Classification of bearing depending upo
Description
Sr. No. Type Sub-Type
1 Rolling contact bearing i) Deep Grove Ball Bearing
ii) Angular Contact Bearing
iii) Thrust Ball Bearing
iv) Cylindrical Roller Bearing
v) Needle Bearing
The race dimensions are close to the
dimensions of the balls that run in it.
Kinematically this gives a point of contact
between balls and the races. Hence, the
bals and races may roll freely without any
sliding.
An angular contact ball bearing uses
axially asymmetric races. An axial load
passes in a straight line through the
bearing, whereas a radial load takes an
oblique path that tends to want to
separate the races axially.
This bearing consists of a row of balls
running between two rings - the shaft ring
and the housing ring. This bearing carry
thrust load in only one direction and can
not carry any radial load.
This bearing consists of relatively short
rollers that are positioned and guided by
the cage.
Needle roller bearings use very long and
thin cylinders.A Needle Bearing is a roller
bearing with rollers whose length are at
least four times their diameter. Radial
needle bearings are cylindrical and use
rollers parallel to the axis of the shaft.
Thrust needle bearings are flat and use a
radial pattern of needles.

vi) Cylindrical Roller Thrust
Bearing
vi) Taper Roller Bearing
vii) Spherical roller Bearing
vii) self aligning ball bearing
2 Sliding Contact Bearing i) Plain Bearing/ journal Bearing
Needle roller bearings use very long and
thin cylinders.A Needle Bearing is a roller
bearing with rollers whose length are at
least four times their diameter. Radial
needle bearings are cylindrical and use
rollers parallel to the axis of the shaft.
Thrust needle bearings are flat and use a
radial pattern of needles.
Roller thrust bearings consist of small
cylindrical rollers arranged flat with their
axes pointing to the axis of the bearing.
The inner and outer ring raceways are
segments of cones and the rollers are
also made with a taper so that the conical
surfaces of the raceways and the roller
axes if projected, would all meet at a
common point on the main axis of the
bearing.
Spherical roller bearings use rollers that
are thicker in the middle and thinner at
the ends; the race is shaped to match.
Spherical roller bearings use rollers that
are thicker in the middle and thinner at
the ends; the race is shaped to match.
Self-aligning ball bearings are
constructed with the inner ring and ball
assembly contained within an outer ring
that has a spherical raceway. This
construction allows the bearing to tolerate
a small angular misalignment resulting
from deflection or improper mounting.
A plain bearing is the simplest type
of bearing, comprising just a bearing
surfaceand no rolling elements.
Therefore the journal slides over the
bearing surface.
 A plain bearing is the simplest type
of bearing, comprising just a bearing
surfaceand no rolling elements.
Therefore the journal slides over the
bearing surface.

ii) Fulid/Hydrostatic bearing Fluid bearings are bearings which solely

support the bearing's loads on a thin
layer of liquid or gas. Sub-types include
Thrust and Journal bearing.

3 Magnetic Bearing A magnetic bearing is a bearing which

supports a load using magnetic levitation.

4 Flexure Bearing A flexure bearing is a bearing which

allows motion by bending a load element.
epending upon the type of friction
Advantages
1. High Load carrying capacity due to relatively
large size of balls.
2. Takes load in radial as well as axial direction.
3. Due to point of contact, frictional loss and
resultant temp is less, therefore this bearing gives
excellent performance in high-speed applications.
1. Angular contact bearings better support
"combined loads".
2. One side of the groove in the outer race is cut
away to permit the insertion of more number of
balls, therefore the load carrying capacity is more
that that of depp groove ball bearing.
1. The use of large number of balls result in high
thrust carrying capacity in smaller space.
1. Due to line of contact between rollers and races,
load carrying capacity is high.
2. Is more rigid than ball bearing.
3. The coefficient of friction is less in high-speed
applications.
1. Needle bearings have a large surface area that
is in contact with the bearing outer surfaces
compared to ball bearings.
Disadvantages
1. Not self aligining
2. has poor rigiidity compared to roller
bearing due to point of contact.
1. Two bearing are required to take thrust
load in either direction.
2. This bearing must be mounted without
axial play.
3. required initial pre-loading.
1. Cannot take radial load.
2. Not self-aligning and cannot tolerate
misalignment.
3. At high speeds, give poor service
because balls are subjected to centrifugal
forces and gyroscopic couple.
4. Does not operate as well on horizontal
shafts as they do on vertical.
5. Requires continuous pressure applied by
springs to hold the rings together.
1. Cannot take thrust load.
2. Not self-aligning and cannot tolerate
misalignment.
3. generates more noise.
1. The small-diameter rollers must bend
sharply where they contact the races, and
thus the bearing fatigues relatively quickly.

