A seminar report

on

PRODUCTION OF
BALL BEARING

By,
Akanshu Sharma
(ME07003)
 Introduction to Bearings

• Ball Bearings
• Radial and Thrust loads
• Roller Bearings
• Radial and Thrust loads
• Needle Bearings
• Only radial load
 Ball Bearings

• Terminology
• Outer ring, which contains the outer raceway
• Inner ring, which contains the inner raceway
• Complement of balls
• Two-piece separator (also called cage or
• retainer
 BEARING MATERIAL

 
      Bearing contains varying amount of carbon, iron,
chromium, manganese, phosphorus, sulphur, silicon
etc. Each of these elements plays a role in making
final steel suitable for bearings. 
 ELEMENT  AMOUNT 

  
  Manganese - 0.25 to 0.35
Silicon - 0.025 to 0.35
  Sulphur - 0.025 max.
  Phosphorus - 0.025 max.
  Nickel - 0.025 max.
  Copper - 0.35 max.
 RAW MATERIAL

 
      A variety of steel and brasses are used for
different components for bearings depending upon
the properties required in the final product. 

Balls - Ni-Cr Steel wire

Rollers - High Carbon chrome steel rods
Races - High carbon steel
Cage - Brass and mild steel
 PARTS OF BEARINGS

 
      Basically every anti-friction bearing consist of 4
basic parts:-

•An outer ring

•Inner ring
•Rolling element
•A cage
 BEARING DESIGNATION 

      There are various standards & specifications used for bearing

designation, which helps to identify a bearing, by its number. 
      Generally bearing number represents its type, bore, outside
diameter & sometimes-special design construction if any. In general, for
bearing having more than 20mm bore, one can simply multiply last two
digits by five. 

      For Example:-

            Bearing Number-6207
            07*5=35mm Bore
            2=thickness proportion & outside diameter
            6= single row, deep groove ball bearing.  
 PRODUCTION PROCESS

BALL DEPARTMENT 

                        In this section, Balls of different diameters are

manufactured by cold heading process. Raw material for Ball
manufacturing is High Carbon Steel wires in the form of coils. 
      Two types of balls are manufactured, one for Antifriction Ball
Bearings, which are used in the factory itself and other type for
cycle industry called Bicycle Balls. 
     
 Following are various operations in which the raw material has to
be passed. 

TUMBLING
COLD HEADING

FINISHING PROCESS 
FLASHING 

SOFT GRINDING  HARD GRINDING 

HEAT TREATMENT   FINISH GRINDING 

 COLD HEADING
 This is the first operation of the series. Raw material in the form of coils put on
a revolving drum. One end of it is fed in heading machine in which a much die
with shear mechanism allows to obtain piece (not exactly round), which are
used for ball manufacturing. 

            A punch is fitted to the Ram except this a shear mechanism is also used. This is
obtained by crank which gives reciprocating motion in a direction perpendicular to main
shaft, while shear mechanism is obtained by converting the motion of main shaft to
reciprocating motion of the cutter.

The process consist mainly three steps:- 

Wire feeding
Cutting and transfer to the maximum displacement of the cutter.
Heating and removal of balls.
 FLASHING

After cold heading we do not get perfect spherical shape but it

consists but it consists of collar or flash in the central periphery
which is required to be removed. So in this operation, central extra
material is removed and it comes in spherical shape, this process is
done on flashing machine. Principal feature of the machine is that
it consists two metal plates mounted vertically. 
            Both plates have annular groove cut all over its face
according size of ball. The grooving position of ball size plates faces
each other. 
 SOFT GRINDING 

This operation is achieved for removing excess material

from the balls. This operation is done on Lapping machine.
The difference between Lapping and Flashing is that the
Lapping machines have one metallic plate instead of two,
and other one is made of abrasives. The metallic plate is
fixed and abrasive plate is used for material removing. The
process is performed before heat treatment process
because of easy removing of material in soft stage. 
 HEAT TREATMENT

After soft grinding, balls are sending for heat treatment.

