A Gallery of Common Bearings

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Bearings reduce friction between parts that rub against other parts, such as gears mounted on shafts or wheels on axles. Friction increases the wear and tear on the parts and makes the movement more difficult, so more energy is needed to power the motion. The bearing must also support the load one part puts on the other.

Here’s look at common bearing types, including ball, rolling, tapered rolling, spherical, needle and ball thrust bearings.