By Christine Berlly Encoders are used in such a wide array of equipment that they can be found almost anywhere. These include oil rig platforms in the North Sea, mining equipment in Africa and the International Space Station in orbit above the … [Read more...] about AST: Bearings in encoders: Part IV- Environmental Specifications
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AST: Bearings in encoders: Part III- Mounting and Preload
By Christine Berlly Bearing preload is critical in encoder spindle designs. Preload is the application of an axial load across a pair of bearings that removes the free internal clearance (or looseness) that is present in each bearing by … [Read more...] about AST: Bearings in encoders: Part III- Mounting and Preload
AST: Bearings in Encoders: Part II
By Christine Berlly Here we take a closer look into bearing in encoders, and mechanical specifications in particular. These specifications include runout, starting torque, running torque, maximum RPM, life versus speed/load, and shaft … [Read more...] about AST: Bearings in Encoders: Part II
AST: Bearings in Encoders: Part I
By Christine Berlly From robotics to heavy-duty industrial machinery, optical encoders are critical components in motion control. Choosing the correct bearing for use in an encoder is an important design consideration to promote performance and … [Read more...] about AST: Bearings in Encoders: Part I
How do you select thin section bearings?
By Joyce Laird, contributing editor Why are thin section ball bearings needed? Thin Section Ball Bearings were developed to solve problems where standard deep groove ball bearings are not suitable. John A. Wallace, Vice President of Operations, … [Read more...] about How do you select thin section bearings?
Bearing design considerations for hand tools
By John Wallace, Vice President of Operations, AST Bearings Edited by Mike Santora Handheld power tools are commonplace in a variety of industries from automotive to aerospace. In construction, they are used by professional builders and DIYers … [Read more...] about Bearing design considerations for hand tools
Radial Ball Bearings: Fitting and Mounting Considerations from AST
By Christine Berlly Selecting the proper shaft and housing fit is critical in optimizing a radial ball bearing’s performance and life, and this post will look at some key considerations in the area. A bearing can only perform to its full … [Read more...] about Radial Ball Bearings: Fitting and Mounting Considerations from AST
Tech Spotlight: preloading ball bearings
In the case of ball bearings, preload is often a misunderstood concept and overlooked by designers and bearing users alike. One of the final steps in the bearing manufacturing process is the assembly of the individual bearing components: the outer … [Read more...] about Tech Spotlight: preloading ball bearings
Complete line of spherical plain bearings
Spherical plain bearings are manufactured in a wide variety of materials and are designed to offer bearing solutions in almost any operating environment. AST Bearings offers a complete line of spherical bearings available in inch and metric. These … [Read more...] about Complete line of spherical plain bearings
Why is preload necessary in some bearing applications?
By Joyce Laird, Contributing Editor Overview: What is preload? AST Bearings LLC is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company and supplier of precision bearings and bearing related products. John Wallace, Vice President of Operations for AST explains … [Read more...] about Why is preload necessary in some bearing applications?
