What is slewing bearing?

A slewing bearing or slewing ring (also called a turntable bearing) is a rotational rolling-element bearing that typically supports a heavy but slow-turning or slowly-oscillating loads in combination (axial, radial and moment loads), often a horizontal platform such as a conventional crane, a swing yarder, or the wind-facing platform of a horizontal-axis (yaw) windmill. In other orientations (e.g., a horizontal axis of rotation) they are used in materials handling grapples, forklift attachments, welding turnover jigs and so on.

Features of Slewing Bearing

These rings are quite wide compared to "normal" ball bearings, and are usually drilled with holes to fasten to the structure. Seals may be provided between the rings to protect the rolling elements. Slewing bearings have a relatively thin section compared to other rolling bearings and require the bolted structure to be sufficiently rigid so that a predefined deformation limit is not exceeded under load.

Slewing bearings range in size from as small as 100 mm in diameter to well over 15 000 mm (usually segmented by this size to facilitate transport and handling); for example, the bearings on the Falkirk wheel are 4 m in diameter and mounted on 3.5-meter axis. Slewing bearings are usually made of gear teeth integral with either the inner or outer ring (or in rare cases both) and are used to drive the platform relative to the base (such as in a winch).

Slewing bearing designs range from single row ball or roller, double row ball or roller, triple row, combined (1 roller/1 ball) or worn guide raceways - each design has its own Special Features and Applications. Older designs could have split rings to tightly control preload during assembly.

Top 3 slewing bearing manufacturers listed on Link-b2b

1. LTZC Bearing

One of the top slewing ring bearing manufacture in the world is the MBY Bearing. This company specializes in producing large diameter anti-friction bearings and ready-to-install self-contained slew drives. They have been supplying satisfied customers with slewing rings and slew drives that meet their needs perfectly since 2001.

Strengths:

-The LZTC Bearing offers a product called the slew drive. This drive is able to replace slewing rings that need to be combined with a wide range of parts. Using the drive can help those using a slewing rings save time from the frustrating task of mounting different parts of their bearings together.

2. Igus

Next up on our list is the manufacturing company Igus. The company is German based and has been in operation for more than 50 years. Igus prides themselves on having produced nearly 190 new products that include DLP resins, micro gears, smart monitoring parts, and barings (including slewing bring barrings) made out of reusable materials.

Strengths:

-According to their website, Igus's bearings are said to be made out of material that is 80% lighter than steel and thus costs 40% less than traditional bearings.

-The company's slewing ring bearings are resistant to temperatures up to 392°F.

3. ThyssenKrupp

The manufacturing company ThyssenKrupp is next up on the list of being one of the world's top slewing ring bearer manufacturers. The company specializes in producing bearing for industries that encompany industrial engineering and steel production. Accoriding to their website, ThyssenKrupp is able to provice segmented bearings with a diameter of up

to 25,000 km.

Strengths:

ThyssenKrupp houses production facilities worldwide and specifically in regions such as Asia, Europe and America.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing slewing bearing suppliers, procurement departments rely on a number of qualitative, quantitative, subjective and objective criteria.

1. Supplier cost

Probably the most obvious – but equally important – factor to take into consideration when looking for new suppliers, is cost.

Of course, you’ll have a figure in mind as you’ll know which products you’re looking for, and how much you’re willing to pay. Even so, prices between suppliers can vary, so it’s important to shop around and see who offers the best deal. For instance, some suppliers may offer discounts on bulk-buying; or others may offset higher costs with better quality products.

You should weigh up all of the options when it comes to costs, before deciding which supplier is best in that respect.

2. Quality

There’s often a correlation between cost and quality: the more expensive the product, the better the quality. Regardless of price, there is still a predetermined, agreed level of quality, and you want to be sure that your expectations are met.

After all, the last thing you want to do is market your products as high-end, when your supplier sends you something completely different.

Quality doesn’t just refer to the physical product itself, but its associated aspects too. Are the products packaged adequately, protecting them in transit? Are they labelled correctly? Speak with potential suppliers to ensure that you’re fully aware of what they will offer you – you don’t want to sign a contract and then be disappointed.

3. Reliability and previous experience

It’s important to remember that when choosing a supplier, you’re essentially entering into a long-term relationship with them. It’s similar to hiring a new recruit – you’ll want to see references.

Don’t be afraid to ask for them: it makes sense that you would want to hear from businesses who have worked with specific suppliers in the past, as they can give you an honest account of what the partnership was like, and list any good or bad points.

If you’re deciding between two suppliers, references can make all the difference when deciding who to choose.

Your chosen supplier will directly reflect upon your business. If they send over a batch of products two weeks late, the customer who ordered that product will blame you, not your supplier.

4. Shared culture

Expectations are only met when they are clear on both sides. A good supplier relationship is built on shared cultural goals and attitudes. Speak with suppliers directly to find out how they like to work with other businesses. If you want constant communication but they prefer to just “get on with it”, then realistically, that’s not going to work.

Top-down view of people around a table on their laptops

When speaking with suppliers, whilst you’ll have questions to ask them; it’s likely they’ll have equally as many questions for you. Use this time to gauge whether your culture and expectations are similar, as you should get a good idea of whether or not the relationship will work.

5. Location

When choosing a supplier, location is a big factor to consider. If you’re a local business that has built your brand on expertise in your area, then you’ll want to focus on finding a supplier who is located nearby, and shares your values.

Link-B2B is a professional supplier listing service platform which will provide high quality and trustworthy supplier list to international buyers. If you are looking for slewing bearing Supplier, feel free to visit Link-B2B.com and send a request.