Standard Bearing Material

The materials from which the bearing components are made determine to a large extent the performance and reliability of rolling bearings.

● For the bearing rings and rolling elements, typical considerations include hardness for load carrying capacity, fatigue resistance under rolling contact conditions, under clean or contaminated lubrication conditions, and the dimensional stability of the bearing components.

● For the cage, considerations include friction, strain, inertia forces, and in some cases, the chemical action of certain lubricants, solvents, coolants and refrigerants.

● Contact seals integrated in rolling bearings can also have a considerable impact on the performance and reliability of the bearings. The materials they are made of have to offer excellent oxidation, thermal or chemical resistance.

The relative importance of these considerations can be affected by other operational parameters such as corrosion, elevated temperatures, shock loads or combinations of these and other conditions.