High-Precision Bearings: Why They Are Critical for Robotics and Automation Systems
High-precision bearings are an intrinsic part of robotics and automation systems, particularly in situations where the control of motion and the position attained are of utmost importance. High accuracy bearing solutions help in making robots, CNC machines, and automated systems function efficiently and accurately. In the absence of high accuracy bearing solutions, automated systems become more vulnerable to vibrations and inaccuracy.
With the rapid advancement of automation technology, precision bearings find themselves at the forefront of supporting increased speed, increased load, and tight tolerance in the latest automation designs.
What Are High-Precision Bearings?
High-precision bearings are engineered bearing assemblies manufactured with extremely tight tolerances to ensure exceptional rotational accuracy and stability. High precision bearings are different from normal bearings in that they are designed to function in challenging environments as required in robotics and automation environments.
Design Features of High-Precision Bearings
These bearings are produced from high-quality materials such as high-grade steel or advanced ceramic compounds. This ensures accurate surface finish, which helps distribute loads evenly, thus minimizing vibration resulting from friction. This results in smoother motion and higher positional accuracy, which are essential for robotic joints, actuators, and motion control systems.
Importance of Tight Tolerances in Robotics
Tight tolerances provide precise alignment for automated systems to function with no backlash. In robotics, this means better repeatability, less calibration requirement, and better quality even with large production runs.
Role of High-Speed Precision Bearings in Robotics
Robotic and automated systems often operate at high speeds while handling variable and complex loads. High-speed precision bearings are made to work under such high speeds without losing accuracy and stability.
Speed, Load, and Accuracy Requirements
For high-performance spindle applications, bearings are required to support loads in two directions: axial and radial. High-speed bearings are designed to minimize friction and thermal effects, enabling faster motion with high accuracy.
Vibration Suppression and Motion Control
Precision bearings further reduce vibration and noise, which is an important factor in motion control. Vibration Suppression is important in the field of assembly, inspection, and welding, which require accurate motion for optimal product performance and function.
Angular Contact Bearings in Automation Systems
Angular contact bearings are commonly used in robotic systems due to their stiffness and ability to sustain a combination of loads.
Handling Radial and Axial Loads
The bearings support the action of both radial and axial forces. The design of high-contact-angle bearings facilitates increased rigidity, thereby ensuring stability when in high-speed and high-load operation.
Applications in Robotic and CNC Systems
Angular contact bearings are employed in servo motors, robotic wrists, and CNC machine tools. The accuracy and carrying capacities of angular contact bearings are directly responsible for an increase in machining accuracy and the repeatability of robotic tasks.
Key Benefits of High-Precision Bearings
The use of high-precision bearings delivers significant performance benefits across robotics and industrial automation systems.
1) Precision, Reliability and Durability
The robotic arm bearing solutions ensure precise motion paths. They have a controlled motion that helps the robotic systems perform very complex operations. This is due to the controlled deviation of the raceways and the rolling elements.
2) Reduced Maintenance and Downtime
Precision bearings wear less by reducing friction, heat generation, and vibration compared to standard ones. This provides longer service intervals, reduced breakdowns, and lower maintenance costs, a crucial advantage for the operating face of an automated production line running without stoppages.
3) Better Energy Efficiency
High-precision designs reduce mechanical resistances, which enable motors and actuators to operate with increased efficiency. Lower energy losses improve the responsiveness of a system and help to reduce overall power consumption in the automation facility.
4) Smarter System Integration
Bearings have enabled closer mechanical integration of components such as motors, gearboxes, and sensors. As a result, there is improved compactness of the overall system, thereby allowing advanced robotic designs where space and weight, as well as alignment, are important.
Future Trends in Robotics Bearing Technology
With the advancement in robotics and industrial automation bearings technology, the demand for bearings is rising. As a result, the technology in bearings is continually advancing.
1) Advances in Bearing Technology
Continuous innovation in the areas of materials science, surface treatment technology, and lubrication technology are making it possible to use the bearings at higher rotational speeds and at stable thermal conditions.
2) Smart Automation Systems: Growth
Growing demand for smart factories and artificial intelligence-based robotics is leading to an increase in demand for parts that can perform repetitive, accurate motion. Precision bearings form the basis of such applications, enabling endless and adaptive functionality.
3) Applications involving Advanced Materials
The usage of hybrid and ceramic materials in bearings has been on the rise due to the materials’ light weight and stiffness properties as well as the materials’ durability withstanding high temperatures and speeds that are common in advanced automation.
4) Integration with Predictive Maintenance Technologies:
Future bearing solutions are designed to complement condition monitoring and predictive maintenance systems. Precision bearings allow systems to be “smarter” by providing warning of a possible wear issue or misalignment.
Conclusion
To achieve accuracy, reliability and efficiency in contemporary robotics and automation technologies high-precision bearing solutions were developed.
Precision engineering is what Norck Robotics embodies in all of our products. Integrating advanced bearing technologies into robotics and automation solutions will maximize operational productivity and long-term improvement in the reliability of equipment manufactured to meet our clients' requirements. If you would like to know more about how we can help you with your robotics and automation projects and how you can incorporate precision engineering in the design of your automated systems, please contact us today.