New high-temperature bearings

Their wide variety of designs with maximum reliability and a particularly long service life make them an impressive product.

What often used to have to be designed as custom-made bearings is now available in Findling Wälzlager’s standard range on short notice. As part of the ABEG eXtreme series, Xtemp bearings for applications at very low and high temperatures. The deep groove ball bearings are optimally adapted to the demanding requirements of extremely high and low temperatures. By using the right materials, it is possible to, for example, prevent uneven volume changes, which preserves the performance of roller bearings. The lubricants and seals of the new series were also selected in such a way that they have a significantly higher service life under the respective thermal conditions.

The Xtemp bearings can be used at temperatures of -54 °C to over 1,000 °C in various designs, but that’s not all: Findling was able to additionally lengthen service life with well thought-out modifications. It is 1.2 to 1.5 times higher than that of Supra type standard bearings. This calculation was carried out for an operating temperature of 120 °C, which is how hot it gets, for example, in electric fans or heater fans. In ovens, grilling devices or waffle baking machines, bearings have to withstand temperatures of up to 250 °C. Deep groove ball bearings made of roller bearing steel (100Cr6) or stainless steel and sealed with resistant Viton are suitable for these applications. A special heat treatment for the materials will, if necessary, provide additional dimensional accuracy. Lubrication with particularly heat-resistant lubricants guarantees optimum operation. Solid lubricants, such as graphite, are an alternative for use in higher temperature ranges.

Things get particularly hot for bearings used in industrial applications, for example in the metallurgical, glass or ceramics industries. Brickworks are a special case. The kiln truck bearings or wheel bearings used there are exposed to temperatures of more than 1,000 °C. This is very clearly a situation that calls for ceramic as a material. Silicon nitride (Si3N4) and silicon carbide (SSiC) are characterized by low thermal expansion, are extremely resistant to chemicals and prevent corrosion and wear. It is also important in high temperature ranges to correctly configure the bearing clearance. A bearing’s functionality must be preserved if the components thermally expand. Seals can no longer be used in these extreme applications. Even the most resistant materials would become damaged under the high heat. However, contamination can be prevented up to about 350 °C using protective covers made of metal or PEEK.