Hybrid Ceramic Bearings

A bearing is a mechanical component used wherever there is a need to reduce friction between two or more connected components.
Almost all existing bearings are made of rings and rolling elements in special 100Cr6 steel, known also as bearing steel.

Bearing geometries and types are now standardised and classified in accordance with ISO standards, but the materials used to make bearings are still subject to ongoing research and development.

Rolling elements were the first bearing components to be tested in materials other than 100Cr6 steel.
The first hybrid bearings, introduced a few years ago, are mainly used for aerospace applications. These owe their name to the fact that the rolling elements are made of ceramic (silicon nitride) instead of 100Cr6 steel.

Cuscinetto-superpreciso-totalmente-ceramico---Superprecision-Full-Ceramic

Nowadays, hybrid bearings are used in many applications. They make it possible to:

  • Increase speed due to the smoothness of the ceramic balls. The lighter balls also allow lower inertia for higher speeds.
  • Reduce overall bearing weight. The specific weight of silicon nitride is 60% less than that of 100Cr6 steel.
  • Extend bearing life; hybrid bearings reduce the heat due to friction between ceramic balls and steel rings.
  • Stop the passage of electric current because the ceramic balls act as insulators. This property makes them particularly suitable for applications where eddy currents are present. 
  • Reduce sensitivity to heat fluctuations, because silicon nitride rolling elements undergo much less thermal expansion than steel, promoting more stable and accurate clearance and preload.

Hybrid bearings are made of rings in 100Cr6 or stainless steels such as AISI420 and AISI440C.

The rolling elements of hybrid bearings can be balls or rollers, depending on the type of bearing and the specific application. They are typically made of silicon nitride.

Lyra Bearing can also develop hybrid bearings with rolling elements made of materials other than silicon nitride, allowing your machines or systems to achieve very high performance levels.

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SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS

Wind turbines
Water treatment
Oil / Gas
Drilling
Earth-moving machinery
Crane trucks
Lifting systems
Marble working
Filling
Packaging
Labelling
Robotics
Industrial automation

and many other applications, to be engineered and developed in partnership with you