Angular Contact Ball Bearings – Accommodation of combined loads can be done simultaneously

Angular contact ball bearings are a kind of roller element bearings. The name itself suggests roller element bearing either use a ball or roller to carry a load. These types of bearings are ideal to be used in clutches, electric motors, pumps, gearboxes or other high-speed applications. They are commonly used in the wind energy, steel mill, machine tool and materials handling industries.

The angular contact ball bearings are capable of accepting thrust loads in one direction only but they can also be manufactured at different contact angles so that he load acting upon the bearing can be transferred easily.

Following are the ways to adjust the bearings into pairs

Back-to-back arrangement: Can accommodate axial loads or radial loads in either one direction. A large distance is found in between the acting load center of the bearing and hence, a large momentary force load capacity. The size of the misalignment angle is small.

Face-to-face arrangement: Likewise the previous arrangement, this way also accommodates axial loads or radial loads in either one direction. Small distance is found in between the acting load center of the bearing and hence, a smaller momentary force load capacity. But it’s most commonly used for applications where misalignment angle is required. 

Tandom arrangement: It can only accommodate radial loads and single direction axial loads. Axial loads are received by both angular contact ball bearings as a set and therefore heavy axial loads are handled.

The lifespan of angular contact ball bearings is influenced by the slackness to which the bearings are originally set. If the bearings are heavily preloaded or have a breakdown in the lubrication, then possibly the bearings will wear rapidly. Likewise, excessive-end float also results in the track misalignment and shock loading of the roller with a reduced lifespan.