Bearing clearance is an important parameter of the bearing. It refers to the distance that one ring is fixed and the other ring can move along the radial direction of the bearing when the bearing is not installed. The selection of bearing clearance directly affects the rotation accuracy, load capacity and service life of the bearing. So what are the factors that affect the bearing clearance?

Manufacturing accuracy The manufacturing accuracy of the bearing directly affects the size of the bearing clearance. The error generated during the manufacturing process will cause the relative position between the inner and outer rings of the bearing and the rolling elements to change, thereby affecting the bearing clearance.

Operating temperature During the operation of the bearing, friction will generate heat, causing the bearing temperature to rise, thereby causing thermal expansion of the bearing material. This will cause the bearing clearance to decrease or even disappear, so choosing an appropriate thermal clearance is very important to ensure the normal operation of the bearing.

Preload For bearings that need to withstand a certain preload, such as tapered roller bearings, thrust bearings, etc., the size of the preload will also affect the change of the bearing clearance. The greater the preload, the more the bearing clearance decreases, and it may even cause the rolling element to contact the ring and generate friction.