Bicycle Balls are treated in the same section but Bearing
Balls are heat treated in separate section. Hardening is
done by heating the balls at 850 Degrees Centigrade for
three hours in electric arc furnace and then they are Oil
quenched. Oil for quenching is known as ‘Fusion 40’ oil.
Feeding of balls is done by vibrating sheet. 
 TUMBLING

                  This is called TTS operation means Tumbling

Test for Soft Balls for softness. The purpose of this
sectional operation is to remove all scale nearly, which
have deposited due to heat treatment. This is achieved
in tumbler, which are octagonal bodies having lesser
dimensions of upper part as compared to lower one.
These are inclined at certain angle and then are made
to rotate by means of motor and pulley arrangement.
 FINISHING PROCESS

            After tumbling, balls come into grinding section

here they first send to visual Inspection, where Balls are
rolled over a plane paper under a beam of light. Here
balls with irregular shaper are drawn out. Remaining
Balls passed through different operations .
 HARD GRINDING

Specifications of N G 800 Machine used for hard

grinding. 

Load size (+100mM + 5)

Finish size (+30 + 5mM)
Pressure 10 to 20 kgf/cm2
Time required 20 hours
Dressing pressure 8 kgf/cm2
R.p.m. of machine 90
Batch weight 800 kg
Coolant is similar 2%
 FINISH GRINDING

It is also NG 800 but having different grinding wheel in

the machine load size +30 mM, Finish +7 mM, Pressure
required 8 to 15 kgf/cm2, Finishing pressure 8 kgf/cm2. 
 GRINDING DEPARTMENT 

Grinding is one of the most important sections in producing Ball

Bearing. Grinding is the process of removing small excess metal
(Material) to finishing stage. The main features of this process
are good surface finish and close accuracy.

Bore diameter of inner races, faces and outer diameter of outer

races is grinded. The grinding operation is done after heat
treatment, when due to exposure of race sin atmosphere; they
are oxidized and become black in color. This defect is removed
and close tolerances are achieved. Before sending these to
assembly shop, honing is done. 
The operational steps in grinding of outer races are- 
Facing.

O.D. Grinding.
Track Grinding.
Track Honing.
Washing.
 
The operational steps in grinding of inner races are- 
Facing.

O.D. Grinding.
Track Grinding.
Bore Grinding.
Track Honing.
Washing.
 NEW HONING SECTION

 
This section has various super-finish process machines. 
These are

•HONING MACHINE

Honing is the process of super finishing Material removal is accomplished at lower

cutting speeds than in grinding, heat and pressure are minimize resulting in an
excellent size and metallurgical control. It is done on multiple honing machines in
which work pieces can be bonded at a time.
 LAPPING PROCESS

The purpose is to produce geometrically true surfaces, correct

minor surface, imperfections removed, and dimensional
accuracy or provide a very close fit between two contact
surfaces. Lapping is used on flat cylindrical, spherical surface.
In honing material is removed but in lapping operation no
material is removed. 
 VISUAL INSPECTION 

After lapping process, washing of inner and other races is

done by spraying Kerosene oil on them. Then they are
brought to be checked for accuracy on Dial Gauge. In dial
gauge inspection air with pressure flows, when inner race is
inserted in knobs, from where air is coming. Air comes through
a little orifice between Knob and inner diameter feeding
pressure which is given on dial gauge. 
 LUBRICATION OF BEARINGS:-

 
      The fundamental principal of efficient lubricant is to make a
strong lubricant film, which prevents metal to metal contact of
the sliding parts of the bearing most effectively & economically
& thus prevents wear & tear resulting from this under operating
conditions. It also reduces the rolling friction by keeping the
rolling elements & tracks heat. It also minimizes the bearing
noise & prevents corrosion
Thanks