Advantages of Bearing Ball With Hard Alloy
Normally, ball bearings reduce rotational friction and support radial and axial loads. They are made up of at least two races to contain balls that rotate as the outer ring of the bearing is rotated.
There are many types of ball bearings. Some are ceramic and others use hard alloys. The material chosen will depend on the application and the operating conditions.
Hardness
Balls can be made from many materials, ranging from a simple brass or copper, to a stainless steel alloy. The choice of material depends on the specific application, operational and environmental conditions, and performance requirements.
NHBB manufactures precision mini- and instrument Tungsten carbide ball bearings. They use a variety alloys to increase hardness, corrosion resistance and fatigue life. These include 440C stainless, 52100 chrome and BG42(r), alloys.
Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination of inner races from a small and large seized bearing, as well as one ball with surface spalling each, showed electrical pitting and fine localized arc strike etching on the races. These fine pits were accompanied with light and white etching layers.
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Corrosion Resistance
Bearings' durability is determined by their corrosion resistance. It allows them to operate in harsh environments without corroding or degrading.
Because stainless steel is more resistant than other metals, it is often used in Ball bearing. This is especially important in clean-room and food-grade environments.
Chrome steel is another common alloy for ball bearings because it has low chromium content but is hard and strong. Although it is less resistant to corrosion than 440C stainless, it is strong enough to withstand high temperatures.
Silicon nitride, another material, combines high strength and creep resistance with resistance to oxidation. It is a very expensive material, but it can be made into extremely durable balls for extreme environments. It can be used in marine environments, etching equipment and other applications that require excellent corrosion resistance. It is also a very tough material that can withstand extremely low temperatures.
Wear Resistance
The main purpose of a bearing is to prevent direct metal-to-metal contact between the contacting elements in relative motion, thus avoiding friction and heat generation. It also transmits radial and axial loads from the rotating element to the housing.
Wear resistance is another advantage of Tungsten ball bearing that are made from hard alloy. They are more resistant to impact and abrasion that ball bearing steels.
These ball bearings are used for high speed and heavy loads applications such as turbines and jet engines, and dentistry equipment. These materials can be 40% lighter than steel bearing balls, which reduces centrifugal loading as well as skidding.
Ceramic hybrid bearings are usually made with stainless steel rings and a porcelain ball. These bearings are 20% to 40% more efficient than conventional bearings because of the lower centrifugal force in their outer race groove. This reduces friction and rolling resistance.
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Toughness
Tough alloys can withstand high temperatures and be used in harsh environments. They can also be heated treated to increase their resistance to corrosion.
Stainless steels are a good choice for bearing ball bearings because they can withstand high temperatures, and can be treated with different surface treatments. They have a higher chromium content than carbon steel and can resist corrosion better.
The most common alloy used to produce ball bearings is 52100 chrome steel. It has a high carbon content and 1.5% chromium and is able to be hardened to a very hard surface through controlled processing.
The material is not dimensionally stable at ambient temperature because it retains austenite. This can cause problems for precision bearings (ABEC 5P-7P, 9P) over time. This is why the steel is thermally stabilized by repeated cycles of chilling at 120 F and tempering to transform a substantial portion of the retained ausstenite into martensite. This makes it much harder and less likely that it will crack under rolling contact fatigue conditions.