Tech Tips is intended to be a source of easy-to-read
information on common problems encountered in
virtually any industrial operation.
REPLACEMENT of
TechTips
Angular Contact Ball Bearings
T
The matter of selecting replacement
angular contact ball bearings for
pumps and compressors presents
most equipment users with a
dilemma. There is a tremendous
amount of confusion surrounding
nomenclature, clearance, and
internal design.
Angular contact ball bearings are unique because unlike other
types of anti-friction bearings, their properties are not totally
controlled by the regulatory bodies, ISO, AFBMA and JIS. (AFBMA
and JIS are under the ISO umbrella so we tend to refer to the
standards as “ISO”).
The boundary dimensions, bore, outside diameter, width and
corner radii (plus their associated tolerances) are all governed by
ISO. The static and dynamic capacity ratings are determined
according to ISO formulae.
For speed ratings, there is no standard in place. Although an ISO
standard is being developed, it will be several years before it is
completed. In the meantime, every manufacturer will continue to use
its own criteria for evaluating maximum operating speeds. (This is
true for all anti-friction bearings, not just angular contact ball
bearings.)
Worse yet, there is no standard for clearance. For all other types of
bearings, the ranges of radial internal clearance are agreed upon and
adhered to. For angular contact ball bearings, clearance, which is
usually referred to as axial clearance or preload in a pair is not
standardized. The values vary from manufacturer to manufacturer
depending on experience and to some extent, market conditions.
Where does all this leave the user when it’s time to change
bearings? When selecting replacement bearings, there are a number
of factors to be considered. The first is, why the bearings are being
replaced.
▲
Three Key Steps to Identify for the Changeout
1. Is there a chronic problem with premature failure in the
application?
If there are frequent failures, an analysis should be done to
determine the root cause of the failures and the corrective action to
be taken. Corrective action might include a change in fitting practice,
lubrication or clearance. In an extreme case, the change might
involve a different bearing size, contact angle or mounting arrange-
ment. NTN Engineering can provide assistance with failure analysis
and bearing (re)selection.
2. Is there a problem developing? Is there noise, heat or
vibration that signals a bearing is beginning to fail?
The bearing should be removed and analyzed before its condition
deteriorates beyond the point where the root cause of the problem
can be determined.
3. Is it routine preventative maintenance?
It is always worthwhile to inspect the bearing(s) if for no other
reason than to ensure things are running as they should. If not, the
price of the bearings versus the cost of downtime, the bearings will
usually be replaced.
So, what has to be considered when replacement bearings
are being purchased?
First and foremost, it is important that the replacement bearings
are comparable to those that were taken out. Quality is the first
consideration. Other factors, which must enter into the decision, are:
• Contact angle
• Flush ground
• Cage material
• Level of precision
• Axial clearance (or preload) in the pair as specified by the manufac-
turer of the equipment.
When replacing a pair, both of the replacement bearings should be
of the same make and carry the same designation.
Contact Angle:
▲
Single row angular contact ball bearings come in three basic contact
angles (as measured from vertical), 15˚, 30˚, and 40˚. They are
T H E U S B C O M M U N I C A T O R 23
T E C H T I P S
designated with the suffix “C,” “A” and “B” respectively. Since 30˚ is
the normal contact angle, “A” is generally not shown in the part
number.
As the contact angle increases, so does the capability of the
bearing to handle thrust load. So, for heavy axial loads, we usually
use bearings with a 40˚ contact angle (for example, 7318B). The
downside is that as the contact angle increases, the radial capacity
decreases.
▲
Flush Ground:
When two angular contact ball bearings are paired together,
regardless of their other features, they must be flush ground, denoted
by the suffix “G” (for example 7318BG).
OFFSET
OFFSET FLUSH GROUND
Illustration courtesy NTN Bearing Corpoartion of Canada Ltd.
Manufacturing tolerances would allow for the rings to be of
different widths and the ball tracks to be offset. If two bearings are
paired without being flush ground, there is no guarantee that the
correct axial clearance will be achieved. Flush grinding ensures the
side faces of the rings are the same width and are parallel. Thus, flush
ground bearings can be paired in any arrangement with the assur-
ance that the correct axial clearance remains in the pair.
