1 Ball Bearing, 7 Pieces, 2 Billion Varieties

At first glance, the design of a ball bearing is clear: an inner ring is mounted with an outer ring, the appropriate balls and retainer. Then, the ball bearing is combined with the lubricant adapted to the requirements of use and, if necessary, a shield to protect against contamination.

Due to the numerous rules and recommendations for installation in the bearing area, the external dimensions of the different ball bearing manufacturers differ only in nuances. The large differences are evident in the internal values ​​of the ball bearing, the materials used for the rings and seals, the number of balls and their diameter, the surface structure and the precision of the profile, as well as the lubricant used.

350,000 RPM separable ball bearing GRW has, as required, three different materials to choose from for ball bearing rings. You can choose between 100Cr6, X65Cr13 (SS) or X35CrMoN15-1 (SV30).

Regardless of whether the customer's focus is on hardness, operating temperature or corrosion resistance, in the hardening process developed by GRW, the desired properties can be specifically invoked and implemented in the internal hardening workshop. In order to obtain additional functional properties of the bearing ring, coatings can also be provided.
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For a long time, GRW has invested significant development effort in the coating of ball bearings. The objective of this development is, among other things, to improve tribological behavior or increase corrosion resistance. Whether as a dry lubricant to increase dry running properties or for high vacuum use, GRW offers the best solution for every requirement, with now more than 90 different coating varieties. The most recent development in this area is a hybrid band of metal and plastic (patent: EP000001832765B1). In this way, a metal band is coated with a thin and solid PTFE sheet and then formed into a steel tape retainer. Due to the low coefficients of PTFE friction, ball bearings with the lowest friction moments and excellent dry running life can be achieved with this retention liner.

In addition, the most recent procedures are used through PVD (physical vapor deposition) or CVD (chemical vapor deposition) and meet the highest standards of coating quality. An unwanted dissolution of the coating will result in a serious early bearing failure. Therefore, all coating varieties are subject to strict GRW standards and quality tests.

Torlon Snap Retainer The retainer must hold the balls at the same distance from each other and avoid touching each other. In addition, the retainer must have an appropriate design with defined material strengths and balanced elasticity, to withstand the ball bearing load as well as possible.

In addition to the strict tolerance specifications for GRW ball bearing rings with respect to surface finish, shape accuracy and steel purity, the same requirements apply to the design and production of the retainer. There are 3 basic variants for retainers: inner ring, outer ring or ball-controlled retainer. 

These basic types can be combined with 21 different materials. The material selection covers the entire range, from metal tapes for steel tape retainers to special aviation and spaceflight materials, to chemically coupled “PAI - PTFE-cg” plastic for heavy applications for applications with the most high standards of wear behavior, temperature resistance and sterilization capacity.
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Lubricants serve to reduce friction and wear, as well as cooling, shock absorption, sealing effect and corrosion protection. Lubrication can be carried out using greases or oils and / or in special cases solid lubricants. All 3 types are recovered in GRW products. The installation situation of the ball bearing is crucial for the selection of a suitable lubricant. Grease lubrication is recommended for general use at low to medium speeds and, therefore, is the most commonly used type of lubrication. The main part of the lubricating grease consists of base oil and the smallest part consists of the appropriate thickener. The lubrication of the bearings is mainly done with base oil, which releases the thickener in small amounts over time. GRW uses lime soaps, natron soaps, lithium soaps and complex soapy fats.

Oil lubrication is used if grease lubrication cannot be used for technical or economic reasons. This may be the case with high operating temperatures, caused by ambient temperature or frictional heat in the ball bearing. The oils are divided into mineral and synthetic oils. Animal or vegetable oils are not suitable or only suitable to some extent for use in ball bearings. In total, more than 400 lubricants are used in GRW and, therefore, cover a large area of ​​use, from the food industry to aviation and spaceflight.

