| Air bearing type | design | function | translative | rotative | load | torque | accuracy | costs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bearing round | flat | round | air bearing on plane | yes | low | high | excellent | ++ | |
| Air bearing square | flat | square | air bearing on plane | yes | low | high | excellent | ++ | |
| Air bearing bush | hollow shaft | air bearing | of a shaft | yes | low | low | medium | very high | + |
| Roller air bearing | annular | replacement for ball bearing | no | yes | medium | medium | excellent | ++ | |
| Roller air bearing X | annular | rotating outer ring | no | yes | medium | medium | excellent | ++ | |
| Radiax air bearing | hollow shaft | axial and radial air bearing | low | yes | medium | very high | excellent | +/++ | |
| Vacuum air bearing | flat round | preload by vacuum and air bearing | yes | no | low | low | best | +++ | |
| Vacuum air bearing | flat rectangular | preload by vacuum and air bearing | yes | no | low | low | best | +++ | |
| Air bearing modul | modular | create you own air bearing | yes | no | low | low | best | +++ |
Air bearings replace conventional bearings such as plain bearings and ball bearings. With an air bearing, you have contactless and therefore friction-free bearings. This is achieved with a thin layer of compressed gas. The air serves as a lubricant that flows out of porous material. This allows you to move your load with high precision, dynamically and smoothly.
Different designs of air bearings enable different types of mechanical bearing. Rectangular or round air bearings are used for linear movements. Air bearing bushes enable the air bearing of a shaft in the longitudinal direction.
Rotary solutions are implemented with radiaxial air bearings, roller air bearings and conical air bearings. In some cases, they can support forces in more than one direction.
Modular air bearings are smaller modules for the air bearing of a system and offer more freedom in the design. An alternative to this are the complete air bearing guides. Finally, air bearings with preload should also be mentioned. They combine the use of air pressure and vacuum.
Air bearings are a fascinating technology that can offer you decisive progress.
We are guaranteed to find the right air bearing for you - free of charge & without obligation
Once you have decided on an air bearing type, you can use the following information to design the air bearings. Further help can be found under Quick Reference Guides.
Air bearing type
First you need to find out which air bearing type is best suited to your application. The selection guide provides an initial overview.
Tolerances
Air bearing products ensure precision and focus on accuracy. The smoother and more precise the surfaces, the better the performance. If the guide surface is not as smooth as desired, you should use a larger bearing and a high inlet pressure. It is important that the tolerance requirements are met.
Guidesurfaces
Common guide surfaces include granite, hard-coated aluminum, ceramic, glass, stainless steel and chrome-plated steel.
Temperature
All standard air bearing products operate at room temperature. High temperature applications require a special air bearing, possibly with special materials. Testing and trials may be required in advance. Fluctuations in air pressure only affect the load capacity, i.e. how large the load may be.
Environment
Air bearings work best in clean and dry environments. They must therefore not come into contact with oils or other types of contamination. The air quality should be between ISO 8573.1 classes 3 and 4. (Minimum requirement: particle size of the contamination 15 µm, dew point 2.8 °C. Oil and dust with 5 mg per m³ | Better: particle size 5 µm, dew point -20 °C. Oil and dust with 1 mg per m³)
Technical data and size
Determine the size based on the storage capacities and the permissible size. It is always better to use one size larger than an air bearing that barely meets the performance requirements. A larger bearing requires less inlet pressure, has greater rigidity and better damping properties. The technical data for all standard air bearings can be found on our website.
Preload
By preloading the bearings, the air layer thickness is reduced and the rigidity increased. The result is a better functioning air bearing. Although air bushings are automatically preloaded, it is important to include preload in every design. Especially when designing systems with flat air bearings. Further information on preload can be found below in the section "Design with flat air bearings".
Customized airbearings
Many applications are very specific and therefore cannot use a standard air bearing. Therefore, we offer services and customized air bearings to determine the best solution. Once an air bearing type is determined, you can use further information to design the air bearings. The further assistance applies to one air bearing type at a time.
