2.1—Deep Groove Ball Bearings

Ball bearings are said to account for about 70% of all the bearings used in the world. Deep groove ball bearings are the most common type of bearing, with a variety of seals and shield configurations available to extend bearing life.

Features of Deep Groove Ball Bearings

  • As the most common bearing, deep groove ball bearings are found in a wide range of applications.
  • Cages are typically made of pressed steel or resin.
  • They can handle both radial and axial loads.
  • Unlike the linear contact found in roller bearings, ball bearings utilize point contact which allows them to support high speeds with low torque and low noise/vibration.
  • The raceway groove in the inner and outer rings has a circular arc with a slightly larger radius than that of the balls.
Model of a deep groove ball bearing oriented vertically, with an arrow downward for radial load and a bidirectional arrow from the bearing bore for axial load in both directions, indicating the bearing supports both types of load.
Animation of a ball rolling over a rounded surface creating point contact as indicated by a red dot.

Point Contact

Animation of a roller rolling over a rounded surface with line contact shown as a red line.

Line contact

In deep groove ball bearings, balls ride along a surface on the inner or outer ring.

Seals/Shields for Deep Groove Ball Bearings

Seals and shields help to prevent foreign matter from entering the bearing and lubricant from leaking out. Bearings that utilize seals or shields are called “sealed bearings”.

Diagrams of contact and no-contact configurations of seals and shields. VV (rubber seal) and ZZ (steel-plate shield) designations are non-contact while DDU and DDW seals make contact within the bearing.

Features of Sealed Deep Groove Ball Bearings

Sealed ball bearings and sealed roller bearings are classified by the material and configuration of their seals/shields.

Table Key: ◎: Excellent ◯: Good △: Acceptable ×: Unsuitable

Table showing the features and characteristics of different types of contact and non-contact seals and shields.