Various types of shileds in ball bearings Finally, the shield is mounted on the ball bearing as the last component. This should keep the impurities away from the high precision functional surfaces of the bearing and, therefore, produce as little friction as possible. On the other hand, this should keep the lubricant in the bearing. Impurities that get between the ball and the raceway will tip over and damage the processed tracks. To avoid this, contactless protectors and contact protectors are offered, with various sealing qualities.
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With contactless protectors there is no increase in torque, since the protector creates a separation ring. It does not produce friction and, therefore, can be used even at the highest speeds.

With the contact protector, the so-called ball bearing seal touches the shoulder of the inner ring with a defined contact pressure and, therefore, causes a greater moment of friction. Compared to contactless protectors, all contact protectors will wear out over time. Dust protectors are mainly produced from stainless steel or Perbunan rubber reinforced with steelsheets. The established seals are made of a fiberglass reinforced Teflon disc or a synthetic fluorine rubber reinforced with steel sheets. In total there are 63 shield variants to choose from.
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At GRW, individual products are made of these components for the customer's special requirements. Due to a sensible combination strategy of standard and special components, GRW can satisfy the most diverse market requirements and guarantee our customers a competitive advantage.

The extensive and competent advice and design of a ball bearing are the prerequisites for the highest compliance with the established requirements. Even in the development phase of new applications, GRW engineers can provide valuable technical information and, for the most part, also cost savings.

7 TIPS FOR CHOOSING ABRASIVE BLASTING MEDIA

Abrasive blasting, which is the process of using specialized machinery to project or "shoot" media at high speed through a hard surface, can be ideal for removing old finishes. You can also remove rust or prepare the surface to paint.

Here are 7 tips that can help you choose the best abrasive media for your specific shot blasting applications.

How to choose abrasive abrasive media

Better "soft" than sorry

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If you are not sure if the surface you are cleaning can handle a more abrasive material, it is probably best to start with a softer medium. Nutshells or corncobs can be an excellent choice for softer surfaces such as wood, as they do not cause engraving. They also provide the additional benefit of being biodegradable, which makes them one of the most ecological blasting means.

Make it shine with glass beads

If you are looking for a smooth and shiny finish, glass beads may be your best option. Glass beads are generally made of thin glass of soda lime that exerts minimal stress on the surface material. Glass beads are also recyclable and can be used up to 100 times before replacement, which makes them an extremely cost effective option.

Remove paint with aluminum oxide

Aluminum oxide is harder and sharper than glass beads. It is ideal for use in paint removal and general cleaning applications. It is also frequently used for glass engraving.

Choose plastic for automotive and aerospace applications

The plastic is extremely soft, which makes it an ideal way to remove paint from the surface of fiberglass parts. Fiberglass parts are commonly used in the manufacture of automotive, aerospace and marine products, without engraving or peeling. The use of plastic for blasting also produces very low levels of dust.

Use silicon carbide for quick etching

Silicon carbide provides an extremely aggressive cutting action that is ideal for rapid etching of glass, stone or other hard surfaces. It also works well to remove rust or paint.
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Find super tough and aggressive steel media

Media made of carbon steel are available in the form of shot. The steel shot is round in shape and can be used for polishing and polishing applications. Steel sand offers a more angular shape and a sharper texture. It can be used to remove rust, paint or flakes from steel surfaces.

Avoid sand

The terms "sandblasting" and "abrasive blasting" are sometimes used interchangeably. However, many companies are moving away from the sand as a means of blasting for several reasons. The sand contains silica, which is known to cause serious respiratory diseases for workers involved in the sandblasting process. In addition, the sand contains a high moisture content that can cause premature disappearance of blasting equipment.

FoxIndustries now offers abrasive blasting among its metal finishing processes. We are also available to provide reliable media selection advice.

Why Size Matters When Choosing Tumbling Media

Size is everything when choosing the right turning medium for a cleaning job. Ultimately, it will have an impact on the overall quality of the cleaning process. But the size of the parts is also important. In general, the media must be able to clean all surfaces of the parts without housing. So, the trick to achieve the best results is to carefully mix the pieces with the correct size media.

