Bearings are an integral part of any machine involving rotating parts. Bearings allow parts with high friction coefficients to spin freely at high rpm with minimal heat buildup from friction. There are many types of bearings including open, metal shielded and rubber sealed designs.
Open bearings offer maximum performance potential but require intensive maintenance in order to function properly. Open bearings have no barrier between the ball bearings and the outside world, allowing dirt and debris to flow freely into the bearing. These bearings require frequent lubrication to ensure proper performance.
Metal shielded bearings have a metal barrier between the ball bearings and the outside. This design is often regarded as the most efficient design, requiring infrequent maintenance as well as high performance.
Rubber sealed bearings are completely enclosed by a rubber seal. This design creates lots of friction among all the components of the bearing, creating heat and reducing efficiency. This design seldom or never requires additional lubrication or maintenance of any kind. Although these bearings require little or no maintenance, they have the shortest life span of all designs.
