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Could Your Bearing Be Holding Back Your Design?

Why bearing selection can influence far more than just rotation.

When designing a machine or application, bearings can sometimes be treated as a component to specify later in the process.

But the bearing you choose can have a much bigger impact on the overall design, influencing weight, space, materials, precision and performance.

So, what should engineers consider when selecting a bearing?

Start with the application, not the catalogue

Before selecting a bearing, consider:

→ What loads will it experience? Radial, axial or moment loads or a combination?

→ How much space is available? Is installation space limited, or is a large open centre required?

→ How important is weight? Could reducing the weight of the rotating assembly improve the wider system?

→ What environment will it operate in? Temperature, moisture, contamination, speed and lubrication can all affect bearing selection.

These considerations can quickly make a standard bearing less suitable for the application.

What if the bearing could become part of the design?

This is where wire race bearings offer a different approach.

Unlike conventional bearings, Franke’s wire race bearing technology separates the raceway from the surrounding structure.

That means the bearing can be integrated directly into the application, giving engineers greater freedom over the geometry and materials used.

The bearing doesn’t always have to dictate the design.

Sometimes, the design can dictate the bearing.

Less weight. More design freedom

Wire race bearings can be particularly useful where weight and space are critical.

Because the surrounding structure forms part of the bearing arrangement, engineers can explore lightweight materials and application-specific designs rather than being restricted to a conventional bearing housing.

This can open up possibilities for:

• Compact rotary systems
• Lightweight machinery
• Large-diameter applications
• Robotics and automation
• Medical equipment
• Specialist machinery

Standard or bespoke?

Not every application needs a bespoke bearing.

But when an off the shelf solution doesn’t quite fit the requirements, a customised approach can provide more flexibility.

Franke works with engineers to develop bearing solutions around factors such as:

Load | Size | Speed | Environment | Materials | Mounting | Precision

The result is a bearing solution designed around the application, rather than forcing the application to work around the bearing.

Have an application you’re working on? 

Franke Bearings engineering team can help you explore the possibilities of wire race, rotary and bespoke bearing solutions.

Talk to the UK team to discuss your application: www.frankebearings.co.uk/contact-us/