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Industrial Manufacturing: Materials for Custom Bearing Fabrication

9 March 2016

Amaury Picard

Bearings are crucial in the operation of most industrial equipment used in commercial sectors such as construction, processing and agriculture. If these components are not present or operating optimally, you will notice significant problems in your machinery. Basically, the bearings are responsible for reducing friction in the moving components. Moreover, the elements will direct and constrain the relative motion to the desired direction.

Unfortunately, industrial machinery bearings are not infallible, so you will need to replace them when they experience extensive wear or other types of damage. You can replace these with stock options in the general market. However, you can improve the performance of your equipment by installing custom bearings that are designed to suit the specific requirements of your operations. Here are the materials that you should consider for this industrial bearing fabrication.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is an ideal choice for bearing manufacturing in general purpose machine applications. This metal is advantageous because it has high compressive and tensile strength. This means it can handle heavy loads in the equipment without distortion. Stainless steel is highly resistant to damage by high temperature environments.  This material is resistant to corrosion and rusting and corrosion in high humidity zones. However, if your industrial operation deals with caustic chemicals, you should consider using an alternative.

Titanium

Titanium is a high strength metal that is favourable for heavy-duty applications. Therefore, it is an ideal choice for your industrial machinery if they are in constant operation. The main advantage of choosing to fabricate titanium bearings is the high strength it provides, particularly when compared to the weight. In simple terms, the metal is light but can support heavy loads and high pressure. This will increase the efficiency of the movement. Titanium bearings can also withstand adverse industrial conditions with regard to chemical corrosion and temperature. This metal can withstand acidic solutions without corrosion and it is perfect for marine equipment applications. Moreover, its melting point is over 1,650⁰C.

Non-Magnetic Bearings

Metals are favourable for bearing fabrication because they are strong and resilient. However, the materials are not appropriate for some specific applications because they often have some magnetic properties. This might interfere with the operation of the equipment. If you have this concern, consider choosing ceramic or polymer for the fabrication project. These are non-magnetic, corrosion resistant and lightweight. Moreover, the bearings will not require lubrication since they do not generate unfavourable friction. However, you should note that ceramic is brittle and prone to breakage while polymer bearings can only handle light loads.

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