Slewing Rings vs. Ball Bearings: Which is Right for Your Project?
For applications requiring rotational motion, slewing rings and ball bearings are two potential component solutions. While both provide low-friction rotation, slewing rings and ball bearings have different designs optimized for certain uses. Understanding key differences helps identify whether a slewing ring or ball bearing best fits your project requirements. Load-Carrying Capacity A key consideration is the amount of load the component must support. Slewing rings can sustain both high axial and radial loads, making them well-suited for heavy-duty applications like cranes, excavators and turbines. Ball bearings are more limited in axial load capacity, but accommodate high radial loads efficiently in applications like conveyors or transmissions. Range of Motion Slewing rings allow continuous 360° rotation as well as tilting motion, providing maximum flexibility of motion. This makes them useful in cranes,... Read More »