Bearing Shaft Housings and Fits

To determine the shaft and housing fits required for a particular application, one must consider such variables as load, ambient temperature, the type of bearing and the type of shaft and housing. The fit, or amount of interference that exists between mating components, can be devised into three resultant categories: press fit, transition fit and loose fit. An improper fit selection may allow the bearing to creep on the shaft or in the housing. Creep is defined as the inner ring slipping on the shaft or the outer ring slipping in the housing. This occurs when the interference fit is not sufficient for the operating conditions. As a result, creep can cause wear, ring fracture and excessive vibration. On the other hand, an excessive interference fit will eliminate the bearing internal clearance and cause a rise in operating temperature. A shaft interference fit expands the inner ring; similarly, a housing interference fit compresses the outer ring. It will also make the installation of the bearing more difficult and more susceptible to damage during installation. Typically, an inner ring rotating application will use a tight or interference fit on the shaft, and the housing will use a loose or clearance fit. Likewise, with an outer ring rotating application, the opposite is true. Bearing fits are selected by reviewing the application details, general guidelines and with experience. When reviewing the application, the following questions should be answered: What is the bearing size and type? Is the application inner or outer ring rotating? What is the load direction and condition? What kind of shaft and housing are being used? i.e. -Is the shaft solid or hollow? -Are the shaft and housing of steel or aluminum construction? For more information on shaft and housing fit selection, consult your local NTN Technical Support Team. To make a proper fit selection, one must consider the type of load, the operating environment (i.e., ambient temperature), the type of shaft or housing, and the type of bearing. The two tables on the overleaf give some general recommendations for the selection of fits for radial bearings.

Interference: "Press fit" or "loose fit" are terms used to distinguish the amount of interference that exists between two mating components.

Proper fit selection ensures that the inner and outer rings do not slip with respect to the shaft or housing. "Creep" occurs when the interference is not sufficient for the operating conditions. Creep causes abrasive wear, shaft vibration, and excessive temperature rise. On the other hand, an excessive interference fit will eliminate the bearing operating clearance and also lead to a temperature rise. Excessive interference fits also increase the difficulty of assembly and the risk of bearing damage during assembly (i.e.,Brinelling). Both of the above conditions can ultimately lead to poor bearing performance. Table 1 gives the general criteria for selection of interference with respect to the basic load conditions.

Load Conditions

Fits

Rotating inner ring load Inner ring : stationary Outer ring : rotating Direction of load : constant Stationary inner ring load Inner ring : stationary Outer ring : rotating Direction of load : constant Stationary inner ring load Inner ring : rotating Outer ring : stationary Direction of load : rotating with outer ring Rotating inner ring load Inner ring : stationary outer ring : rotating Direction of load : rotating with outer ring

Inner ring : interference fit Outer ring : loose fit Inner ring : loose fit Outer ring : interference fit Inner ring : interference fit Outer ring : interference fit

Inner ring : interference fit Outer ring : loose fit

1) Interference fit is preferred for separable bearing. Table 1

ISO Nomenclature Standard metric dimension tolerances for bearing shaft diameters and housing bore diameters are governed by the lnternational Standards Organization (ISO). Fits are designated by a letter followed by a number. Letters in lower case (e.g., j6) refer to fitting onto a shaft while letters in upper case (e.g., H7) refer to fitting into a housing. Figure 1 summarizes the common shaft and housing fits. The actual shaft and housing tolerance for various fit designations depend on the respective diameter and are listed in ISO shaft and housing fit tables which are available from NTN. Contact your local NTN representative.

Fit With Shaft

Bearing type

Load conditions

Cylindrical and Spherical Ball tapered roller bearings Shaft bearings ball fits bearings Shaft diameter mm - 18 - 40 40 - 140 140 - 200 - 40 40 - 100 100 - 140 140 - 200 200 - 400 50 - 140 140 - 200 200 - 40 40 - 65 65 - 100 100 - 140 140 - 280 280 - 500 50 - 100 100 - 140 140 h5 js6 k6 m6 js5 k5 m5 m6 n6 p6 r6 n6 p6 r6

18 - 100 Light or fluctuating 100 variable load 200 - 18 Rotating inner ring or indeterminate direction load Cylindrical bore bearings Very heavy or shock load Inner ring axial displacement required Easy axial displacement of inner ring not required 18 - 100 100 140 Normal to heavy load 140 200 200 280 -

All shaft diameters

g6

Static inner ring load

All shaft diameters

h6

Tapered bore bearings (with sleeve)

All load

All shaft diameters

h9/IT5

Courtesy NTN BEARING CORPORATION OF AMERICA