Module No.

1 : Mechanical theory 1

Unit No. 1 - Bearing

TRAINING MANUAL
MECHANICAL

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UNITS IN THIS COURSE

UNIT 1

BEARING

UNIT 2

LUBRICATION

UNIT 3

COUPLING

UNIT 4

CLUTCHES

UNIT 5

CAMS

UNIT 6

CHAINS AND BELT DRIVE

UNIT 7

GEARS

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Unit No. 1 - Bearing

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Para

Page

1.0

OBJECTIVES.

1.1

INTRODUCTION.

1.2

FRICTION.

1.3

THE FUNCTION OF BEARINGS.

1.4

TYPES OF BEARING.

1.4.1

Plain bearings.

1.4.2.

Split bearings

1.4.3.

Anti-friction bearings

11

1.5

TYPES OF ROLLING CONTACT BEARINGS.

14

1.5.1

Ball bearings.

14

1.5.2.

Roller bearings.

15

1.6.

BALL AND ROLLER BEARING ALIGNMENT

17

1.7.

BEARING MOUNTINGS

18

1.8.

BEARING LUBRICATION.

20

1.9.

INSTALLATION OF BEARINGS.

20

1.10

REMOVING BEARINGS.

25

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1.0

OBJECTIVES.
The trainee will be able to:

Define the function of a bearing.

Describe the forces acting on bearings.

Identify various types of bearing and state their applications.

Identify various bearing mountings and state their application.

Describe methods used for mounting a bearing on a shaft.

Describe how to cold mount a bearing on a shaft using a hydraulic press.

Describe how to hot mount a bearing on a shaft using an oil bath heater.

Describe how to determine split bearing clearances using plasti-gauge

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1.1

INTRODUCTION
Bearings are used to support rotating parts such as shafts, axles and pivots. A
bearing will also reduce the friction between moving and stationary machine parts.
They are easily replaced, saving the cost of expensive machine parts.

1.2

FRICTION.
There are three types of friction covered in this course; they are sliding, rolling and
fluid friction. (see figure 1.1).

Figure 1-1.
A plain bearing is an example of where there is sliding friction. A ball bearing is an
example of where there is rolling friction. The third type of friction is fluid friction.
This occurs when metal to metal contact is avoided by placing a film of oil between
the two surfaces. The effort needed to overcome all these types of friction varies
greatly.

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1.3

THE FUNCTION OF BEARINGS.

The function of a bearing is to reduce the friction between two moving parts, or
between a moving part and a stationary part. They can reduce the friction on shafts
rotating at high speeds, and on ones carrying heavy loads. They also support and
align (keep in line) shafts and other moving parts. To do these things the bearing
must overcome the forces produced when the shaft rotates. The main forces acting
on a bearing are as follows:

Radial forces - acting at 90 to the shaft axis (the centre of the shaft).

Axial (thrust) forces - acting parallel to the shaft axis.

Figure 1-2.

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1.4

TYPES OF BEARING.
When machinery and equipment is made the type of bearing must be decided. The
type of bearing chosen, depends on the load conditions, speed and operating
requirements it has to work under. There are two main types of bearings; plain and
anti-friction. Anti-friction bearings are either ball or roller bearings. Certain types of
bearings are used to control the different loads acting on the shaft. This is done as
follows:

1.4.1

Radial loads. These can be controlled by using journal or anti-friction

bearings (roller or ball type).

Axial loads. These can be controlled by using thrust bearings. There are
many types of thrust bearings. The main ones are needle, spherical,
and tilting pad. They are used to absorb thrust loads produced by
rotating shafts.

A combination of axial and radial loads. These can be controlled by using

tapered roller or angular contact bearings. They do the work of
journal and thrust bearings.

Plain Bearings
A plain bearing is simply a sleeve that fits around a shaft. Shafts and axles are
always in contact with the surface of a plain bearing. For this reason they produce
sliding friction.
Plain bearings should always be of a softer material than the shaft. This is mainly
due to the cost of replacement. Shafts are normally made of hardened steel to
prevent excessive wear. A plain bearing is always easier and cheaper to replace
than the shaft. It may not be possible to follow the hardening procedure in the
maintenance workshop.

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The name journal refers to the part of the shaft that is in contact with the bearing.
(see figure 1.3).

