Product category:
Bearings
News Release from: Schaeffler (UK) | Subject: Series KS linear ball bearings
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 09 November 2001
Linear ball bearing gives smoother
recirculation
A new range of linear ball bearings from INA offers an excellent price/performance ratio and decisive technical advantages over conventional designs.
A new range of linear ball bearings from INA offers an excellent price/performance ratio and decisive technical advantages over conventional designs Bearings of series KS are available for metric shafts of 12 to 50 mm diameter and bearings of series KX are available for inch size shafts of 1/2 to 2 inch diameter
The bearings can compensate for misalignment and deflection of the shaft since the rows of recirculating balls run in self-aligning segments in the outer ring.
Due to the innovative design of the segments, all the balls in the ball track are aligned to the shaft.
This gives smoother recirculation and allows larger misalignment angles to be compensated.
These bearings can compensate for misalignment up to 40 angular minutes in either direction, corresponding to a total alignment range of more than one degree.
A significant increase in load carrying capacity has been achieved by incorporating a large number of ball tracks, with each segment generally containing two rows of balls.
The bearings are available in closed versions for plain shafts and in open versions with a vee-shaped cutout for use with shaft and support rail units.
The metric size bearings have four double row segments in the closed version, while the open version has two double row and two single row segments.
The inch size bearings are of a slightly different design and have ten rows of balls in most of the closed versions and eight rows in the open versions.
The segments in the metric size bearings are longer, thus compensating for the lower number of ball tracks.
Maintenance-free operation of the bearing throughout its operating life in many applications is possible due to the integral lubricant reservoir directly adjacent to each pair of ball tracks in the segment.
The bearing can thus be charged with a much larger initial grease volume.
Even if relubrication is required, it is only necessary at much less frequent intervals.
Relubrication and location of the metric size bearings is aided by one or two openings, depending on the size.
These openings are designed to be compatible with the fixing holes in comparable bearings from other manufacturers, giving a high degree of interchangeability.
Lubricant is retained in the bearing by double lip contact seals, which also protect the bearing against the ingress of contamination.
The contact seals have a "floating" arrangement so that the seal can accommodate shaft misalignment without increased resistance to displacement.
Alternatively, the bearings can be supplied with gap seals.
These bearings are suitable for a wide range of applications including materials handling and packaging, food processing, printers and plotters, edge gluing, sliding windows and safety guards, woodworking, exercise equipment and precision applications such as inspection and test equipment, engraving machines and robotics.
A wide range of bearing and housing units based on these bearings is available, allowing a high degree of versatility in positioning and location.
The range includes housing units with one or two bearings and two or four fixing holes.
Further information on these innovative bearings is given in two INA publications: MAI 70 on the inch size bearings KX and MAI 71 on the metric series KS. Request a free brochure from Schaeffler (UK) ...
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