Free bearing tool
Bearing selector for rotating equipment
The Rotec AI Bearing Selector walks you through your application and recommends bearing types and sizes, with load ratings and equivalents.
How to choose a bearing type
Start from the load direction and the speed. The table shows what each family is chosen for, from the Rotec AI bearing guide.
| Bearing family | Chosen for | Typical equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Deep-groove ball | Radial load with moderate axial load; high-speed compact equipment | Motors, fans, pumps, gearboxes, auxiliaries |
| Angular-contact ball | Combined radial and axial load; precision/high-speed arrangements | Pumps, compressors, spindles, generators, aerospace accessories |
| Self-aligning ball | Radial load with some axial load, where shaft/housing misalignment is expected | Conveyors, agitators, textile machinery, general light-to-moderate industrial equipment |
| Cylindrical roller | High radial load and high speed; separable arrangements | Gearboxes, traction motors, rolling mills, generators |
| Spherical roller | Very high radial load with misalignment capability | Crushers, mills, conveyors, wind main shafts, paper machines |
| Tapered roller | Combined radial and axial load; stiffness | Wheel hubs, gearboxes, rail wheelsets, construction/agri equipment |
| Needle roller | High radial load in limited radial space | Transmissions, actuators, mobile equipment, compact machinery |
| Thrust ball / thrust roller | Predominantly axial load | Vertical pumps, extruders, turbines, marine and heavy gear drives |
| CARB / toroidal roller | Radial load plus axial displacement / thermal expansion | Paper rolls, process machinery, certain wind drive arrangements |
| Spherical plain / rod end | Oscillating motion and articulation | Hydraulic cylinders, linkages, flight controls, railway bogies |
| Crossed roller / thin-section | High moment stiffness, compact precision rotation | Radar, gimbals, weapon stations, robotic/rotary tables |
| Slewing ring | Large-diameter combined loads and overturning moments | Wind pitch/yaw, excavator swing, cranes, radar/weapon mounts |
| Housed / insert bearing unit | Easy mounting for shaft support in general machinery | Conveyors, fans, agricultural and food machinery |
| Hybrid / electrically insulated | Mitigate electrical erosion/current damage | Rail traction motors, VFD motors, generators |
| Split roller bearing | Maintenance access where shaft removal is difficult | Conveyors, marine shafts, large fans and process plants |
| Airframe control ball bearing | Flight control linkages and mechanisms — pivot, guide, and track points that need to move precisely with minimal play | Flap/slat linkages, control cable pulleys, actuator pivots, landing gear linkages, guide rails on airframe control runs |
| Miniature / instrument ball bearing | Very small precision rotating or pivoting points — gyros, encoders, small actuators, precision instruments — where a standard deep-groove ball bearing doesn't exist at the needed size | Optical encoders, gyroscopes, small servo motors, medical instruments, precision potentiometers, small gimbal mechanisms |
What the selector checks
- Radial and axial loads against the dynamic and static load ratings (C and C0).
- The rating life you need in hours for the machine.
- Speed against the grease or oil limit of the bearing.
- Alternatives from other makers through the cross-reference.
Browse the catalogue
Every catalogued bearing has its own page with dimensions, load ratings and equivalents.
Deep groove ball bearingsSingle-row angular contact ball bearingsMatched pair of angular contact ball bearings (back-to-back)sSelf-aligning ball bearingsCylindrical roller bearingsSpherical roller bearingsTapered roller bearingsSingle-direction thrust ball bearingsNeedle roller bearings
Want the full version, with your saved bearings and more checks?
Related tools and guides
Questions
How do I select a bearing?
Define the radial and axial loads, the speed and the life needed. Choose a type that suits the load direction, then a size whose load rating gives that life. The selector does this step by step.
Which bearing is best for a motor?
Deep groove ball bearings are the usual choice for motors, fans and pumps with radial load and moderate axial load. Roller bearings suit heavy radial loads.
Results are starting points from standard engineering practice. Confirm critical selections with the bearing or lubricant maker.