What Is The Importance Of Rollers And Gears?

If you haven’t brushed up on bearings, you may be wondering what relevance rollers and gears have in machinery. Whether you think about them or not, they’re all around you! Rollers and gears are used in thousands of applications that make life that much more convenient. Before examining why, or if rollers and gears play an important part in machinery, let’s first look at what they are and how they are used.

Rollers
True to their name, roller bearings use “rollers”, or cylinders to create a separation between the moving and non-moving elements of the ball bearings. An early design of “roller bearings” was used when settlers would place logs on the ground and sit a block of stone on top of it, pulling the stone with rope to force the logs beneath to begin rolling  -thereby transporting the stone. Today these bearings are used in your cars clutch, seat, transmission, wheel, steering unit and more, as well as in engineering, skateboards, and even in your own home in items such as your computer, camera, electrical fan, electric oven, food processor, your washing machine and much more.

Roller bearings are capable of supporting heavy radial and some axial loads. With proper lubrication, roller bearings are able to perform at high speeds. There are many different types of roller bearings available, such as cylindrical, tapered, needle, thrust, inner, stud type, and more.

Gears
Have you ever opened up a wristwatch, or seen an old-fashioned clock on the inside? These are the most common display of gears in action. Gears, which look like circular, toothed wheels roll against one another and create some form of motion. This motion can be a decrease or increase in speed. For example, when you push the pedals of your bicycle, gears are pushed into motion which in turn moves your wheels. Gears are commonly used in most moving machinery such as cars, wind-up toys, bicycles, and much more.

So how important are rollers and gears? In short, very! Rollers and gears are used in both professional and home appliances and machinery that is essential to everyday life. At VNC we are all about bearings. If you have questions about bearings, or are looking to have a custom piece made, feel free to call VNC and get a quote today at 800-862-3211.

Lubricating Your Bearings: What You Need to Know

At VNC we know bearings. We also know that you want your ball bearings and roller bearings to last as long as possible without rusting or wearing out. Lubricating your bearings will help to keep them in great shape, and requires little time and energy on your part for something that will benefit your bearings’ performance in the long run.

First start by removing your bearings by using a bearing puller.

Next remove the bearing seals. You may be able to do this with a small screwdriver. Your bearing may having one or two seals to remove before getting to the cage and balls. Be careful not to damage the seals during removal.

Clean your bearings first. You’ll want to remove old grease and grime from the bearings for optimum performance afterwards. You may soak your bearings in alcohol, solvent, or use a pre-packaged bearing cleaner. Soak for several minutes before rinsing with clean solvent.

Now you’ll want to reapply lubricant to your bearings. Start by letting them air dry.  Never use compressed air to spin the bearing without lubrication. Apply the recommended amount of your chosen lubricant and reinstall the seal(s).

Now you’ve completed greasing up those bearings and you’ll be in for a smoother spin. VNC has been around since 1993, building a reputation for supplying high-quality bearings to our customers. At VNC we’re all about bearings. Call us at 800.862.3211 with any questions or to REQUEST A QUOTE.