Bearings support a shaft or moving surface while controlling friction and position. The correct family depends on radial and axial load, speed, stiffness, allowable misalignment, lubrication and contamination.
Rolling-element bearings
Deep-groove ball bearings handle moderate radial load and some axial load at high speed. Cylindrical rollers provide greater radial capacity and stiffness. Tapered rollers combine radial and axial capability, while spherical rollers tolerate misalignment under heavy load.
Thrust and needle designs
Thrust bearings are arranged primarily for axial load. Needle rollers provide high radial capacity in a small cross-section but demand accurate raceways and alignment. Combined designs can support multiple load directions where packaging space is limited.
Plain and mounted bearings
Plain bearings slide rather than roll and can suit oscillation, shock, dirty environments or very high loads when lubrication and material pairing are correct. Mounted bearing units simplify installation but still require shaft fit, sealing and alignment checks.
