Stainless steel bearings usually have deep raceway grooves and are also composed of an inner ring, an outer ring, rolling elements, and a cage, just like common bearings. The materials of this type of bearings--Stainless steel, is a corrosion-resistant alloy that has stronger rust and corrosion resistance than ordinary bearings, which makes stainless steel bearings more reliable in working environments exposed to harsh environments or corrosive substances.
2. Stainless steel bearings classification
Common types of stainless steel bearings are as follows:
(1) 304 Stainless Steel Bearings The major compositions for 304 stainless steel bearings are chromium and nickel, which have excellent corrosion resistance, formability, and high-temperature resistance. This type of stainless steel bearings are widely used in food processing, chemical equipment, medical apparatus, and more.
(2) 316 Stainless Steel Bearings The major compositions for 316 stainless steel bearing are chromium, nickel and molybdenum. Compared with 304, 316 stainless steel bearings provide better anti-corrosion performance, particularly for chloride attack environments. These types of stainless steel bearings find wide application in marine surroundings, chemical as well as pharmaceutical industries.
(3) 440C Stainless Steel Bearings
The 440C stainless steel is the most used stainless steel for bearings. It is a high-carbon stainless steel, and both its composition of chromium and carbon are very high. Its properties included are high hardness and strength, resistance to corrosion, wear, etc. Therefore, 440C stainless steel bearings could be extended to high-load and high-wear applications.
(4) 420 Stainless Steel Bearings
This stainless steel material is known for having a high strength level and hardness. It can be subjected to hardening methods through heat treatment. These kinds of stainless steel bearings would work just great in applications that involve high hardness with wear resistance, though not necessarily in highly corrosive environments.
3. Stainless steel bearings characteristics
(1) Corrosion resistance: Stainless steel bearings are not easy to rust and have strong corrosion resistance.
(2) Hygiene: Stainless steel materials are easy to clean and will not produce pollutants.
(3) High temperature resistance: Stainless steel bearings can withstand high temperature environments, especially some high-grade stainless steels (such as 316, 440C), which are suitable for working under high temperature or extreme temperature changes.
(4) Durability: Heat-treated high-carbon stainless steels (such as 420 and 440C) have high hardness and wear resistance, and the bearings have a long service life.
( 5) Anti-magnetic: Some stainless steel bearings (such as austenitic stainless steel) are anti-magnetic and perform well in environments that require no magnetic interference.
4. Stainless steel bearings application
Stainless steel bearings are widely used in various industries due to their anti-rust, corrosion resistance, and durability. The main application fields include:
(1) Food and beverage industry: Since stainless steel bearings are not subject to rust and are easy to clean, they have a suitable application in food machinery that is under great demand for hygiene requirements. For instance, food processing machineries, packaging equipment, beverage production lines, etc.
(2) Marine engineering industry: Ships, offshore oil platforms, and other marine equipment are generally working under salt, humidity, oxidation, etc., stern conditions, the stainless steel bearings can resist corrosion by salt water and harsh sea environments, ensuring long-term use of equipment stably.
(3) Medical equipment: Stainless steel bearings have high cleanliness, good anti-magnetic, corrosion resistance, and sterilization resistance, which are in popular application in various medical apparatus, surgical instruments, imaging equipment, and precision diagnostic apparatus.
(4) Chemical and pharmaceutical industries: Stainless steel bearings are tolerant to corrosive substances and extreme environments and its application in chemical equipment and pharmaceutical machinery has certain advantages.
(5) Automobile and aerospace: Stainless steel bearings are widely used in the automotive and aerospace fields because of their properties like corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, hygiene, and easy cleaning, etc.
(6) Textile machinery: Stainless steel bearings are used in the complex environment of textile equipment due to their wear resistance and low friction characteristics, etc.
(7) Electronic equipment: Stainless steel bearings are often used in electronic equipment, precision instruments, and micromotors, etc., applications due to their good anti-magnetic properties, ensuring that the equipment operates stably in an environment without magnetic interference.
