Bearings are used in all sorts of machinery and equipment and help to facilitate the movement of various components as well as helping to distribute the weight. Roller bearings work by having component pieces which are designed to, as the name suggests, move freely and roll. Roller bearings work well as due to their nature there is very little friction or resistance to stop the movement. There are many varieties of roller bearing that you can choose from and one such option is the needle roller bearing. Needle roller bearings differ from other bearings in their compact design. As bearings play such an important part in many processes it is essential that you use roller bearings which are suited to your requirements and designed for the purpose you intend to use them for.

You may find that sometimes there is a limited amount of space available within an application for the bearings to be housed. In situations like this, installing needle roller bearings can be the best option as they are more compact than other roller options and have a lower mass. The lower mass and small nature of needle roller bearings might at first appear to be a disadvantage but in fact the opposite is true. Needle roller bearings have a high capacity and are able to manage heavy loads and higher capacities without suffering damage. The smaller size of these bearings means that you might be able to reduce the size of your machinery or the space that it needs to occupy. Although they are able to handle high capacity and heavy loads, needle roller bearings like all bearings and sensitive equipment can occasionally be sensitive to some misalignment. For this reason it is vital that you look after them properly as you would with any piece of equipment and pay attention to their maintenance.

Some of the possible advantages of using needle roller bearings rather than other types of bearings are their ability to handle heavy loads whilst at the same time maintaining low levels of vibration and noise which can make a difference to the operation. Lower levels of vibration can reduce the risk of any damage being caused or any potential problems from arising. Needle roller bearings are also able to operate at a high speed. As a result of their properties and abilities, needle roller bearings are often used in robotics and refrigeration units where they are suited to the job. SKF produce needle roller bearings and they are a useful option due to their low height and heavy load bearing abilities.

If you have limited space within your equipment and machinery for bearings then needle roller bearings could be the perfect solution because of their low height and low mass. If you need bearings which will be capable of handling heavy weights and loads but also maintaining high speeds, then again, choosing to install needle roller bearings could be the best option for you. Installing the right bearings for the job can make all the difference.