What is a ball bearing used for? (Usage Guide)

Ball bearings are practically ubiquitous in our daily lives; wherever there's something rotating, you'll almost certainly find them. Their core mission is to make rotation smoother and more effortless.

Here are the main uses and applications of ball bearings:

∎ The "joints" of transportation vehicles

Whether it's a family car or a bicycle, ball bearings are crucial for ensuring smooth travel.
Wheel rotation: In the axles of cars or bicycles, bearings support the weight of the entire vehicle while preventing excessive friction and heat generation during high-speed rotation.
Engines and transmissions:  Cars have numerous rotating parts, and bearings ensure that these precision components can operate at high speeds in confined spaces without wear and tear.

∎ The "silencers" of household appliances

If you find that your home appliances run quietly, it's usually thanks to ball bearings.
Rotating appliances: The drums of washing machines, the blades of electric fans, and the motors of vacuum cleaners all require bearings to reduce vibration and noise.
Kitchen helpers: Even range hoods and blenders have small bearings working silently to ensure the machines rotate smoothly and stably.

∎ Sports and entertainment equipment

Many of our favorite recreational activities would be significantly less enjoyable without ball bearings.
Skateboards and roller skates: The quality of the bearings in skateboard wheels directly determines how far you can glide. High-quality bearings allow you to glide smoothly for a long distance with just a gentle push.
Fidget spinners: The fidget spinners that were popular a few years ago had a central bearing at their core; a good bearing allowed them to spin rapidly on your fingertip for several minutes.

∎ The "engines" of industrial production

In factories, ball bearings are essential for the long-term operation of machinery.
Conveyor belts: The conveyor belts used for baggage handling at airports or in factory production lines have countless rollers underneath, each containing bearings to ensure smooth movement of goods.
Precision machine tools: Precision machines used to manufacture mobile phone or computer parts require extremely high positioning accuracy, and bearings ensure that the cutting tools do not deviate even slightly during rotation.

∎ Electronics and office equipment

Even in devices that appear to be stationary, bearings are at work. Computer Cooling: If the cooling fan in a computer's main unit has a damaged bearing, it will produce a harsh noise and may even cause the fan to stop rotating, leading to computer overheating.
Hard Disk Drives: Traditional mechanical hard drives have internal platters that rotate at extremely high speeds, requiring highly precise bearings to support them and ensure proper data reading.