Feature

When to use a thin section bearing to boost performance?

It would be difficult to imagine how the modern industrial age would have developed without…bearings. Every kind of machine that requires motion makes use of bearings in some way, to smooth its path and reduce friction.

01/03/2022 14:50:53

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Such an important piece of technology has a long and well-documented history, stretching back to the Stone Age. A huge leap forward in the development of bearings was helped
by improved metal-forming processes at the start of the industrial age. This is when Philip Vaughan received a patent for a ball bearing made of steel in 1794, the
design of which became the basic blueprint for today’s ball bearing.

Fast forward to now, and the ubiquitous ball bearing and bearing assemblies continue to be vital motion control components
within a huge range of industrial and manufacturing machines. Today, the rapidly increasing demands of robotics and advanced automation have seen the development of more compact, lightweight thin section
bearings. These high-precision components have become essential across many industries. For example, aerospace, defence, satellite systems, optical lenses, semiconductor manufacturing, and camera gimbals.

Read the full article in the March issue of DPA

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.