Thanks to modern technology, companies continue to create, design, and manufacture countless products that make life much easier and far more efficient. Some of these products are so large they would not fit in your garage, while some are small enough to hold in the palm of your hand. Though many of these products are extremely different in size, shape, and purpose, those that have moving parts rely on the technology of bearing steel balls.
Ball bearings allow two surfaces to roll across one another’s surface instead of slide across. Rolling across a surface eliminates most of the resistance and friction that would normally exist between the two surfaces. A typical individual probably uses 10 to 20 products that operate using ball bearings. The computer, ceiling fan, blender, microwave, and sliding glass door uses some form of bearing in their operation. Cars, bicycles, office chairs, and the washer and dryer all depend on ball bearings. Even the valves on aerosol cans have 2 small bearing balls that make spraying possible. Next time you use your fishing reel or you drive your remote control race car, realize their quiet and smooth operation depends on bearing balls.
Bearing steel balls come in many different sizes; some are small enough to fit on the head of a pin, while other steel balls can be several feet in diameter. Two of the most interesting uses for ball bearings are earthquake-proof buildings and magnetic ball bearings. There are 267 large pillar columns providing the primary support base for the San Francisco International Airport. Each one of those construction columns has a five foot steel ball bearing at its base. Each ball is placed in a large concave indentation, which permits the bearing to roll with seismic activity while still maintaining a fairly stable foundation for each airport terminal pillar. Magnetized bearings are used in products that have the need for high speed moving parts. Some electronic devices and products require parts to revolve as fast as 50,000 revolutions per minute. Normal bearings would melt down or eventually freeze up, but the magnetic field of the bearings floats the moving part away from the bearing so it is free from friction.
Bearing balls come in many sizes and they are made from different materials. Some bearings are made from steel and other metals, others bearings might be made from plastic or ceramic material. Lighter products such as fishing reels may have plastic or ceramic bearings, while inline skates or bicycles require steel bearings, which are stronger and able to carry a much heavier bearing load. There is a definite correlation between bearing material and its ability to carry a load.
The advent of ball bearings has changed the world we live in. Bearing steel balls are molded and pressed into perfectly shaped balls that eventually go through the grinding, heating, coating, and lubrication that makes steel ball bearings so round, strong, and free from faults and flaws. The more perfect the bearing, the less friction its causes. Whether you want to provide earthquake proof buildings or create the high speed revolutions of computers, bearing technology will be the leading edge to a better and more efficient world.
Steel balls are an excellent illustration of a product that has multiple uses, a wide range of them, and still, many people seem to overlook them completely and frequently. The majority of individuals are merely not aware of their recognition of these specific balls in commerce and strategy. It is not often for a basic design to be used for such a comprehensive series of creations, and distinguishing a few of the purposes for the very first moment can be an intriguing encounter. Throughout this text, we will cover a few of the additionally intriguing functions for steel balls, which will include bullets and such, vehicle bearings and the all-famous agitator. Altogether, these shape into a captivating, all-embracing glimpse of the functions of the steel balls through times gone by up until today.
Guns, Bullets and Weaponry
As we look to the past, way back, we will see that esteemed steel ball existed a long time ago. The capability to generate an accomplished item such as the bullet had to have been one of the greatest advancements in technology in history. All of a sudden, we had capabilities of using guns and shooting a bullet at even further away from us than before, and with a lot of additional power as well. Moreover, it all relied on the expansion of casting and forming the steel balls. Many moons ago, these balls were used in a standard vessel’s big gun, also known as the cannon. In addition, they were used in a musket, which was the leading battleground firearm for numerous years.
Vehicle Bearings
Steel balls have to be the most vital part of all vehicles. That might sound like a ball-breaking declaration; however, it is certainly worth pondering where vehicles, the car and truck series, would be today if they were missing bearings within each wheel. The capability to invent a product that continues to resist and hold up to friction, is dependable and lasts for a long time, no matter what speed an automobile reaches and no matter how much weight the vehicle carries, is one of the greatest and most fascinating elements of automobile creation. Nowadays, an automobile’s engine tends to use hydraulic-type bearings rather than balls; however, back in the earlier times, the camshaft and the crank required bearings just the same as any additional kind of rotating equipment. If vehicles and machinery did not have precise bearings, there is a possibility that the entire history of automobiles making would have turned out much differently, undeniably.
The All-Famous Agitator
Agitators are balls that are used to mix products like spray paint or additional products like that. Nail polish is one product that has steel balls in it. Its vital purpose is to agitate the liquid within the bottle, when a person shakes it, to mix up whatever is within the nail polish jar or paint can. The liquid has a tendency of separating when it sits for a while. The thinner liquid is usually on the top and the thicker stuff goes to the bottom. The product does not function properly unless it is mixed well before using it, normally. If you have ever used a can of spray paint, you might recall that it made a metallic rattling noise when you shook the can. The noise you heard was steel balls within the can, used to agitate the liquid around within. When you hear that rattling sound, you are listening to still an additional purpose of the identical creation used for bullets and vehicle wheel bearings.
In Conclusion
It is difficult to consider the absolute diversity of functions that steel balls offer. You can locate them in nearly every type of product, from guns too bullets to car and truck wheels to spray paint containers. More than likely, the next moment that you are using a product that contains rotating parts or has liquid in it, you will now think about this topic and know that you are observing still an additional element of the historical, ongoing advancement of steel balls.
