Thin-section bearing from Findling Wälzlager | Findling Wälzlager

Thin-section bearing: quality with a small cross section

Thin-section bearings are great for solving problems in applications where there is little installation space, but only if they are selected and used professionally. Findling Wälzlager GmbH has built up special expertise in this regard. This allows typical problems to be avoided from the outset, and the customer benefits from consistently high quality standards, regardless of whether they’re in the standard or premium segments.

The defining feature of thin-section bearings can be inferred from their name, but the thin inner and outer rings of the components are both a blessing and a curse. “Thin-section bearings don’t need much installation space and are readily used in applications where large shaft diameters are desired in cases of very small bearing cross sections,” explains Klaus Findling, Findling Wälzlager’s Managing Director. “However, there are design challenges when it comes to slender bearings, which manufacturers solve well at times and not so well at others.” A bit of background: Thin inner and outer rings are elastic. True running only occurs when the bearings are mounted on the shaft. It is therefore important to ensure a high level of precision for the shafts.

The delicate structure of the rings and the out-of-roundness in the uninstalled state also cause problems with regard to sealing technology. A gap is often formed such that the seal does not rest on the inner ring, which the customer perceives as a defect. “This is why some premium manufacturers no longer offer classic 2RS seals but only non-contact designs. You can, of course, also get around this dilemma,” comments Klaus Findling. Last but not least, not much space is available for cages in thin-section bearings due to the small cross sections. Because of this, cages are often designed to be very thin in order to prevent undesirable contact with seals and dust shields. However, thin cages very easily hit their load limits during oscillating movements, which causes cage fracturing and total failure.

“As part of our extensive service portfolio we also offer professional damage analysis. We act as an independent partner and therefore have a good overview of which problems occur when using low-quality thin-section bearings,” says Klaus Findling. “Quality problems in procurement can only be avoided if you have many years of experience with the subject matter as well as precise monitoring of manufacturing processes, as is done in a very consistent fashion at Findling.” Intensive supplier audits and quality checks allow our experts to avoid typical problems with thin-section bearings and provide customers with the best quality on a consistent basis, regardless of the performance class.

Findling Wälzlager’s product range includes thin-section bearings with inner diameters ranging from 3 mm to 220 mm. Maximum precision is even guaranteed for the 67 series with an extremely thin cross section. The thin-section bearings are available in both chrome and stainless steel designs. Food-safe greasing is also possible upon request. In the automotive industry, thin-section bearings are used, for example in cornering light controls. Thanks to their compact dimensions, they are also an ideal choice for rotary encoders, draw-wire encoders, medical pumps, drum motors and precision motors, as well as various applications in precision engineering.

Customers benefit from high quality
  • New products
  • Thin section bearings
  • Stainless steel
  • Deep-groove ball bearings
  • Industries
  • ABEG eXtreme