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More Than Just "Iron Rings": Unveiling the Four Core Components of Bearings and Their Roles

2025-11-04

Bearings are often called the "joints of machinery," present in almost all rotating equipment. But do you truly understand their internal structure? This article will introduce you to the four core components of bearings and their irreplaceable roles.

Inner and Outer Rings: These are the "skeleton" of the bearing. The inner ring is usually mounted on the shaft and rotates with it; the outer ring is mounted in the bearing housing and provides support. The raceways on the inner and outer rings provide a precise running track for the rolling elements, and their machining accuracy directly determines the overall performance of the bearing.

Rolling Elements: The "core joints" of the bearing. These are the load-bearing elements that roll between the inner and outer ring raceways. Based on their shape, they are mainly divided into balls (used in ball bearings) and rollers (used in roller bearings). Rollers can be further subdivided into cylindrical rollers, tapered rollers, spherical rollers, etc., which determine the bearing's load-carrying capacity, speed limit, and applicable scenarios.

Cage: The "traffic commander" of the bearing. Its main function is to evenly separate the rolling elements, preventing them from colliding and rubbing against each other during movement. The choice of cage material (such as stamped steel, brass, engineering plastics, etc.) is crucial to the high-speed performance and smooth operation of the bearing.

Summary: These four components work together seamlessly to convert sliding friction into rolling friction, thereby significantly reducing rotational resistance and ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of mechanical equipment. Understanding these four components is the first step in selecting the appropriate bearing.