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Electrification has really brought ball bearings back into focus as the primary bearing in our drive systems. Some boxes have tapers on the slower shafts for stiffness and others are using a ball/cylindrical combo for efficiency. Regardless, we all face the same challenge on the primary shaft in dealing with the potential of 18,000–20,000+ rpm speeds coming out of the motor. Plenty of applications run 20,000 rpm; what makes the automotive motor unique is, in addition to speed, we are driving huge torques, frequent torque reversals and a huge range of temperatures both internally and geographically. Of course, this all needs to be suited for high-volume manufacturing as well. Adding full ceramic balls, a PEEK cage and a high precision classification is a really easy way to run greater than 20,000 rpm all day but is an expensive option. One bearing alone could hurt the cost competitiveness of your gearbox. In the case where a single bearing can change the landscape of your project, it is worth taking a little time to understand exactly what the drivers of our speed limitations are.
In 1941, the federal Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory set up shop in Cleveland, Ohio. This year, and several name changes later, what is now the NASA Glenn Research Center celebrates its 75th anniversary.
As part of the year-long festivities,
Glenn’s adjunct Lewis Field main campus will be open to the public May 21 and 22, and Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio will hold its open house June 11 and 12.
Power Transmission Engineering is the magazine of mechanical components. When you think of gear drives, bearings, motors, couplings, clutches, brakes and similar products, we want you to think of us. But achieving such front-of-mind presence is one of the most difficult goals in publishing...