Factors affecting bearing clearance

Bearing clearance is an important parameter of the bearing. It refers to the distance that one ring is fixed and the other ring can move along the radial direction of the bearing when the bearing is not installed. The selection of bearing clearance directly affects the rotation accuracy, load capacity and service life of the bearing. So what are the factors that affect bearing clearance?

Manufacturing accuracy

The precision of bearing manufacturing directly affects the size of bearing clearance. Errors generated during the manufacturing process will cause changes in the relative position between the inner and outer rings of the bearing and the rolling elements, thereby affecting the bearing clearance.

operating temperature

During the operation of the bearing, heat is generated due to friction, which causes the temperature of the bearing to rise, thereby causing thermal expansion of the bearing material. This will cause the bearing clearance to decrease or even disappear, so choosing the appropriate thermal clearance is very important to ensure the normal operation of the bearing.

Preload

For bearings that need to withstand a certain preload force, such as tapered roller bearings, thrust bearings, etc., the size of the preload force will also affect the change of bearing clearance. The greater the preload force, the more the bearing clearance is reduced, which may even cause the rolling elements to come into contact with the rings and cause friction.