Angular Contact Ball Bearings

Angular contact ball bearings have inner and outer ring raceways that are displaced relative to each other in the direction of the bearing axis. This means that these bearings are designed to accommodate combined loads, i.e. simultaneously acting radial and axial loads. The axial load carrying capacity of angular contact ball bearings increases as the contact angle increases. The contact angle is defined as the angle between the line joining the points of contact of the ball and the raceways in the radial plane, along which the combined load is transmitted from one raceway to another, and a line perpendicular to the bearing axis.Angular contact ball bearings support both radial and axial loads through asymmetric races that house the bearing’s spherical rolling elements, also called bearing balls, on an angle. The deeper the angle between the bearing and its axis, the greater the axial load the bearing can carry. Because the axial load is proportionate to the radial load, a greater axial load capacity means less radial load capacity. Angular contact ball bearings come in single- and double-row configurations depending on the direction of loads they carry. Single-row angular contact ball bearings only support axial loads in one direction, while double-row angular contact ball bearings support axial loads in both directions.