Tapered thrust roller bearings for heavy axial loads
Axial thrust roller bearings are specifically designed for applications where the dominant load is a high axial (thrust) load acting parallel to the shaft axis, and not for radial loads.
They have a spherical track and are self-aligning, as are the self-aligning radial bearings; slight misalignment of the shaft in relation to the bearing housing can therefore be tolerated.
The axial load capacity is very high and, in contrast to the other axial bearings, they allow relatively high speeds.
Typical situations where they are used
- High axial loads with little or no radial load
- Low to moderate rotational speeds
- Applications requiring high stiffness in the axial direction
- Heavy-duty industrial machinery
- Situations where ball thrust bearings do not provide sufficient load capacity
Typical machinery where these bearings are used
- Cranes and rotating tables
- Spiral freezers
- Extruders
- Marine propellers
- Machine tool spindles
- Vertical shafts
- Rolling mills and presses
Advantages of axial thrust roller bearings
- Very high axial load capacity
- Self-aligning spherical track tolerates slight shaft misalignment
- Excellent stiffness in the axial direction
- Relatively high speeds compared to other axial bearing types
- Suitable for heavy-duty thrust applications
- Long service life under constant axial loading