What Are Cam Followers And How Do They Aid Bearing Solutions?

A cam follower, or track follower, is a type of bearing that comes in two parts. The first part is the cam, a mechanical pierce that slides or rotates in a specific motion. The second part is the follower, a traveling component that moves along the cam’s surface. This bearing is highly versatile and can be used for all different types of machinery, including vehicles and pumps.

The application of cam followers is part of the reason this bearing is so unique. While there are differences in cam followers, the typical bearing is made in a cylindrical roller fashion and is attached to its machine component using a hexagonal nut. This unit is often mounted to its mate using either a yoke or stud style cam follower. This bearing makes for a quick, simple, and convenient attachment.

Cam followers are designed to recreate specific motions and contain anti-friction elements that allows them to take on high radial loads. One of the upsides of using cam followers is that they are able to evenly distribute loads while reducing distortion and absorbing shock through their thick outer rings. Variations of this roller bearing allows for high speeds but decreased loads, and may allow the bearing to hold more lubrication over a longer period of time. This ensures your bearings stay smooth, operate fluidly, and stay free of harmful debris and road salts that can cause decay in your bearings.

Need help selecting a particular bearing for your application? At VNC bearings, we know our cam followers. Already know what you need? Visit our online catalog of Cam Followers, or contact us at 800-862-3211 for more information on how to best use cam followers and get the best life out of your bearings.

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.