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Ball bearings

Ball bearings made of polymer: 100% lubrication-free

Ball bearings replace sliding friction with rolling friction, allowing rotational movement to take place with little resistance. As a rule, they must be lubricated in order to function properly. xiros plastic ball bearings require no additional lubrication, are corrosion-free and operate extremely quietly. This makes them a cost-effective alternative to their metal counterparts. The components, which consist of a tribopolymer mixture, are lightweight, resistant to chemicals and optionally non-magnetic. This ensures safe use in medicine, packaging, food and drive technology and many other industries.
Our xiros ball bearings consist of a mixture of basic plastics, solid lubricants, fibres and filaments. The balls used are usually made of stainless steel, glass or plastic. These are mounted in a cage, which can be made of our own xirodur® materials, PA, PP or PEEK.

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What you will find on this page:

The benefits at a glance

Heat-resistant / temperature-resistant

Depending on the application, xiros is suitable for minimum and maximum temperatures. This makes it possible to dispense with expensive speciality lubricants which are essential for metal ball bearings. The performance was tested in numerous tests in the xiros test laboratory tested and confirmed, also for extreme cold down to -100 °C. For applications with high heat loads, we offer Heat-resistant ball bearings up to +150 °C with long-term use.

Chemical resistance

The plastic developed by igus® enables the flawless running also for Contact with aggressive chemicals. The specified resistance and calculated service life are based on data from our test laboratory.

Our plastic solutions make it possible to dispense with costly speciality lubricants, which are required for applications that are exposed to aggressive chemicals. This offers considerable advantages over conventional metal ball bearings.

Virtually rustproof

xiros has a decisive advantage over its metallic counterpart: The bearings are extremely corrosion-free. Even when used in corrosive environments, they retain their smooth running and long service life - with low maintenance requirements.

Metal ball bearings corrode more quickly, seize up and, in the worst case, cause the machine to fail, which can lead to high maintenance costs.

Lightweight ball bearings made of plastic

Particularly lightweight

Metallic bearings are robust and heavy. xiros ball bearings are available for a wide range of applications the perfect alternative, because they are Lightweight, reliable and durable. Plastic ball bearings are frequently used in the automotive and aerospace industries. Wherever low weight is important, xiros comes into its own.

FDA-compliant

Ball bearings made of FDA-compliant plastic are used where components come into contact with food or are used in sterile areas. Thanks to the new technology developed by igus® plastic with FDA approvalwhich do not require any additional lubricants, xiros is ideally suited for applications in the Food and beverage industry and Medical technology.

Non-magnetic

Wherever the absence of metal is important, the non-magnetic plastic ball bearings are the first choice. The xiros range includes both pure plastic solutions and variants with glass balls, which are ideal for applications where there must be no metal.

Where can I buy ball bearings?

Radial deep groove ball bearings, axial ball bearings, flanged ball bearings, pedestal ball bearings, ball transfer units, conveyor rollers, ball slewing rings and other types in various sizes can be found in our online shop. Thanks to the wide range of materials, our solutions are designed for a wide variety of industries and can also solve your specific application.

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Customised special part

It cannot and does not always have to be the catalogue part. That's why we offer you the service of requesting a customised special part that deviates from the DIN standard for your specific application. From the idea to the solution: endless possibilities thanks to xiros. We will be happy to advise you.

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Materials and substances

Our materials are suitable for a wide range of applications and are characterised by a wide variety of advantages. From cost-effective all-rounders and heat specialists to materials with the best chemical resistance specifications. You can also find out more about the ball materials used.

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New product

We are constantly working on the further development of existing products and new products to improve the technology of your application and reduce costs. Stay up to date at all times.

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Calculate the service life

The xiros plastic ball bearing programme is characterised in particular by the wide variety of types and Materials from. Small ball bearings are used in model making and medical technology, among others. xiros successfully serves a wide range of applications - including customised products. Special parts are part of the programme.

Thanks to extensive trials in the xiros test laboratory the service life of the igus bearing can be accurately predicted even under difficult conditions - even for individual applications.

Get to know the online tool and calculate service life

Where are ball bearings used? And what types are there?

Ball bearings have become indispensable in mechanical engineering. There are various designs, whereby the dimensions and technical composition of the components depend on the specifications of the industrial application. The following list shows the most commonly used types and where they are used.

Deep groove ball bearings according to DIN 625:

This type of ball bearing absorbs radial forces and is used wherever components rotate. In the automotive industry, for example, deep groove ball bearings can be found in the chassis, where the ball bearings fulfil the function of axle support and guidance. A radial force is always applied when the axis performs a rotary movement.

Angular contact ball bearing to DIN 628:

This bearing is designed to support both radial and axial forces in one direction. Angular contact ball bearings make higher speeds possible and reduce friction for a wide range of loads. Angular contact ball bearings are used in the bicycle industry, the automotive sector or, for example, in the spindle of machine tools.

Self-aligning ball bearings according to DIN 630:

This type of ball bearing is generally used in applications with long shafts. This is due to mounting problems caused by holes in the housing. The axial force plays a role in self-aligning bearings. This must be kept low, as the grooves in the outer ring have limited contact surfaces for rolling elements. It is used in general mechanical engineering.

Axial ball bearing according to DIN 711:

As the name of the bearing suggests, this type is designed to support axial loads. They are available in a single-row or double-row design and are already used in numerous applications in medical technology or the packaging industry.

Around the world, customers already rely on xiros polymer ball bearings

Sören Meissner, Design Engineer at Krones AG

"The decisive factor for us here is the Smooth running of the ball bearings in the deflection pulleys. In the past, we used metal bearings here. However, this was not light enough, sometimes making the complete roll stop and the label band would slip over it.

Sören Meissner | Design Engineer Labelling Technology at Krones AG

Whether in the packaging, textile, testing technology and quality assurance or modelling industries: xiros plastic ball bearings are already being used successfully in a wide range of industries; wherever conventional metal ball bearing solutions are unsuitable.

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Technical information about ball bearings

In this section we answer some general questions about ball bearings and our plastic ball bearings. Among other things, the following topics await you: