Bearings are an essential feature of a number of objects that we are used to see and use every day, a feature that is not well-known by many people, as it is always hidden. But the production of bearings is a very important business, since without bearings many objects could not work.
But what are bearings? And how do they work? Without giving too specific explanations, and without starting speaking about science and technology using terms that most people might not understand, we can say that bearings are mechanical devices that are used to reduce friction between two objects which rotate or move in a linear way. There are various types of bearings, depending on the type of application and on the way they are built. No wonder that the production of bearings has enormously developed and differentiated since the first bearings were patented in the 18th century. The first patent of a ball bearing dates back to 1794 and was registered by Philip Vaughan in Wales. Almost a century later, more precisely in 1896, it was French Jules Sururay that registered a second patent, but a type of bearing similar to the ones we know nowadays was presented only in 1883. These bearings were launched by Friedrich Fscher. Plastic bearings, bearings for showers and all the other kinds of bearings that are now an essential part of many objects can be considered as the modern descendants of those first models of bearings.
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The bearings that you can find on the market do not belong to only one category. On the contrary, the production of bearings has undergone a great differentiation and development, and nowadays there are various types of bearings, each one with specific peculiarities that make it more suitable for specific uses and applications. When you are to choose a type of bearing, you need to take many factors into consideration, and although there are no fixed rules for the choice of the ideal bearing for each field, still you can follow some general suggestions. First of all, you need to consider some variables of the types of bearings, like space at disposal, loads, speed, noiselessness, rigidness, any incorporated protective devices and so on. Secondly, when you deal with a bearing system, you need to keep in mind that there are other essential features apart from bearings. Choosing the right type of bearing, considering also the most suitable size, is important but not sufficient. You need to consider also the most suitable protective devices, the type of lubricant, the methods of installation and disassembly and so on. Lubricant is notably important, as it prevent the bearing from getting damaged in a short time. Moreover, lubricant is important for other reasons: it reduces friction making the movement of rollers easier; it protects the bearings from external agents; it mitigates the heat caused by movement and friction. There are two main types of bearing lubrication: grease and oil. The first one is more common, as it has more advantages than the latter: grease, indeed, dissipates less that oil and is better at protecting bearings from impurities and corrosion.
Taking all these and other variables into consideration you can choose the best bearings for any situation.
