Light Industry & Manufacturing
Electric Motor Repair
Electric motor repair relies on various types of bearings, such as deep groove or angular contact ball bearings and cylindrical roller bearings. These bearings are widely used in electric motors across industries like automotive, aerospace, industrial equipment, HVAC, and household appliances. Recent advancements, including ceramic hybrid bearings and electrical current grounding devices, have been introduced to extend bearing life and improve motor efficiency.
North America stands as a leader in the electric motor market, driving growth in the industrial machinery sector. The demand for electric motors continues to rise, fueled by advancements in machine control for automotive applications, including high-efficiency AC synchronous motors. Furthermore, the increasing push for zero-emission vehicles and stricter emission standards has significantly boosted the demand for electric vehicles and their components.
These developments have heightened the need for reliable and high-quality bearing solutions. Bearings play a critical role in ensuring the productivity and efficiency of electric motors. Their primary functions include minimizing power loss and friction, reducing noise, achieving optimal design speed ranges, and extending service life. QBC Bearings specializes in providing tailored bearing solutions to meet the unique demands of the electric motor industry.
The most commonly used bearings in electric motors include deep groove ball bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, and angular contact ball bearings. Deep groove ball bearings are suitable for applications requiring high rotational speeds and moderate axial and radial loads. They are commonly used in small and medium-sized electric motors for both locating and non-locating bearing positions. Cylindrical roller bearings are often employed as non-locating bearings on the drive side of large- and medium-sized electric motors. Angular contact ball bearings, on the other hand, are typically used as locating bearings in motors with high rotational speeds or vertical axes, where high thrust loads are involved.
Electric motor bearings find applications in a wide range of sectors, including industrial machinery, motor vehicles, HVAC systems, aerospace, household appliances, transportation, and other commercial uses. Their primary functions in these applications are to locate and support the rotor, transfer loads from the shaft to the motor frame, conserve power, maintain a consistent air gap, minimize friction, and enable operations across a wide range of speeds.
Machine Tools
QBC offers a diverse lineup of precision roller bearings specifically designed for machine tools. These precision roller bearings have earned customer trust by delivering reliable performance in spindles, ball screw support units, and peripheral devices. Bearings for machine tools find applications in machining centers, high-speed spindles, automated screw machines, and water jet equipment. These applications utilize specialized bearings such as angular contact bearings, ceramic hybrid spindle bearings, high-precision cylindrical roller bearings, and ball screw support bearings. Machine tool applications demand bearings engineered for rigidity, high speed, and precision, especially for machine tool spindles.
Early machine tools were relatively simple in design, utilizing plain bearings and linear guides that relied on sliding contact between surfaces. Significant advancements in machine tool technology occurred during the 1800s, particularly in the improvement of guideways and other components to enhance alignment and accuracy. Subsequent innovations focused on increasing speed and efficiency. The introduction of rolling-element bearings as replacements for plain bearings significantly reduced sliding friction between moving parts. This innovation allowed spindles to rotate at much higher speeds and decreased the occurrence of backlash. Today, lubricated slideways, ball screws, and high-precision roller bearings further improve the precision, speed, and efficiency of modern machine tools.
Modern machine tools rely on specialized components that ensure smooth and efficient operation while maintaining tight tolerances. Precision bearings play a critical role in the accuracy and reliability of machining equipment by directing and enhancing spindle movement. These bearings typically consist of balls or rollers positioned between inner and outer raceways. High-precision cylindrical roller bearings are widely used for high-speed applications requiring large radial load capacity and precise spindle-bearing arrangements. Ceramic hybrid spindle bearings enhance spindle speed, stiffness, and resistance to high temperatures while reducing vibration and extending lubricant life. Angular contact ball bearings are designed to handle combined radial and axial loads simultaneously, with increased axial load capacity at larger contact angles. Ball screw support bearings are engineered for precise positioning of workpieces or machine components, with geometries that accommodate large axial loads in two directions.
Machine tool bearings are crafted with specific geometries, materials, and features tailored for different machining purposes. Factors such as load pressure, temperature fluctuations, and chemical exposure influence the choice of bearing for a particular application. Ball and roller bearings are among the most versatile types and are used in various industries, from turbine engines to medical equipment. Roller bearings come in diverse shapes, including cylindrical, tapered, needle, and spherical rollers. Mounted bearings, which combine ball, roller, or sleeve bearings with a protective housing, provide additional support and environmental protection.
Power Tools
Deep groove ball bearings are the most common type of bearings used in power tools due to their ability to handle both radial and axial loads. Their design ensures smooth rotation and low friction, enhancing efficiency and precision during high-speed operations. To meet varying needs, we offer single-row, double-row, open, and sealed deep groove ball bearings, catering to a wide range of applications.
For handheld power tools that operate at high speeds, angular contact ball bearings are an ideal choice. These bearings are engineered to withstand both axial and radial forces simultaneously, reducing vibration and offering enhanced stability. This improved performance provides users with better control and accuracy, making them suitable for precision applications.
Lightweight power tools often require compact designs, and miniature ball bearings deliver high performance in tight spaces. Commonly used in mini drills, rotary tools, and precision power tools, these bearings prioritize maneuverability and ease of use without compromising efficiency or reliability.
Pulp, Paper Converting, and Printing
The pulp, paper converting, and printing industries rely on various types of bearings, including ball bearings, cylindrical and spherical roller bearings, linear bearings, one-way clutch bearings, and free-running bearings. These bearings are essential for ensuring smooth operations in equipment such as rollers, slitters, and rewinders. These industries play a vital role in everyday life, with bearings required to meet high standards at every stage of the process, from pulp to finished printed products. In paper production, rolling bearings in machines must endure extreme conditions, including high moisture, very high temperatures, shaft deflections, high speeds, and prolonged running times.
Paper conversion refers to the process of transforming raw paper materials into finished products, such as books, newspapers, packaging, and labels, which are used across nearly every industry. In the United States, the paper converting and printing industry is estimated to generate approximately $400 million annually, with continuous growth. Bearings are critical in achieving precision, accuracy, and smooth performance in these operations.
Despite the digital age's growth, the paper converting and printing industry remains a significant part of the global economy. Paper products, from newspapers and books to mailed and shipped items, are an essential yet often overlooked aspect of daily life. The paper conversion process begins with gathering raw fibers and melting them into pulp, followed by bleaching, straining, flattening, and drying the pulp into continuous rolls of paper. These master rolls are then cut and shaped into smaller, more manageable sizes.
The paper converting and printing industry impacts daily life in various ways, particularly in products and packaging. Consumer products like books, newspapers, magazines, and bags are made from paper, while industrial and commercial sectors heavily rely on paper packaging such as boxes, cartons, and packing paper. The industry has also made significant advancements in reducing its environmental footprint, including lowering fossil fuel consumption and recycling used paper products into new materials, which helps reduce landfill waste.
Bearings play a crucial role in the rolling, cutting, and unrolling processes in paper converting and printing systems. The type of bearing required depends on production needs. For example, slitters and rewinders use high-speed and high-accuracy linear motion bearings. At QBC Bearings, a variety of bearing solutions are available for these applications, including ball and roller bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, spherical roller bearings, free-running bearings, one-way clutch bearings, cam followers, mounted units, and oil seals. These bearings are designed to meet the industry's high standards, capable of withstanding challenging conditions such as high moisture, temperatures, speeds, and extended run times.