When bearings are not paired, (i.e., mounted at opposite ends of a
shaft) flush grinding is not as important since the tolerance between
shaft shoulders is far greater than the width tolerance of the bearings.
Many bearing manufacturers have rationalized their inventory by
carrying only flush ground bearings.
Cages:
▲
There is a wide variety of cages available, the main differences
between them being the material and method of guidance.
▲
Cage Materials:
Cages are available in steel, brass, and a number of synthetic
materials like polyamide, nylon, teflon and phenolic. Each has its
advantages and disadvantages.
Steel has the advantage of being strong as well as economical.
Also, is it unaffected by lubricants or temperature. However, it does
not have any self-lubricating properties and it has a higher frictional
characteristic compared to brass or synthetics. Also, it will corrode if
exposed to water or other corrosive substances.
Brass, either machined or pressed is the most popular material. It
is a natural bearing material and as such is best suited to high speed
applications. It has superior strength and resists corrosion. However,
it is relatively expensive and it is affected by ammonia. Note that if
the lubricant supply is interrupted or inadequate, brass has a
tendency to plate out on the rolling surfaces thus avoiding an
immediate failure.
24 T H E U S B C O M M U N I C A T O R
Synthetic cages such as those molded from nylon, teflon,
polyamide and phenolic have formed bars which promote lubricity in
the bearing. They are light thus causing less internal drag. However,
synthetic cages are highly susceptible to damage from contamina-
tion, particularly spall debris. When a synthetic cage starts to fail, for
whatever reason, the progression of the failure is usually very rapid.
For this reason, many petrochemical facilities have banned synthetic
cages because a catastrophic failure has the potential to cause a fire.
Guidance:
▲
The method of cage guidance (known as piloting) is also important.
The cage pilots off either the balls or the lands of one of the rings.
There is sliding friction in both cases, which causes heat. Ball piloting
involves some additional drag on the ball compliment. Ring guidance
provides more rigidity and accuracy as a result of improved stiffness,
reduced deformation and better control of the individual ball speed
during operation. These benefits are amplified further under vibrating
conditions.
Precision:
▲
No discussion on precision is relevant without also reviewing
tolerance and accuracy.
Bearing accuracy refers to three aspects: external dimensional
accuracy, machining accuracy and running accuracy.
Dimensional Accuracy is a measure of the error in the bearing’s
external dimensions, bore diameter (d), outside diameter (D) and
bearing width (B). The difference between an actual bearing
dimension and the nominal or target value is called the dimensional
deviation. The most commonly used measures are the single plane
mean bore and outer diameter deviations (Δdmp and ΔDmp
respectively), and the inner and outer ring width deviations (ΔBs and
ΔCs). These are governed by standardized tolerances. Dimensional
accuracy is important for determining shaft and housing fits, for
example.
Machining Accuracy measures the variation in the above dimen-
sions when a series of measurements is taken on a single bearing
and compared to one another. The most common measures are
single radial plane bore and outside diameter variation (Vdp and
VDp), mean single plane bore and outside diameter variation (Vdmp
and VDmp), and inner and outer ring width variation (VBs and VCs).
Variation refers to the difference between the largest and smallest
measurements in a series, while mean variation refers to the average
difference between consecutive measurements. Machining accuracy
reflects the precision of the manufacturing process and is an
important consideration when recommending tolerances for shafts
and housings.
Running Accuracy (or runout) is a measure of the degree of
concentricity (for radial runout) and “squareness” (for bore and O.D.
with side) of the bearing ring. Inner and outer ring radial runout are
the measures most often used. A bearing with a high degree of radial
runout, for example, will produce greater vibration and heat,
especially at high speeds.
ISO/AFBMA/JIS Tolerance Classes
▲
Tolerance is the allowable error limitations (minimum and maxi-
mum) for boundary dimensions.
