Kaydon Thin Section Bearings
- Save Weight
- Create Space
- Reduce Friction
- Increase Design Flexibility
- Excellent Running Accuracy
Kaydon Reali-Slim® and Ultra-Slim® bearings are available in a wide variety of materials, separator options, cross-sections, internal fit up choices, lubricants, corrosion resistance options and contact angles. With bore sizes from 3/4 inch to 40 inches (19 mm to 1 m), Kaydon provides the largest range of thin section bearings.
Many years ago, Kaydon engineers trying to help designers fit assemblies into smaller spaces had an idea: what if the bearing cross-section didn’t increase as the bore size got bigger? This led them to develop new bearings with a cross-section that remained constant: Reali-Slim thin section bearings.
Reali-Slim bearings produce larger ratios of diameter to radial section, which lead to space and weight savings of up to 85 percent. Such savings typically have a ripple effect and have been known to eliminate enough material and/or components to reduce system cost by 40 percent.
The inch family of Reali-Slim thin section bearings includes seven open series (Figure 1-2) and five sealed series (Figure 1-3), ranging in bore diameters from 1.000 inch to 40.000 inches. Series range from .187 x .187 inch to 1.000 x 1.000 inch in cross section. Open bearings are available from stock in three configurations (Types A, C & X). Stock sealed bearings are available in Types C & X only. Kaydon can provide internal fit up, lubricants, separators and other features to meet the most demanding specifications.
To obtain corrosion resistance consider using the Kaydon stainless steel Reali-Slim or Endura-Slim series of bearings. Endurakote plating provides corrosion protection equal to or better than a full AISI 440C stainless steel bearing and can be supplied with very quick delivery.
Additional product line variants include Reali-Slim MM metric series bearings (Figure 1-4), Ultra-Slim bearings (Figure 1-1), Reali-Slim TT series turntable bearings, BB metric ball bearings, Bearings for Demanding Applications, and KT thin section taper bearings. Within these families, you can generally choose between open bearings for applications where bearings will not be exposed to damaging particulates and sealed bearings for applications where bearings need to be kept clean and well-lubricated.
To support various load scenarios, Reali-Slim bearings are available in three basic types: radial contact (Type C), angular contact (Type A), and four-point contact (Type X)
Reali-Slim TT turntable thin section bearings
Reali-Slim TT turntable thin section bearings have inner and outer ring raceway designs that enable them to accommodate radial, axial and moment loads simultaneously. They are based on a sealed four-point contact ball bearing and are available in three different designs:
- Bearings without a gear
- Bearings with an external (outer ring) gear
- Bearings with an internal (inner ring) gear
Kaydon standard Reali-Slim TT turntable thin section bearings are made of stainless steel. The bearings can be customized to meet specific application needs
KT series thin section tapered roller bearings
KT series thin section tapered roller bearings are designed primarily for radial load applications. Since these bearings have a contact angle of approximately 12° under axial load, they can accommodate a reasonable amount of axial load.
Tapered roller bearings feature a cup and cone assembly. The cup is comprised of the outer ring and the cone assembly consists of an inner ring, rollers and a cage. The projection lines of the raceways meet at a common point on the bearing axis defined by the contact angle α, to provide a true rolling action and therefore low frictional moments during operation.
KT series tapered roller bearings can be customized to meet specific application needs.
Kaydon Thin Section Bearings Range can be found in many of today’s applications:
Industrial Machinery
- Machine tools
- Robots
- Optical scanning and imaging equipment
- Food processing machinery
- Packaging equipment
Aerospace & Defense
- Target systems and tank sights
- Navigation, target acquisition pods
- Helicopter swash plates and gearboxes
- Propulsion and control systems
- Radar
- Satellites
- Mars Rover
Oil & Gas
- Rotating drill rig equipment
- Pipe inspection equipment
- Iron roughnecks
- Power swivels
Medical
- CT scanners
- Laboratory diagnostic equipment
- Surgical robotics
- Surgical chairs, tables
Semiconductor Machinery
- Pick and place robotics
- Lapping equipment
- Wafer etching, scrubbing and polishing
Renewable Energy
- Solar panel altitude-azimuth mountings
- Solar panel gearboxes
Kaydon slewing bearings
Kaydon slewing bearing solutions are ideal for:
- Optimal economy in a given envelope dimension
- Heavy-duty applications requiring significant load-carrying capacity
- Designs where precise positioning is critical
- The unique requirements of wind turbines
Kaydon’s slewing bearings offer a wide variety of solutions for the most demanding specifications in a variety of applications, including:
- Aerospace and defence
- Heavy equipment
- Industrial machinery
- Medical systems
- Mining
- Oil & gas
- Renewable energy
- Robotics
- Semiconductor manufacturing equipment
RK series slewing bearings
These pre-engineered light profile slewing bearings offer high performance and reduced weight due to an optimized geometry that handles a combination of moment and thrust loads. Ideal for foundry shakeout tables, palletizers, wire winders, cable reels, welding tables and turntable applications where intermittent rotation and low velocity are present.
