Brass bearing cages

NKE Austria has introduced solid brass bearing cages with an improved design. With their reduced mass, the cages cut the rolling bearings’ energy absorption and prevent sliding friction.

In bearings that operate at high speeds, the force created by the rolling elements’ moving mass causes a significant additional internal load. Especially in cylindrical roller bearings with relatively heavy solid brass cages, the acceleration of the rolling elements requires a large amount of energy.

A further issue directly associated with the mass inertia of rollers and cage is the sliding friction that frequently occurs in rolling bearings that are insufficiently loaded or accelerated too quickly and which, in extreme cases, can destroy the bearing’s precision-finished raceway surfaces.

With the aim of reducing moving mass, engineers of NKE’s design department have comprehensively revised the existing standard solid brass cage design as part of a design review process.

By fully utilising the available weight-savings potential, NKE was able to cut cage mass by nearly a fifth compared to the previous design without affecting its roller guidance accuracy. At the same time, an optimisation of the cage bar cross-sections has resulted in an improved lubricant distribution in the bearing.

In line with NKE’s philosophy of ongoing product development, the improved cage design will be gradually phased in for all of NKE’s standard bearings with solid brass cages.