ENB 04 0761 Rev A Ceramic Ball Bearings

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Ceramic Ball Bearings

Use of Ceramic Materials in Ball Bearings
Today's engineers have many options available to them when faced with extreme, or demanding
operating conditions. This includes the use of ceramic materials that have many benefits in a variety of
applications. The most common use is producing the rolling elements- the balls, from a ceramic
material with the inner and outer rings made from traditional, heat-treated, chrome or stainless steel.
These bearings are commonly referred to as Hybrid Bearings. With improvements in manufacturing
technology, Full Ceramic Bearings are also readily available. These bearings have both the inner and
outer rings in addition to the rolling elements manufactured from ceramic material. While hybrid and full
ceramic bearings demand a premium price, they are often the most economical solution when
considering the cost of a failure and the total cost of ownership for the end-user.
Hybrid Bearings
The most common configuration is with chrome or stainless steel rings, and ceramic balls. Nitrogen
enhanced stainless steel ring material is also available.
The most common ceramic material for the balls is silicon nitride, Si3N4. Compared to traditional steel
balls, this material has desirable properties for rolling bearings, such as:
• lightweight (approximately 60% lighter than bearing steel)
• high hardness - over 75 HRc
• higher elastic modulus - stiffer
• lower coefficient of thermal expansion
• higher maximum operating temperature - 1000⁰C
• highly polished surface finish resulting in lower friction
Balls made of zirconia, ZrO2, are also available. This ceramic material has some properties similar to
those of silicon nitride but differs in that it has some mechanical and thermal properties much closer to
that of the alloy steel that the rings are made from. This can be desirable in maintaining the preload and
contact angle over a broad range of operating temperatures.
Chrome Stainless Nitrogen Enhanced
Characteristics Unit Si3N4 ZrO2
Steel Steel Stainless Steel
Density g/cm3 7,85 7,85 7,85 3,2 6,0
Hardness Rc >60 >58 >60 >75 >75
E-Modulus GPa 210 200 218 320 200
Poissons Ratio 0,28 0,28 0,3 0,26 0,3
Expansion Coefficient x10-6 °C 10,9 10,1 10,1 2,9 10
Top Temperature Limit °C 170 260 500 1000 600
Corrosion Resistance limited good very good very good good
Electrical Conductivity conductor conductor conductor isolator isolator
not not
Magnetism magnetic magnetic magnetic
magnetic magnetic
An AST Applications Engineer should be consulted for a full analysis of the operating conditions and
potential failure modes.
AST Bearings LLC “Value Beyond the Part™” U.S. Toll Free (800) 526-1250
222 New Road Headquarters (973) 335-2230
Parsippany, NJ 07054 www.ASTBearings.com Fax (973) 335-6987
© Copyright 2012 AST Bearings LLC – All rights reserved. DOCUMENT NO. ENB-04-0761 REV. A DCR19-006
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Benefits of Hybrid Ceramic Bearings:

• higher stiffness and rigidity reduces deflection
• increased the limiting speed, RPM
• less adhesive wear, there is no cold welding
• better lubricant life
• lower noise levels and vibration
• no electrical arcing through the balls
Applications for Hybrid Ceramic Bearings:

• machine tool spindles
• pumps - submersible, fuel, vacuum
• dental drills
• optical scanners
• electric motors
• aerospace applications
• laboratory equipment
• applications that require higher speeds, longer life, and lower friction
Full Ceramic Bearings
Full Ceramic Bearings are often the answer for extreme environments, such as high temperatures,
corrosive chemicals, steam, and hard vacuum. These bearings have both the inner and outer rings in
addition to the rolling elements manufactured from ceramic material. Like the balls in hybrid bearings,
the rings in full ceramic bearings are typically manufactured from silicon nitride, Si3N4 or zirconia,
ZrO2. Retainers in full ceramic bearings are typically made from high-performance plastics such as
PEEK or PTFE. Full complement versions are also available.
Benefits of Full Ceramic Bearings:

• resistant to acid, salt and water, and blood
• non-magnetic
• lower coefficient of friction
• resistant to electricity
• corrosion-resistant
• lighter, smoother and stiffer
Applications for Full Ceramic Bearings:

• MRI equipment
• vacuum environments
• semiconductor manufacturing
• radiotherapy
• food processing industries
• any extreme environment requiring non-corrosive, non-conductive or non-magnetic bearings
An AST Applications Engineer should be consulted for a full analysis of the operating conditions and
potential failure modes.
AST Bearings LLC “Value Beyond the Part™” U.S. Toll Free (800) 526-1250
222 New Road Headquarters (973) 335-2230
Parsippany, NJ 07054 www.ASTBearings.com Fax (973) 335-6987
© Copyright 2012 AST Bearings LLC – All rights reserved. DOCUMENT NO. ENB-04-0761 REV. A DCR19-006

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TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Ceramic Ball Bearings

Benefits of Hybrid Ceramic Bearings:

Applications for Hybrid Ceramic Bearings:

Full Ceramic Bearings

Benefits of Full Ceramic Bearings:

Applications for Full Ceramic Bearings:

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