2. Additionally there is less added clearance so
they are much more compact.
1. They give very good carrying capacity and are
cheap
2. They are relatively insensitive to shock loads,
are very stiff
3. Require little axial space.
1. Tapered roller bearings support heavy radial
and axial loads due to greater contact area.
2. Has more rigidity
3. Can be easily assembled and disassembled due
to separate parts
1. Can adjust to support misaligned loads
1. The self-aligning ball bearing has the lowest
friction of all rolling bearings, which enables it to
run cooler even at high speeds.
1. Least expensive
2. Compact ang light weight
3. High load carrying capcity.
1. The small-diameter rollers must bend
sharply where they contact the races, and
thus the bearing fatigues relatively quickly.
1. Can only accommodate axial loads
acting in one direction.
2. This bearing tend to wear due to the
differences in radial speed and friction is
higher than with ball bearings.
1. Necessary to use two bearing to balance
the axial force.
2. Necessary to adjust the axial position
with pre-load
3. Cannot tolerate misalignment
4. Costly
1. Are difficult to produce and thus
expensive
2. Hhave higher friction than a comparable
ball bearing since different parts of the
spherical rollers run at different speeds on
the rounded race
1. Can carry less radial and thrust load
compared to spherical roller bearing.
1. High friction results in high power
consumption
2. More susceptible to damage from
impurities in lubrication system

4. Quieter in operation.
1. Relatively cheap
2. Most fluid bearings require little or no
maintenance, and have almost unlimited life.
3. Fluid bearings have very low friction
1. Very low and predictable friction
2. Run without lubrication and in a vacuum.
3. Maintenance free, indefinite life.
1. They are simple and thus inexpensive
2. compact, light weight, have very low friction
3. These are easier to repair without specialized
equipment
4. Lubrication-Free, Maintenance Free
5. Self-Centering, High Radial and Axial Stiffness
2. More susceptible to damage from
impurities in lubrication system
3. life is not limited by fatigue
4. Have more stringent lubrication
requirements.
1. Overall power consumption is typically
higher compared to ball bearings
2. Power consumption and stiffness or
damping greatly vary with temperature
3. Fluid bearings can catastrophically seize
under shock situations
4. Fluid leakage
1. High cost
2. Relatively large size.
3. Need considerable power.
1. The range of motion is limited
2. Very limited for bearings that support
high loads.
 Applications

1.Industrial Gearbox

2. Industrial Electric Motor

3. Textile

4. Agricultural equipment

high-speed, high precision

applications for:

1. Agriculture
2. Chemical
3. General industry
4. Utilities

Where heavy thrust loads are to

be carried.

1. Worm Gearbox

2. Crane hooks

1. Turbine engine mainshafts

2. Transmissions

3. Gearboxes

1. rocket arm pivots

2. Compressors
3. Transmissions

4.Pumps

1. Cars and trucks

2. Propeller shafts and diffrentials

3. Railroad axle-boxes

4. Rolling mills

1. Car suspensions
2. Driveshafts
3. Heavy machinery
4. Sewing machines

1. Agricultural machinery
2. Ventilators
3. Railways axle-boxes/

1. Crankshaft bearing
2. Centrifugal pumps
3. Large size electric motor
4. Steam and gas turbines
5. Rope conveyor
6. Concrete mixer

1. High-speed turbine

2. Generator, pump, compressor

3. Gear drive applications for

power generation

4. Oil and gas industry

1.Compressors, turbines, pumps

2. Motors and generators

3. Maglev trains

1. shock/vibration dampers

2. cam followers

3. Various linkages for industries

which include Material Handling,
automotive, Packaging, Robotics.
Classification of bearings depending upon the direction of the force

Sr. No. Type Description

1 Radial Bearing A radial Bearing supports a load, Which is

perpendicular to the axis of the shaft.

2 Thrust Bearing A thrust bearing supports the load, which acts

along the axis of the shaft

3 Linear Bearing A bearing designed to provide free motion in

one dimension.