Needle Bearings

Needle bearings, also known as needle roller bearings, are a type of roller bearing that uses long, thin cylindrical rollers instead of spherical balls to reduce friction. The name “needle” comes from the fact that the rollers are thin like a needle.

Needle bearings are designed to handle high radial loads with relatively low axial loads. They have a high surface area to volume ratio, which allows them to handle heavy loads while maintaining a compact size. The needle rollers also have a large contact surface area with the races, which helps to distribute the load evenly and reduce wear.

Needle bearings are commonly used in applications where space is limited, such as in automotive transmissions, power tools, and aerospace equipment. They are also used in applications that require high precision and reliability, such as in medical equipment and robotics.

Overall, needle bearings provide a cost-effective and efficient solution for reducing friction and handling high radial loads in a compact design.