Why Should Only One Bearing Support Axial Loads?

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SUMMARY

In mechanical engineering, it is established that for a shaft supported by two bearings, only one bearing should handle both axial and radial loads while the other should only manage radial loads. This configuration prevents the bearings from competing against each other for load distribution, which can lead to inefficiencies. A common practice is to use a roller bearing for axial and radial support and a radial bearing solely for concentricity control. This setup also allows for necessary adjustments due to thermal expansion, making it both practical and economical.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of bearing types, specifically roller bearings and angular contact bearings.
  • Knowledge of axial and radial load concepts in mechanical systems.
  • Familiarity with shaft alignment and concentricity principles.
  • Basic principles of thermal expansion in mechanical components.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the differences between roller bearings and angular contact bearings.
  • Learn about axial and radial load distribution in mechanical systems.
  • Explore shaft alignment techniques and their importance in machinery.
  • Investigate thermal expansion effects on mechanical assemblies and how to accommodate them.
USEFUL FOR

Mechanical engineers, design engineers, and anyone involved in the design and maintenance of rotating machinery will benefit from this discussion.

YongzZ
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Hello,

does anyone know why for a shaft with 2 bearings A and B, why is it not good engineering practice for both bearings to support axial and radial loads? while it is better if one supports axial and radial loads while the other bearing only support radial loads.
 
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If you have two bearings that are taking up axial loads, they will have a tendency to fight each other when it comes to sharing the loading. A common set up is to have one bearing take both axial and radial loads and the other to control the concentricity of the shaft by just taking radial loads. This way one bearing has to worry about endplay, etc...while the other bearing allows for things like length adjustment or expansion due to heating by not constraining the shaft in two directions.

The other reason is economics. It is usually cheaper to find a roller bearing for the job than an angular contact bearing.

Here's a nice introductory article that talks a bit about this issue:
http://www.engineeringtalk.com/news/skf/skf137.html
 
Thank You!
 

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