Ball Bearing Systems Linear Motion

Bearings enable linear motion while carrying heavy duty loads in linear motion assemblies. Ball bearings greatly reduce friction and prevent shock from sudden impacts during travel. Applications for ball bearings range from material handling to assembly line manufacturing setups to full factory automation.

Types of Ball Bearings

Ball bearing systems enable greatly enhanced travel ability for linear applications. Ball bearings, bushings, and carriages attach to rails mounted overhead or to the floor depending on the use case.

Ball bearings can be traditional ball bearings, which work most effectively in light load applications. Ball bearing bushings are slightly more tolerant of loads up to 2000 lbf or beyond. For the heaviest applications, ball bearing carriages are ideal to withstand much higher forces.

For rotary applications, ball bearing pillow blocks enable smooth rotation with or without a flange mount to support conveyance equipment, for example. Reid Supply carries many ball bearing solutions including Thompson Linear systems and rails.