Product category:
Bearings and guideways - rotary and linear
News Release from: SMB Bearings | Subject: Bearings
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 05 October 2005
Choosing bearings - chrome and SS
What are the advantages of chrome and stainless steel respectively - bearing company highlights the advantages and disadvantages, which will help when specifying bearings.
What are the advantages of chrome and stainless steel respectively? Its not just about corrosion resistance Chrome steel (high carbon chromium steel) is the most commonly used steel for bearings
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 18 Oct 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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It is harder than stainless steel so gives longer life ratings.
However it does not perform as well at higher temperatures.
Above 120 deg C it undergoes greater dimensional changes and load capacity reduces.
Intermittent temperatures up to 150C can be tolerated but a constant 150 deg C or even higher would reduce bearing life.
Heat treatement will allow the bearing to cope with roughly 170 deg C constant.
The most common grade of stainless steel for bearings is 440.
It is hardenable and tough enough to take heavy loads (about 20% less than chrome steel) but is corrosion resistant and should cope with constant temperatures of up to 250 deg C constant and 300 deg C intermittent.
It is often wrongly assumed that all stainless steel is non magnetic.
440 stainless certainly is magnetic.
It is also not completely corrosion resistant and is affected by salt water and many acids/alkalis.
316 grade is far more corrosion resistant (hence the nickname "marine grade") and non magnetic but much softer and can only cope with small loads and speeds.
As it is not hardenable, it cannot easily be ground so 316 bearings are semi precision with a rougher feel.
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