Bearings for Electric Drives

High-Speed Electric Drives Require High-Speed Angular Contact Bearings

When it comes to electric drives, there are many components to consider when trying to optimize your design. While most of the limelight tends to shine on the stator, rotor and the cooling system, the unsung hero of electric drives truly is the bearings. They show up every day and bear the loads demanded of them and never ask for any recognition. But it’s this humbleness of bearings that presents opportunity.

Many Engineers take bearings for granted and overlook the nuances that make each bearing unique. These are not commodified components. Each bearing has a story to tell. Those who take the time to understand what makes their electric drive go around are the ones who will find the diamond in the rough that makes their electric drive stand above the competition.

Combine that with a bearing supplier that offers the white glove service to ensure you find that diamond in the rough of a bearing, and then your electric drive truly will be unstoppable.

High-Speed Electric Drives - Efficient, Compact, Integrative

For industrial high-speed electric drives, sustained force & part life are critical requirements for long-lasting, high-performing systems.

That’s where GMN angular contact bearings AND our top-quality engineering expertise can help. At GMN Bearing USA, we deliver a one-two punch of top-quality, German-made Angular Contact Bearings AND practical Engineering know-how to help you gain efficiencies and increase productivity.

But First, Why Angular Contact Bearings?

Angular contact bearings can play an essential role in an efficient electric drive.  Learn more about the markets & applications we serve

One advantage that angular contact bearings offer is that they are optimized to run at high speeds for long durations of time. This can be leveraged to improve overall performance and robustness of your electric drive. Higher rotational speeds permit more power delivery resulting in faster operation execution, while angular contact bearings still maintain smoothness of operation for a job well done. This is accomplished through increased precision of the bearing raceways, resulting in less dimensional variation, as well as preloading, which optimizes the ball action for increased efficiency.

4 Things to Consider When Maximizing Angular Contact Bearings for Electric Drives

1.) Selecting the right cage for your application is a lot like choosing the right shoes to wear. If your application requires separating and positioning the balls with a low friction coefficient at temperatures up to 120° C, then our standard TA Phenolic cage is for you. For applications that are a bit more demanding and require longer service life through lower friction and constant grease lubrication due to the formation of grease reservoirs in provided cage pockets at temperatures up to 250° C, then upgrading to our TXM PEEK cage is the way to go.

2.) One thing that makes angular contact bearings unique is that they have a contact angle that is selected based upon the loading split between the axial and radial directions. For most electric drive applications, a 15° contact angle will be optimal as most of the loading will be transmitted radially. In some cases, a 25° contact angle will be optimal as more loading will need to be transmitted axially. If our KH bearings are selected, then they will come with a 17° contact angle for slightly improved loading in the axial direction compared to our standard 15° contact angle.

3.) Our standard ball material is bearing steel, which offers the strength and durability to achieve the speed and load ratings that customers have come to expect from GMN, while not breaking the bank. However, if your application demands higher speeds, longer service life and greater rigidity, then our ceramic ball bearings will be up to the task.

4.) There are a few preload options that can be considered depending on the design constraints of your electric drive. A light preload will offer the longest bearing life and greatest load capacity but comes at the cost of reduced rigidity. A heavy preload will offer the greatest rigidity but will come at the cost of reduced bearing life and load capacity. A medium preload offers a good compromise between bearing life, load capacity and rigidity.

If you're unsure where to start with choosing an optimal angular contact bearing for your electric drive application, contact our engineers for assistance.

GMN Angular Contact Bearings for High-Speed Electric Drives Drive Stronger & Last Longer

Did you know that the #1 most overlooked component of electric drives is the bearings? While the motor gets all the credit, it’s the bearings that hold everything together to ensure things run smoothly. The faster the speed of the electric drive, the harder the bearings must work to support the motor, but the work truly begins in the bearing selection process.

While concluding that angular contact bearings are ideal for your electric drive is a great first step, the next step is selecting a bearing brand that you can trust. There are many different companies that can supply you with angular contact bearings for your electric drive, but there is only one bearing manufacturer that brings the expertise of supplying high quality precision bearings, as well as high speed electric motors, all under one roof; GMN Bearing USA.

GMN High Precision Angular Contact Bearings

Our German-made bearings are expertly crafted for speed & precision, perfect for applications that operate at high speeds, require bearing load capacity or demand rigidity.  Learn more

The GMN HYKH Series is our most popular option for electric drives and comes in a range of sizes to support different speeds and load carrying capabilities.

Top characteristics of the HYKH Series:

• Contact angles available in 15° and 25° (custom contact angles available by request)
• ID (mm): 5 to 120
• OD (mm): 13 to 180
• Highest Speed Rating (RPM): 9,700 to 243,750

 Contact us for more information about our HYKH Series.

GMN Bearing USA Engineering Expertise

Our deep bench of mechanical engineers here in our Katy, Texas headquarters can help you design & configure the most efficient, effective high-speed electric drive system for your application. Our methods include:

System-wide Design Support

We can help you find the best performing precision bearing for your specific high-speed electric drive application through a careful review of your design &requirements.

Inspection

We can analyze your current bearing performance to prevent & detect failures.

Performance Analysis

We can perform various calculations on your specific bearing KPIs, i.e., estimated life, raceway integrity from deformation & more. This data can be used to decide which bearing is optimal for your application.

Learn more about our engineering expertise

The GMN Difference

Around here, we like to say that “good enough” just doesn’t cut it. That’s why when it comes to our precision parts, there is no competition. Here are just a few reasons why:

P4+

Tolerancing is critical and that’s why all GMN P4+ bearings are marked with the exact value of the ID, OD & W. They are also laser etched on the inner ring indicating the high point. This allows for even spacing to help with the balance of the bearing set.

P2 Runouts

All GMN P4+ are manufactured with P2 runouts, translating to better bearing performance & longer life.

Universal Matching

GMN tolerances are so tight, our angular contact bearings can achieve the same benefits of using matched sets from other brands. We can easily cross from various brands like SKF, NSK, Barden, NTN, Timken & more.

No Grease Fees

In our clean & controlled environment, we ensure your bearings have the precise amount of lubrication, for no extra charge. This service is part of our partnership with you.

Learn more about the GMN difference

Choose GMN Bearing USA to Improve Performance of Your Electric Drive

In life it’s usually the little things that don’t get all the attention that make all the difference. For electric drives, it’s no different. While many are focused on the flashy aspects of electric drives, it’s those who execute on the fundamentals that will rise to the occasion. And the fundamental components at the core of an electric drive are the bearings. They may seem simple and a dime a dozen, but the right bearings that are hand selected for your application can make all the difference. Let us help you select the bearings to unleash your electric drive today.

Let’s Talk!

Would GMN Angular Contact Bearings be right for your high-speed electric drive needs? Our engineers are eager to take our learnings about high-speed electric drives to determine what improvements we can have on other systems.

Contact us today to review your specific requirements & we can discuss an application evaluation!