Bearing Parts Descriptions and Terminology
Ball Bearings Components
The figures below illustrate an assembled Ball Bearing and the terms used to describe each component:
 Standard |
 Shield type |
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 Flange type |
 External Retaining Ring type |
About Ball Bearing Parts
When discussing ball bearing components, it's important to understand that the main parts of the ball bearing are the races and the balls. There is an outer race, which goes into a bore, and the inner race, in which the shaft rides. The balls are placed in between these two parts to create the rolling properties of the ball bearing. Without these basic parts, there is no ball bearing. That being said, there are other bearing parts to consider, like shields, cages, and flanges. Here you can find a description of some of these types of parts that are available through NMB.
Retainers/Cage
The following retainers are available in most of our Ball Bearings.
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Ribbon Retainer/Cage (Symbol R)Made from high precision strip steel, pressed and formed with spherical ball pockets. The male and female retainer halves are caulked together. |
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Crown Retainer/Cage (Symbol H)Made from hardened high precision strip steel and pressed into a shape
form like a crown. |
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Plastic Retainer/Cage (Symbol MN etc.)Plastic retainers are offered in a range of materials, such as Nylon 6/6 with glass fiber, and has an advantage for longer life and lower acoustic noise. |
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Shields and Steels (Enclosures)
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