Thin section bearings as listed below are available open, shielded or sealed. Available in a variety of standard and custom inch and metric sizes, our thin section bearings offer high performance in corrosive and non-corrosive environments where space devoted to the bearings is at a minimum. Models of Lily’s thin section bearings can be interchangeable with those from Kaydon. The bearing interchange chart is meant to be a quick cross-reference guide.
Attributes of Thin Section Bearings
Types: Angular Contact(Type-A), Four Point Contact(Type-X), Radial Contact(Type-C)
In applications with high axial loads, Type-A angular contact thin section ball bearings should be used. The thin section bearings also work well in radial or combined radial-thrust applications. The Type-A thin section bearings should never be used alone to support moment loads or reversing axial loading. Two Type-A thin bearings are often used as a duplex pair.
The Type-X thin section bearings, or the 4-point contact thin wall ball bearings are ideal for moment loading. Type-X ultra thin bearings are designed with gothic arch raceways creating 4 contact points between the balls and the raceways. This design is excellent for moment loading and reversing axial loading. The Type-X thin section bearings can be used for other light loading conditions, but is not recommended in place of the Type-C or Type-A thin section bearings for pure radial loads.
The Type-C thin wall bearings, that is, the radial contact thin section bearings, is designed with deep ball grooves to withstand high loads. Although this bearing is used primarily in applications with radial loads, it can withstand moderate axial loads, reversing axial loads, and moment loads.
Materials: Chrome Steel, Stainless Steel, Ceramic Hybrid
The standard thin section bearings shown in the catalog have SAE 52100 steel rings and balls. Thin Section Bearings can be manufactured from other specialty bearing steels to provide corrosion resistance, high temperature capability, alternative load capacity or chemical compatibility.
Rings
LILY has manufactured slim bearings from SAE 440C stainless steel to provide corrosion resistance. As an alternative to stainless steel rings, the entire surface of the rings can be plated with nodular thin dense chrome (TDC). This plating, which meets AMS 2438, achieves a molecular bond that will not flake, peel or separate from the base material. The TDC plate has a hardness of HRC 70 - 78 and can withstand temperatures well beyond the range of the base material.
Special thin section bearings have been manufactured from Aluminum, 300 Series Stainless Steel, 17-4 Stainless Steel, and other metals.
Balls
Some special ball materials available include 440C Stainless Steel, 300 Series Stainless Steel, Silicon Nitride and M-50 Steel.
Precision: ABEC-1 to ABEC-7
Thin ball bearings are available in four precision grades. ABEC grades 1, 3, 5 and 7 respectively. The tolerances for the bearing bores, outer diameters and radial plays are shown in the products tables.
Sizing
Thin section bearings range in bore diameters from 0.750 inch to 40.000 inches. Product line range from .187 x .187 inch to 1.000 x 1.000 inch in cross section.
Seal Type: Open, Sealed
Open type thin section bearings are usually oil lubricated, with low starting torque and flexible rotation.
The seal of thin section ball bearings consists of nitrile/BUNA-N rubber bonded to a metal washer. High temperature PTFE seals (up to 250°C) or Viton seals (up to 230°C) are available on some sizes. The inner lip of the seal rubs against the bearing inner ring to provide an effective seal against smaller particles such as dust and moisture while preventing lubricant leakage. Contact seals produce much higher frictional torque levels than open bearings and reduce the maximum speed of a bearing. Below -40°C nitrile rubber and viton will stiffen and provide a less effective seal so PTFE seals or metal shields should be considered for very low temperatures.
Construction: constant section, deep groove
The cross-section remains constant even in the case of larger shaft and housing bore diameters, therefore the thin section bearings are also described as constant section (CS) bearings. There are three configurations of thin section bearings. They are angular contact thin section bearings (Type A), Conrad assembled deep groove radial thin section ball bearings (Type C), and four-point contact radial thin section bearings (Type X).
Thin section Bearings with the deep groove ball bearing structure are available in open type bearings, shield (2Z) or seals (2RS).
System of Measurement
System of thin section bearings include Inch system and Metric system.
Cages
Cage materials of thin section bearings cover brass, nylon, phenolic and stainless steel.
Lubricants
Many different lubricants are available from LILY Bearing for special applications. Greases which are designed specifically for high speed, low torque, water resistance, high temperature, oscillatory motion and food machinery can be provided. Additional lubricants, such as dry film, are suitable for use in vacuums and space applications. For more details, please refer to the website ofBall Bearing Lubrication.
Temperatures:
Thin section bearings with Normal chrome steel can be used at constant temperatures of 120°C or intermittent temperatures of up to 150°C. Above these temperatures, the load capacity of the chrome steel will be reduced. By means of special heat treatment processes and the addition of high temperature grease, we can also customize thin section bearings for high temperature resistance.
Internal Clearance
Internal clearance is the play between outer ring, inner ring and rolling element of thin section bearings. Generally, the amount of up and down movement of the outer ring with respect to the fixed inner ring is called the radial internal clearance and its right and left movement the axial internal clearance. Bearing internal clearance in operation is an important factor that has a significant influence on other factors such as noise, vibration, heat and fatigue life.
Typical applications include:
Precision robotic joints 
Semiconductor equipment and measuring systems
Radar and microwave equipment 
Solar array panels
Guidance systems 
Medical Imaging equipment
Machine Tools 
Textile Machinery
Material Handling 
Satellite Systems
Antenna Equipment 
Packaging Machinery
Aerospace 
Scanning Equipment
Optical Equipment 
Rotary Joints
Manufacturing Equipment 
Military Turrets
Slip Ring Assemblies 
Harmonic Drives
Speed Reducers
Advantages & Buying and Using experience
Have been specializing in thin section bearings for 22 years，our company is able to effectively deal with all kinds of difficulties encountered by our clients in bearing applications. In addition, our company has thousands of bearings in stock and can provide thin section bearings which are rare in the market. We have rich experience in international trade, and most of our products can be shipped on the same day as the order is received. It is worth mentioning that we have much experience in serving US companies. According to statistics, 60% of our clients are from North America. For instance, Tesla, Google, NASA and other international famous companies are our loyal clients. They purchased our thin section bearings and spoke highly of them. Furthermore, our bearings are widely used in some world-class products. A case in point, our bearings have been used in the center console of Mercedes-Benz with s-series.
Our company is not only a seller of bearings, but also an expert in bearing solutions. We have a strong team of skilled engineers and a large service team, the mission of which is "client-oriented". Our experts have rich experience in serving end-users and well-established industry solutions, and can provide customized bearing solutions according to your actual working conditions.
