How are the filling slots of deep groove ball bearings with filling slots designed?

Deep groove ball bearings with filling slots are a specially designed type of bearings. Their unique filling slot structure improves the bearing's load-bearing capacity and also enables them to have good performance in specific applications. The filling slot design is one of the key features of this type of bearing. The following will introduce this design and its impact on bearing performance in detail.

1. The basic structure of a deep groove ball bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, rolling elements (usually steel balls) and a cage. The filling slots are grooves opened on the side walls of the inner ring or outer ring. These slots allow more rolling elements to be loaded into the bearing. Normally, the number of rolling elements in a standard deep groove ball bearing is limited, and the design with filling slots allows the number of rolling elements to be increased, thereby improving the bearing's load-bearing capacity.

The filling slots are generally located on the sides of the inner and outer rings, which increases the number of rolling elements installed while maintaining the rolling element's motion trajectory. This design is particularly important when the radial load of the bearing is large, because more rolling elements mean a more even distribution of the load, reducing local stress concentration.

2. The functions and effects of the filling slots are as follows.
Improved load capacity: The primary function of the filling groove is to increase the load capacity of the bearing. Due to the filling groove design, deep groove ball bearings can accommodate more rolling elements than ordinary deep groove ball bearings. For example, in applications with large radial loads, the design with filling grooves can effectively share the load, so that each rolling element bears less stress, thereby extending the service life of the bearing.
Optimized stress distribution: With the increase in the number of rolling elements, the stress distribution of the bearing is more uniform. Compared with standard deep groove ball bearings with fewer rolling elements, the design with filling grooves can disperse the stress concentrated on a single rolling element and reduce the local friction between the rolling element and the raceway. This optimization of stress distribution is particularly important for mechanical equipment that carries heavy loads for a long time, which can reduce bearing wear and failure rate.
Improved radial load performance: Deep groove ball bearings with filling grooves are particularly suitable for applications with high radial loads. More rolling elements mean that the bearing can withstand greater pressure in the radial direction, providing more stable operating performance for the equipment. Even under high-speed or heavy-load conditions, this bearing can effectively maintain its high-efficiency performance.

3. Technical Challenges of Filling Groove Design
Although the filling groove design brings many advantages, it also faces some technical challenges, especially in the manufacturing and application process.
High machining accuracy requirements: The design of the filling groove requires high-precision machining technology to ensure that the rolling elements can be installed smoothly during the assembly process without affecting their running trajectory. The position, size and depth of the filling groove must be precisely controlled, otherwise it will increase the friction between the rolling elements and the raceway, which will affect the overall performance of the bearing.
The impact of cage design: The filling groove design will affect the selection and design of the cage. Since more rolling elements are accommodated in the filling groove, the cage must be designed to be flexible enough to fix them without affecting the movement of the rolling elements. This increases the complexity of the cage design and requires careful selection of materials and structures to ensure the stable operation of the rolling elements.

The design of deep groove ball bearings with filling grooves improves the bearing's load capacity and operating efficiency by increasing the number of rolling elements. The filling groove optimizes the stress distribution, reduces local wear, and enhances the performance of the bearing under high load and complex working conditions. However, the processing of the filling groove and the cage design bring certain technical challenges, and the manufacturing accuracy requirements are high. Deep groove ball bearings with filled groove design have been widely used in various mechanical equipment that require high efficiency and durability, showing their good performance and long service life.