Thin section bearings have small cross-sections regarding their diameter. Thin section bearings are made to save space, lower the weight on the design and reduce rubbing. Thin and extra thin section bearings are available in inch or metric different sizes and in chrome or stainless. These ranges are additionally available with cages with regard to high-speed applications, and with extended inner rings. Thin section bearings are produced to industry standard types. The bearing widths and distance from bore to help outside diameter remains constant whatever the change in bore diameter.

Standard bearing installation practices may be used in conjunction with thin section bearings. Both the inner and outer rings can merely be pushed into position, on the housing together with shaft respectively. Installation should only be performed in the clean, contamination free area as thin section bearings lack seals and grit or other contaminants could easily get into the bearings and disrupt their performance.

Due to the large diameters and thin sections of these bearings, it is important to address measurement together with inspection. To accurately measure the bore diameter and also the outside diameter of a lot of these thin section bearings special procedures has to be followed. Special gages allow three to five measurements around the circumference of the diameter to be applied. These measurements are then averaged to determine the true measurement of the bearing inside unmounted free state. This process allows for inherent out-of-roundness.

Load ratings and bearing dimensional data may be compiled from industry standard data and ABMA and ANSI information and formulas to your thin section bearing app. To calculate the theoretical L10 lifetime in hours while which include application dynamic loading, application speeds (rpm) and defined catalog load capacities (C) operate the following industry standard solution.

Using the catalog load capacities where:

L10 = 06, 667/S * (C/P)3

P = application applied download

C = dynamic rating in catalog

S = use speed in RPM

L10 = theoretical showing L10 life in hours

Thin section ball bearings usually are used in applications using space, weight, and insert constraints. Some typical functions for standard thin-section ball bearings include machine equipment, packaging and textile equipment, satellite systems, medical equipment, radar and material dealing with equipment, satellite equipment, aerospace, optical and manufacturing equipment.