Figure 1-3.
A layer of lubricant is necessary to reduce the sliding friction between the bearing,
and the fixed component parts. Basically a plain bearing is a cylindrical hole lined
with bearing metal or fitted with a bearing bush. A bearing like this can wear
because of sliding friction between the shaft and the bearing surfaces. Lubrication
reduces the amount of wear in the bearing. If there is proper lubrication, the
lubricant will separate the shaft from the bearing. The lubricant not only lubricates
and cools, but also locates the shaft. Even in the closest fitted bearing the lubricant
will locate the shaft. When the shaft is turning it will not touch the bearing.

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When a shaft and bearing first start in motion they are in metal to metal contact and
sliding friction occurs. When the shaft reaches its maximum speed an oil film forms
in the small space between the shaft and bearing. The sliding friction is replaced by
fluid friction. (see figure 1.4).

Figure 1-4.
As the shaft starts to rotate, the oil climbs up the side of the shaft, in the direction
opposite to the rotation. The layer of oil on the slowly turning shaft sticks to the surf
ace and turns with it. As the oil is carried, it separates the bearing surfaces in a
continuous layer. (see figure 1.5).

Figure 1-5.

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Plain bearings are sometimes used where shaft alignment is less important, and
when the R.P.M. is low. They take up less space than anti-friction bearings and,
because they can be made quite easily, their replacement cost is much less. The
material used for plain bearings must always be softer than the shaft. They can be
made of one solid piece or in two halves, called split bearings.
1.4.2

. Split bearings
Split bearings are used where it is difficult to install standard bearings. There is
usually less to take apart to replace split bearings. They are held in place by a
bearing cap. (see figure 1.6).

Figure 1-6.

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Split bearings are commonly used in reciprocating engines and on compressor

crankshafts. The clearance between the split bearing and the shaft can be
measured by using plasti-gauge. This is done by first removing the bearing cap,
then a thin strip of plasti-gauge is placed along the shaft journal. The cap is
replaced and the bolts are torqued (tightened). When the cap is removed the width
of the compressed plasti-gauge can be measured with the gauge provided. The
clearance can be obtained from a chart using the width of the plasti-gauge. (see
figure 1.7).

Figure 1 -7.
The correct amount of clearance can be set by inserting or removing shims (thin
pieces of metal). (see figure 1.8).

Figure 1-8.

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1.4.3.

Anti-friction bearings
Anti-friction bearings are found in most industrial machines and equipment where
there are moving components. This is because they can handle a variety of load
and speed conditions. They are positioned between the shafts and the fixed
machine parts.
Anti-friction bearings consist of the following:

The inner race which is a light press fit on the shaft.

The precision ground balls or rollers.

The cage that keeps the balls or rollers equally spaced.

The outer race which is a light press fit into the bearing housing. (see figure
1.9).

Figure 1-9.

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High speed rotating shafts are mostly supported by ball or roller bearings. Both
types of bearing substitute rolling friction for sliding friction that is present in plain
bearings. Since rolling friction is much less than sliding friction, ball and roller
bearings are termed as anti-friction bearings. A major advantage they have over
plain bearings is that they require less power to start the rotation.
The main functions of the cage are:

To distribute the balls or rollers evenly around the circumference of the

bearing.

To prevent the balls or rollers from touching one another.

To keep the whole set of bearings together when you are assembling
bearings that can be dismantled..

The cage is guided by, the balls or rollers, and the inner and outer rings; and takes
no part in the power transmission. For normal operating conditions they are usually
made of pressed steel, although sometimes they are made of forged metal. For
small bearings, brass or fibre can be used to make the cage. (see figure 1 . 10).

Figure 1-10.

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Bearings that have special requirements, because of high load or speed etc., should
be made of solid cages. Solid cages are normally made of brass, light metal or
plastic. (see figure 1.11).

Figure 1 -11.
The bearing races are the parts of the bearing that touch the machinery parts. They
locate the balls or rollers in position but allow them to move freely.
Anti-friction bearings can be classified by the shape of the rolling part (roller or ball).
The shape will depend on the amount and type of load, and the speed that they
have to work under. (see figure 1. 12).

Figure 1 12.

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1.5

TYPES OF ROLLING CONTACT BEARINGS.

