Common Uses of Bearings

The first use of a bearing was in an axle assembly by carriage maker and inventor Phillip Vaughan in 1791. Phillip Vaughan used ball bearings to eliminate the direct contact between the drive shaft and axle in his carriages which put an end to carriage axles wearing out as a result of friction. The success of ball bearings in drive shafts was soon made public and on the back of this success, factory engineers found a range of other applications for bearings in the manufacturing industry which opened up a whole new world of motor-driven machines which have dramatically changed the industrial world. There are now a huge variety of industries and everyday objects around us which require bearings to operate such as washing machines, tumble driers and even food processors. Below are some more common uses of bearings.

Automotive industry

All motor vehicles use bearings for essential parts such as the engine, steering, driveshaft and driveline. Wheel hub bearing units, tapered roller bearings and deep groove ball bearings, amongst many others, are utilised in the automotive industry to help enhance the performance of vehicles, decrease friction, reduce CO2 emissions and increase fuel efficiency.

Office equipment

Standard office equipment such as photocopiers, fax machines and printers all use bearings such as needle bearings and deep groove ball bearings and you will even find small ball bearings in the hard drive of your computer. Increasingly leading companies are making huge developments in technology in bearings, lubrication and moulding to meet sophisticated customer demands in terms of operation and also energy-saving products to further enhance office equipment.

Paper-making machines

Bearings are widely used in the paper-making industry and have been for a number of years as they play an integral role in boosting productivity and enhancing the reliability of paper-making machines to ensure that any downtime is reduced. Common bearings used in these machines would include spherical roller bearings and cylindrical bearings.