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Ball Bearing Radial and Axial Play || Dynaroll

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

RADIAL AND AXIAL PLAY

Bearings are assembled with a slight amount of looseness between the balls and the raceways. This allows the bearing to rotate smoothly but also affects the performance of the bearing in a given application. This looseness can be split into two components - radial and axial play.
RADIAL PLAY is the maximum displacement that one bearing ring can be displaced relative to the other ring in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the bearing.


       Radial play = ∆r

AXIAL PLAY, or end play, is the maximum relative displacement of the bearing rings, in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.


       Axial play = ∆a
Radial and axial play are interdependent and are determined during the manufacture of the bearing. Typically, radial play is a purchasing specification.


Standard radial play ranges and applications

Dimensions in .0001 inch (.001 mm)

DYNAROLL CODE
DESCRIPTION
RADIAL PLAY RANGE
APPLICATION
MIN
MAX
MC2
Tight
1  (3)
3  (8)
Low backlash gear systems with predominantly radial loading.
MC3
Standard
2  (5)
4  (10)
Low Speed electric motors.
MC4
Standard
3  (8)
5  (13)
Gears, belt drives, tape guides, synchros, servos.
MC5
Loose
5  (13)
8  (20)
High speed electric motors, tape guides, radial and axial loading.