Needle Bearings

Needle bearings are widely used industrial bearings, having roller bearings of high length-to diameter ratios. Mostly used in farm and construction equipment, gear pumps, gasoline engines, and other engine components like rocker arm pivots, compressors, pumps, and transmissions, these needle bearings are lubricated with grease and oil. Oil based lubricants when used in needle bearings work for their longevity and smoothness. The small rollers found in needle bearings have the highest load capacity for a given radial space of all rolling bearings.

Features of Needle Bearings

• Higher load-carrying capacity
• A smaller cross-section
• Lower inertia forces
• Greater rigidity
• Facilitates size and weight reductions in machinery
• Withstand oscillation
• Interchange with sliding bearings.
• Perform under severe conditions

Types of Needle Bearings
Loose - needle bearings refer to full complement of needles placed within the annular space between two hardened machine components. This structure forms the bearing raceways minus any retainers. Needle bearings are sensitive to misalignment and render a moderate speed capability to the bearing assembly.

Caged assemblies refer to the roller arrangement where the retainer is placed between two hardened machine elements which act as raceways. The have greater speed capacity than loose - needle bearings. The only draw back is that the smaller complement of needles reduces load capacity for the caged assemblies.

Drawn-cup, full-complement needle bearings consist of a deep-drawn cup with a full complement of needles. In some, the needles are retained by the cup lips, in others by the grease.

Drawn-cup, caged needle bearings are identical to full-complement bearings, except that a cage is used. They provide higher speeds and reduced load bearing capacity and have better tolerance for misalignment.

Heavy-duty needle bearings have a heavy outer ring made from materials, load capacity is higher.

Bearing Types :
Needle Bearings | Cylindrical Bearings | Sleeve Bearings | Spherical Bearings | Ball Bearings | Linear Bearings | Roller Bearings | Radial Bearings | Y-Bearings, Track Bearings | Thrust Bearings