However, making that decision may seem like an easy task. In other words, problems may arise when the size of the media and the parties do not match.

Media Size

It is easy to choose the wrong media size when cleaning certain parts. If that happens, the parts could be damaged or the cleaning work will not be successful.

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In general, larger media are good for quick deburring or finishing. On the other hand, smaller media will take longer to complete thecleaning work.

Different sizes of flip media

In addition to that, the results of the cleaning or polishing work will differ according to the size of the media. Larger media can damage fragile parts, while smaller media cannot. Similarly, larger media will leave rough marks, while smaller media will have a softer impact.

Sometimes, it is okay to mix media of different sizes to get the best results if only one size is ineffective. That is especially true when using steel means to clean metal parts.

Accommodation

Problems with accommodation are common when it comes to turning means. Typically, these problems occur when media gets stuck in parts that have holes or grooves. In other words, housing problems will surely happen when smaller means are used to clean large parts.

As a general rule, the media must be larger than any hole or space in one part. To prevent two pieces from being trapped in an opening, it is better to use media that are at least 70% larger. For example, the angled cutting cylinder means will easily pass through the holes.

The trick is to carefully choose the means that will do the job but will not be hosted in parts.

Use and throw

Constant friction corrodes the turning means. In other words, the media reduce their size due to use for a prolonged period of time. But the speed at which that will happen will depend on the media material. For example, organic media will be reduced in size faster than ceramic media due to wear.

However, means that are gradually reduced can also cause housing problems. Therefore, it is important to keep that aspect in mind as well, as it is easy to ignore.

Parts screening

If the media and parts are similar in size, it can be difficult to separate them after cleaning. In general, the means should be smaller than the parts, but not too small to avoid accommodation. The easiest way to separate parts of the media is to use a screen or a media separator. In some cases, magnets will also do the trick.

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A Guide to Vibratory Finishing Media

What is Vibratory Finishing?

The vibratory finish is the final step in the plating process, and includes the grinding of unwanted burrs, smoothing sharp edges and providing a polished finish. The shape, material and size of the vibrating means vary according to the material, shape and strength of the pieces. The choice of the right finishing medium optimizes the quality of your finished product while providing profitable and mass produced results.

Types of Finishing Media

Finishing media materials include:

• Ceramic
• Plastic
• Steel
• Organic compounds

Other means, such as glass beads, are occasionally used; however, in most cases, their parts will end up using one or more of the four main media types.

Ceramics and Plastic Media

Ceramic and plastic media represent eighty to ninety percent of the finishing media. Ceramic media have a relatively high density and are used to grind and polish hard metals such as steel, stainless steel and titanium. Ceramic media also includes porcelain made of pure aluminum oxide. Porcelain is used for finer grinding and produces a high gloss finish.

Ceramic media is strong and durable, but can splinter. The loose chips in the finishing means can be housed in perforations and other small areas in metal parts.

Plastic media usually have a polyester base, but some media may be based on urea or formaldehyde. Plastic media are generally used for "softer" metals, such as aluminum, brass and zinc.

Both ceramic and plastic media are mixed with abrasives during finishing. Common abrasive types include silica, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide and zirconium. Silica, or sand, is used to debur and thaw softer metals. Silicon carbide and aluminum oxide are used for aggressive grinding, usually in harder metals. Zirconium is added to lighter plastic media to add some weight, and is used to finely grind all types of metals.

Steel and Organic Media

The steel means are made of hardened carbon and stainless steel, and are generally used to apply pressure to the pieces of deburred steel, as well as for the polishing of balls and the polishing of stainless steel (and occasionally aluminum).

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At the other end of the steel's resistance spectrum is the organic finishing medium, which includes corncob granules and nutshells. Organic media is mainly used to dry parts after vibratory finishing. It can also be used to produce a high gloss finish in stainless steel, aluminum and other metals when mixed with a polishing paste.