 Allowable error limitations for the three areas of bearing accuracy fatigue life is not serious.
have been internationally standardized for many years as tolerance In the majority of applications we don’t
classes. Each tolerance class specifies a group of limits for all the need a preload so we use a clearance pair. The
measures of accuracy (varying in proportion to the bearing size). For question is, how much clearance?
the ISO, JIS and DIN standards, normal accuracy bearings are It depends on the configuration of the
identified as class 0, with accuracy progressively improving with bearings.
decreasing class number from there on. The AFBMA tolerance class The tandem arrangement is used where
numbering is reversed. That is, accuracy increases with increasing there is a heavy thrust load in one direction Load
Center
class number. The most recognized standards are compared in the only. There is usually one or more angular
following table (note that each column represents a set of equivalent contact ball bearings mounted somewhere on
classes). This table is a comparison of precision classes for the the shaft facing the opposite way.
various standards in use. The face to face arrangement is slightly
We are more concerned with the precision of angular contact ball forgiving of misalignment. This does not mean
bearings than any other type. This is because they are often used in it will accommodate misalignment. It is
high speed applications where vibration and radial runout are critical. considered “hot running.” Consider the effect
on clearance in the pair if the shaft gets hot. Face to face (DB)
Standard Tolerance Class Bearing Type The inner rings will tend to separate resulting arrangement.
in a reduction in axial clearance and LOADING
JIS B 1514 Class 0 Class 6 Class 5 Class 4 Class 2 All types of the pair. Thus the bearings run hotter.
Class 6x The back to back arrangement is
ISO 492 Normal Class 6 Class 5 Class 4 Class 2 Radial bearings used when shaft rigidity is important.
class 6x Here, the bearing load centers are far
ISO 199 Normal Class 6 Class 5 Class 4 - Thrust ball bearings apart (like standing with your feet
class spread wide) which gives the shaft
ISO 578 Class 4 Class 3 Class 0 Class 00 Tapered roller bearings stability and rigidity. Rigidity is
(inch type) important but the downside is this
DIN 620 P0 P6 P5 P4 P3 All types arrangement is intolerant of misalign- Load Center

ANSI/AFBMA ABEC-1 ABEC-3 ABEC-5 ABEC-7 ABEC-7 Radial bearings except ment. Where the shaft is long or there
Std. 20 RBEC-1 RBEC-3 RBEC-5 tapered roller bearings are heavy radial loads that cause
bending or mis-alignment, a back to
back pair can have problems. This
▲

Clearance or Preload? setup is also known as “cool running”

The first rule is: follow the equipment manufacturer’s recommenda-
tion. Here is an idea of what is considered when the original selection
is made.
Back to Back (DB) Face to Face (DF) Tandem (DT)
Arrangement Arrangement Arrangement
Illustrations courtesy NTN Bearing Corpoartion of Canada Ltd.
Preload (or negative clearance) is needed when the application
demands NO axial play in the bearing pair (or bundle). Machine tool
spindles are the most common examples of preloaded applications.
If there is any play in the tool or the spindle, the work piece will likely
be scrap. No play in the set is a good thing but there is a downside:
the preload induces an internal load in the bearings which
results in a reduction in fatigue life. For the most part, the external
load on machine tool bearings is low so the effect of the preload on
because any thermal expansion of the
shaft will tend to separate the inner Back to back (DB)
rings, UNLOADING the pair. arrangement.
The most commonly used arrange-
ment in pumps and compressors is the back to back arrangement of
a clearance pair.
The problem is, too much clearance results in the balls skidding in
the unloaded path. Too little clearance results in excessive operating
temperature, which leads to lubricant breakdown, and, in many cases,
catastrophic failure. Although both conditions are serious, our
experience in examining failures has proven to us that too little
clearance is both more common and more expensive (in terms of
repair costs) than too much.
So, the question is how much is the right amount? Unfortunately,
there is no easy answer to this question. There are a lot of variables
involved—so many that it would be wrong to generalize. The most
reliable source for this information is the original equipment
manufacturer.
For those who know what they want and are looking for an “off the
shelf” product choice, angular contact ball bearings are available
from several manufacturers in “less-than-normal,” “normal,” or
“higher than normal” clearance ranges. 
This issue printed with permission of NTN Bearing Corporation of Canada Ltd.
Provided by Dan L. Leah, P.Eng.

T H E U S B C O M M U N I C A T O R 25