There are many types of bearings. It is not easy to choose a suitable bearing for a
given job. We must decide, therefore, what type of load it will have to take; axial,
radial, or even shock loads. Also, what type of movement will occur during its
operation. When we have done that, we will have some idea of which type of
bearing will do the job best.

1.5.1

Ball bearings.
Ball bearings can work under high speeds but only light loads. They are usually self
aligning so they are easier to install than roller bearings.
There are four basic types of ball bearings. They are:

Single row radial bearings - mainly used to support radial loads only.

Single row angular contact bearings - used to support both radial loads,
and thrust loads in one direction.

Double row angular contact bearings - used to support both radial and
thrust loads in both directions.

Thrust bearings - constructed to accept axial loads in one direction only.

Figure 1 - 13.

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1.5.2. Roller bearings.

A roller bearing is designed to take heavier loads than a ball bearing, but the sliding
friction is greater. Both ball and roller bearings are usually lubricated with grease to
reduce friction and wear to a minimum. Roller bearings are made in the same way
as a ball bearing, except the shape of the rolling element is different. There are
three main roller forms. They are:

Plain roller - cylindrical in shape and roll in a flat raceway. They allow maximum
support for the radial load, but no support for thrust load. (see figure 1. 14).

Figure 1-14.

Spherical roller also called a barrel roller. It has a curved contact surface
that fits into a concave raceway, producing two angular points of
contact. It provides large load support, but only a little thrust support
in either direction. They can have double or single rows of rollers.
(see figure 1. 15).

Figure 1 - 15.

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Tapered roller - shaped in the form of a cone, which forms angular contact points.
They can support heavy radial loads and moderate thrust loads in one
direction only, and can be double or single row. (see figure 1. 16).

Figure 1-16.

Needle bearings can come with or without a cage to separate the rollers. It has
more rollers in contact with the shaft, and there is sometimes no inner race,
or sometimes no outer race. They can support very heavy radial loads, but
not thrust loads. They are also stronger than plain roller bearings. (see figure
1. 17).

Figure 1-17

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The two main advantages of needle bearings are:

They support heavier radial loads.

They take up less space.

A common use for needle bearings is when one shaft must rotate within another
shaft. (see figure 1. 18).

Figure 1-18

1.6.

BALL AND ROLLER BEARING ALIGNMENT

Alignment of a ball or roller bearing depends on accurate machining and assembly.
Sometimes this is not possible due to the design of the equipment and operating
conditions. In these situations self-aligning bearings are used to provide proper
shaft support. They are designed to align themselves automatically with the shaft.
(see figure 1. 19).

Figure 1 - 19.

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1.7.

BEARING MOUNTINGS
Bearings can be fixed in position and supported by bearing mountings. Bearing
mountings are used when it is important that the bearing is held in accurate
alignment with the shaft's axis. Common types of bearing mountings are as follows:

Pillow block - used to secure the bearing to a surface that is parallel with
the shaft's axis. (see 1.20).

Figure 1-20.

Flange mountings - used to secure the bearing to a surface that is

perpendicular to the shafts axis. (see figure 1.21).

Figure 1-21.

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Take-up mountings - used when the bearing position is variable. (see figure
1.22).

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Figure 1-22.

Integral mountings - the bearing holder is part of the machine, and held in
place with a lock ring, or circlip. (see figure 1 .23).

Figure 1-23.

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1.8.

BEARING LUBRICATION.
All bearings need lubrication to overcome internal friction, overheating, and wear,
(except some plastics). Sealed bearings do not need lubrication externally. They are
similar to a normal ball or roller bearing, except that seals are placed over the space
between the inner and outer rings. The seals keep the lubrication inside that has
been installed by the maker, for the life of the bearing. (see figure 1 .24).

Figure 1-24.
1.9.

INSTALLATION OF BEARINGS.
Dust and dirt can destroy the surfaces of a bearing very quickly. New bearings
should be unpacked just before they are installed. They should be kept very clean.
Installation or removal should only be done by someone who knows about bearings.
Then the bearings should have a long and trouble free life.
The following is the procedure for installing bearings:

Make sure that the replacement bearing is exactly the same as the one it is
replacing. It may look the same but the dimensions may vary slightly. Check the
bearing number on the outer race of the bearing. Manufacturer's catalogues will
explain the numbering system, and which bearings to use.