The Importance of Shape

Finishing media come in a variety of sizes, from cylinders and balls to pyramids and sharp-edged stars. The shape of the pieces that are finished generally determines the shape of the finishing medium. For general use, round, oval and cylindrical media are preferred. Rounded surfaces wear well and are less likely to lodge in parts than materials with sharp edges. Round and cylindrical ceramic media also have lower chipping rates.

Triangles, arrowheads and three star shapes are more suitable for finishing complex parts with hard-to-reach sections, but have a higher wear rate and are more susceptible to splintering.

Size also matters when vibrating turning means are selected. Smaller media have more contact with the surface area of ​​the pieces than larger materials and produce a smoother and more attractive surface. Production times are longer for polishing small media, because the smaller finishing material requires smoother processing.

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Larger media produce a rougher surface, but lend themselves to more aggressive grinding. The large finishing material provides quick burr removal and is also effective for rounding sharp edges.

Glass Bead Media

Foxindustries Viscous Materials

The viscosity of its material will influence the effectiveness of its Foxindustries. Generally, the higher the viscosity, the lower the Foxindustries efficiency. Viscosity ratings for your Foxindustries are often given in centipoise (cP) or millipascal-second (mPas; 1 cP = 1 mPas). The ratings may vary from 1000 cP for simple hand-rotor-stator Foxindustries to 10,000 cP for high-power table models. To quickly estimate the viscosity of your sample, you can compare it with the known viscosity of the common materials shown in the following scheme and see how it compares with the viscosity classification of your Foxindustries.

The effect of viscous materials on Foxindustries depends on the type of Foxindustries used, but it is generally true that the higher the output power, the better the mixture of more viscous materials. For probe-based Foxindustries (ultrasonic or rotor stator), the volume that can be processed efficiently decreases significantly (up to an order of magnitude) with increasing viscosity. Mixing cycles should also be kept as short as possible (3 minutes maximum) to avoid overheating the engine.

Generally, the effectiveness of rotor-stator Foxindustries decays rapidly with increasing viscosity. 10000 cP is usually the maximum processable viscosity with rotor-stator Foxindustries. To improve the mixture of viscous samples, separate probe heads can be used. For example, PRO scientific baffle heads are specially designed to improve the Foxindustries of higher viscosity materials. It is advisable to move the rotor-stator as much as possible so that all areas of viscous materials are mixed.

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Ultrasonic Foxindustries are somewhat less affected by the viscosity of their material. They are based on pressure waves that create bubbles. The collapse of these bubbles creates energy that disrupts the material and allows mixing. Materials with higher viscosity move less easily than more watery ones and, therefore, exert pressure on the bubbles, which makes the mixture more efficient. This, however, only works up to a certain viscosity. If your material becomes too viscous, it cannot be processed effectively. A good rule of thumb is that "if you can't pour it, you can't sonicate it."

Ball mill Foxindustries are much less suitable for viscous materials, since they use beads to Foxindustries the material. If the accounts cannot pass freely through the material, they cannot Foxindustries it.

High pressure Foxindustries use high pressure to force your sample through small slits. In order for them to work properly, your sample must be fluid enough to be effectively pumped.

There are some vision tricks to overcome some of the difficulties in Foxindustries viscous samples and processing highly viscous materials without significantly diminishing the effectiveness of their Foxindustries. The viscosity of a material decreases with increasing temperature. Therefore, performing Foxindustries at higher temperatures will generally provide better mixing results. It is important to check the decomposition temperature of your material before Foxindustries it at higher temperatures so that it does not destroy your sample. Another way to decrease the viscosity of your material is by adding surfactant and emulsifiers. These can break the internal resistance and allow the material to move more freely and, therefore, become less viscous.

No matter what type of Foxindustries you use, mixing viscous materials will always be more difficult than mixing aqueous mixtures. You can realize this by processing smaller batches of material and, for handheld devices, by moving the mixing head more rigorously to improve Foxindustries. 

Alternatively, you can increase the processing temperature or add surfactants and emulsifiers to your sample to decrease its viscosity.