bearing wins the award of the most commonly used bearing. This is due to them being simple in design, durable, and versatile, being used in many different applications. As they can handle both radial and axial loads, deep groove ball bearings are often used in electric motors, vehicle motors, and office machinery to name a few.
These bearings can be produced on a large scale due to the simplicity of design, and the durability means they can be used long-term, so what’s not to love? They can also operate at high rotational speeds with minimal noise and vibration.
Sources: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/content/discovery/ideas-and-advice/ball-bearings-guide
From playful to life-saving – Bearings in toys and vital equipment
Recent trends have seen fidget spinners appear everywhere in shops across the world, with the bearings being the main and visible components. But when it comes to the more standard children’s toys such as toy trains, trucks, remote-controlled cars and similar, people may not realise that they contain bearings to allow them to mechanically move. Even Yo-yos and jumping ropes can contain bearings for improved movement and to reduce corrosion or friction.
Bicycles, skateboards, roller skates and scooters also contain bearings. From standard bearings to reduce friction, to sealed and shielded bearings that provide maximum protection for outdoor use.
At the opposite end of the scale, bearings are used in various medical devices. These include miniature ball bearings, ceramic bearings, and thin-section bearings, often made from stainless steel or specialised materials like silicon nitride.
It goes without saying that these bearings need to be of the highest quality, as they are crucial for precise movement, low friction, and reliability in applications like surgical instruments, imaging equipment, and robotic surgery systems.
Sources: https://consbrgs.com/items-you-didnt-know-utilized-bearings-bearings-related-products/
https://www.smbbearings.com/precision-bearings-for-medical-devices
Bearings that are out of this world! – High-precision bearings for space
You may be surprised to know that many bearings are floating around outside of the earth’s atmosphere, part of the most durable and technical applications known to man. The high precision and high reliability bearings found in satellites for example are vital to support a variety of onboard systems such as gyroscopes, antenna pointing systems, positioning mechanisms, and deployment systems.
As expected, the environment in space can be very demanding, with bearings and other components needing to withstand the extreme temperatures, pressures, and vibrations.
BearingNet member Carter Manufacturing have been producing vital parts for space utilisation, working with the world leading manufactures of launch vehicles, satellites and space components while providing technical support. You can find out more about their work here https://www.carterbearings.co.uk/industries/space/
To summarise, you may be surprised at the number of everyday items, as well as specialist equipment, that bearings are found in. They prove to be key components that most of us don’t know are there, the hidden heroes of motion!
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