HS series slewing bearings
HS series pre-engineered, light profile slewing rings feature rectangular cross sections, which allow for alternate hole patterns, improved stiffness, and the potential for more capacity. Ideal for cranes, aerial lifts, digger derricks, chute swivels, lift truck rotators, and industrial turntables.
HT series slewing bearings
HT series slewing rings are larger versions of the HS series, with increased ball diameter and cross-sectional area providing substantially more capacity. The internal configuration consists of deep groove gothic arch raceways and maximum ball complement, resulting in a four-point contact bearing that provides exceptional moment, thrust, and radial load capacities. Ideal for medium to heavy duty applications including cranes, aerial lifts, digger derricks, chute swivels, lift truck rotators, and industrial turntables.
MT series slewing bearings
MT slewing bearings provide optimal economy and capacity for a given envelope dimension. MT series heavy duty bearings are an economical replacement for kingpost designs and utilize the same four-point contact design concept as our heavier duty slewing bearings, providing exceptional moment, thrust, and radial load capacities. Ideally suited for applications such as truck mounted cranes, hoists, and non-precision industrial tables and positioners.
KH series slewing bearings
KH series heavy duty slewing rings are designed to provide precise positioning with consistent repeatability, in applications where rotation is constant, intermittent or oscillating. They are the ideal bearing for advanced rotary index tables or any design where the bearing will interface with other precision mechanical components.
XT series slewing bearings
XT series slewing bearings are custom designed with a rectangular cross section, and are available in sizes up to 218 inches OD (5500 mm). They are well suited for a wide range of applications where our standard product series do not meet demanding size, capacity, or weight requirements, including cranes, aerial lifts, excavators, wind turbines, utility derricks, log loaders and fellers, and feller heads.
DT series slewing bearings
The DT series consists of the eight-point ball bearing that Kaydon originally developed to provide maximum load capacity for given envelope and bolt circle diameters. It provides an up to 80% increase in capacity over that of a single row four-point design, yet has a smaller profile than a three-row roller design and provides exceptional moment, thrust, and radial load capacities. DT series bearings have been used successfully in heavy duty applications including large excavators, large cranes, mining equipment, wind turbines, and telescopes.
XR series slewing bearings
The XR series consists of Kaydon cross roller bearings, which provide a high degree of stiffness and low rotational torque within a minimal envelope. Consider this design when a four-point contact ball bearing does not meet the operating performance requirements for torque and stiffness. XR series roller bearings have been used successfully in applications requiring extra stiffness with a low torque requirement, including radar, military turrets, machine tools, and excavators.
TR series slewing bearings
The TR series consists of three-row roller bearings, offering the highest capacity for a given diameter. When an XR or DT series bearing doesn’t meet your stiffness and capacity requirements, consider the TR series. TR series roller bearings optimize capacity, provide low frictional resistance and minimize deflection. TR series roller bearings have been used successfully in heavy duty applications requiring extra stiffness and capacity, including radar, cranes, excavators, stackers and reclaimers, and heavy mill equipment.
WireX® wire-race bearings
Kaydon WireX® bearings were originally designed for military turret applications, where space and weight are at a premium and corrosion resistance is essential. They consist of wire raceways inserted in lightweight support rings, allowing for a high load capacity and large diameter in a bearing that can be 60% lighter than one made entirely of steel. WireX® bearings are custom manufactured to fit each design and specification. WireX® bearings have been used successfully in applications requiring a lightweight, corrosion-resistant bearing, including turrets, radar, and sonar.
Wind energy slewing bearings
Kaydon engineers apply their experience and expertise to create a wide variety of solutions to address the most unique bearing challenges, making Kaydon North America’s leading supplier of wind turbine bearings. Kaydon has the experience and capability to support critical pitch, yaw and gearbox applications in systems from 200 kW to 5.0 MW and beyond.
Whether the requirement is for high or low wind speed, land based or off shore, 200 kW or 5.0 MW—along with meeting critical customer requirements and industry regulations such as those specified by Germanischer Lloyd “Non-Marine Technology—Offshore Wind Energy”—Kaydon’s engineers can solve even the most difficult challenges.