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Before installing any bearing, clean the shaft or housing and check the
surfaces for damage. Do not fit bearings to any damaged surf ace..

Handle the bearing carefully, mishandling can affect its precision tolerances.

The bearing should be clean, and have a light covering of lubricant.

The contact surfaces of the housing or shaft should be cleaned and covered
with lubricant. Dirt that gets on the bearing during installation will
make the surfaces abrasive.

The fit between the bearing and the shaft, or housing, should be close. The
edges of both the inner and outer rings have a slight bevel that helps
align the bearing during assembly.

There are various methods of mounting bearings but they usually fall into
two groups, cold or hot mounting. During cold mounting, always ensure that
the force is applied only to the correct race, or the bearing will be damaged.
Force should never be applied to the balls or rollers during installation. Small
bearings can generally be pressed onto the shaft, or into the housing, in a
cold state. Cold mounting can be done with either a hydraulic press, or with
drift punches. (see figure 1.25).

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Figure 1-25.

Whenever possible, use a hydraulic press to mount bearings. A hydraulic

press will keep the bearing square to the shaft, or the housing.
Decide which is the best way to set up the job on the press. Use a
soft metal packing between the ram and the bearing if there is a
possibility of damage to the bearing.

Set up the shaft or housing on the base of the press.

Align the bearing into place and lower the ram.

Check that the parts are square to each other, and that the load is going to
press on the correct race.

Gently press the bearing onto the shaft or into the housing.

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The amount of heating it will require will depend on its size. Heating time will vary
from one hour to several hours for a large bearing. The maximum temperature
should not be more than 120C. (see figure 1.26).

Figure 1-26.

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Before the bearing is removed from the oil heater, clean the seating surfaces with a
clean cloth to remove oil. When the bearing has reached the required temperature,
remove it from the oil bath . Wipe off the oil in the bore and empty the remaining oil
in the outer ring. Put on clean asbestos gloves and immediately position the bearing
on its seat because the bearing will cool quickly. Then push the bearing into place,
rotating it slightly to prevent it from tilting. If the bearing jams before reaching the
correct position, withdraw it immediately and re-heat it.

There are many common faults that occur because of incorrect mounting of
bearings or through badly damaged shafts. (see figure 1.27).

Figure 1-27.

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1.10

REMOVING BEARINGS.
When a bearing must be used again, you must be careful not to damage it during
removal. A bearing puller, or hydraulic press is used to remove bearings. Force
should be applied squarely to the race. It is again important, however, to apply the
force to the correct race. Removing a bearing by applying force to the wrong race
will damage it. Then the bearing cannot be re-used. (see figure 1.28).

Figure 1-28.

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When you are removing bearings with a bearing puller you must:

Select the most suitable pullers for the job.

Oil the surfaces to prevent scratching or scouring during removal.

Arrange the pullers inside or outside the bearing as required.

Fit the puller and tighten it to hold it in position.

Keep the pullers clear of the seating.

Check that the puller is square, and pulling only on the correct surf aces.

Pull the bearing slowly.

Keep the bearing square to the seating during removal.

As with mounting bearings, whenever possible, use a hydraulic press to remove

bearings. Remember, a hydraulic press will keep the bearing square to the shaft or
the housing.
Decide which is the best way to set the job up on the press. Use a soft metal
packing between the ram and the bearing if there is a possibility of damage to the
bearing. Then:

Set up the shaft or housing on the base of the press.

Align the bearing into place and lower the ram.

Check that the parts are square to each other, and that the load is going to
be exerted on the correct race.

Gently press the bearing away from the shaft or housing.

Make sure that parts do not fall to the floor and become damaged.

Only remove bearings with a metal drift or punch when a hydraulic press cannot be
used. Decide which is the best way to tap the bearing away from the shaft or
housing. If possible use a piece of tube that will sit squarely on the correct race, and
square to the seating. Place a striking block or piece of plate over the tubing. Then
hit the striking block until the bearing is clear of the shaft or bearing.

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When using a drift to remove the bearing, tap evenly around the race. Take care not
to strike any other part of the bearing. Keep the bearing square. If the bearing goes
out of square, tap the other side to square it off again.
Other removal methods are shown in figure 1.29.

Figure 1.29.

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