Combined Bearing Loading

I have been told that you can use an axial and radial bearing side by side in place of a bearing that is designed for combined loading. Is this good engineering practice? Every time I think about the loading with bearings side by side, each meant for a particular load (radial or axial), I feel like this would not work. Is there any articles or literature that discusses this in detail?

Particularly I was going to use a spherical PLAIN bearing for my loading, but because of the load ratio being (50/50) it is not suitable. From what I have gathered, the axial loading is usually defined as being at most, 25% of the radial loading. For example lb radial and lb axial is suitable, however 0 lb radial and lb axial is not. Maybe because without enough radial load the inner piece would dislocate from the outer piece.

So could you use a spherical plain thrust bearing beside a spherical plain radial bearing?

Thanks,
J

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 There are many different types of bearings available today with very little information on the differences between them. Maybe you&#;ve asked yourself &#;which bearing will be best for your application?&#; Or &#;how do I choose a bearing?&#; This bearing selection guide will help you answer those questions.

First off, you need to know that most bearings with a rolling element fall into two broad groups:

1. Ball bearings
2. Roller bearings

Within these groups, there are sub-categories of bearings that have unique features or optimized designs to enhance performance.

In this bearing selection guide, we&#;ll cover the four things you need to know about your application in order to choose the right type of bearing.

Find the Bearing Load & Load Capacity

Bearing loads are generally defined as the reaction force a component places on a bearing when in use.

When choosing the right bearing for your application, first you should find the bearing&#;s load capacity. The load capacity is the amount of load a bearing can handle and is one of the most important factors when choosing a bearing.

Bearing loads can either be axial (thrust), radial or a combination.

Link to Hangzhou Journal Bearing

An axial (or thrust) bearing load is when force is parallel to the axis of the shaft.

A radial bearing load is when force is perpendicular to the shaft. Then a combination bearing load is when parallel and perpendicular forces produce an angular force relative to the shaft.

To learn more about axial and radial ball bearings, contact our team of engineers!

How Ball Bearings Distribute Loads

Ball bearings are designed with spherical balls and can distribute loads over a medium-sized surface area. They tend to work better for small-to-medium-sized loads, spreading loads via a single point of contact.

Below is a quick reference for the type of bearing load and the best ball bearing for the job:

• Radial (perpendicular to the shaft) and light loads: Choose radial ball bearings (also known as deep groove ball bearings). Radial bearings are some of the most common types of bearings on the market.
• Axial (thrust) (parallel to the shaft) loads: Choose thrust ball bearings
• Combined, both radial and axial, loads: Choose an angular contact bearing. The balls contact the raceway at an angle which better supports combination loads.

Roller Bearings & Bearing Load

Roller bearings are designed with cylindrical rollers that can distribute loads over a larger surface area than ball bearings. They tend to work better for heavy load applications.

Below is a quick reference for the type of bearing load and the best roller bearing for the job:

For more information, please visit Industrial Combined Journal Bearings.

• Radial (perpendicular to the shaft) loads: Choose standard cylindrical roller bearings
• Axial (thrust) (parallel to the shaft) loads: Choose cylindrical thrust bearings
• Combined, both radial and axial, loads: Choose a taper roller bearing