Görgscsapágy

Görgscsapágy, commonly written as görgőcsapágy in Hungarian and known in English as roller bearing, is a type of mechanical bearing that uses rolling elements, typically cylindrical rollers, to separate two bearing races and reduce friction as parts move relative to each other. The basic assembly includes an inner race, an outer race, rolling elements, and a cage that spaces the rollers. Lubrication and sealing are essential for longevity and performance.

Roller bearings are categorized by the geometry of the rolling elements and the direction of load. Cylindrical roller bearings use straight cylinders to provide high radial capacity and stiffness, with limited tolerance for misalignment. Needle roller bearings are a more slender variant with a high length-to-diameter ratio for compact spaces. Spherical roller bearings employ barrel-shaped rollers to accommodate misalignment and support heavy radial loads with some axial capacity. Tapered roller bearings use conical rollers to carry both radial and axial loads, and are common in automotive wheels and gearboxes. Thrust roller bearings handle axial loads predominantly.

Construction and materials typically involve hardened steel races and rollers, with cages to keep the rollers evenly spaced; some designs use ceramic rolling elements for high-speed service. Bearings are usually lubricated with grease or oil, and may include seals or shields to exclude contaminants.

Applications span automotive transmissions and axles, industrial gearboxes, machine tools, wind turbines, rails and mining equipment, among others. Proper lubrication, cleanliness, correct preload, and alignment are critical to bearing life; common failure modes include contamination, overload, inadequate lubrication, and brinelling.

The development of rolling bearings in the 20th century, driven by manufacturers such as SKF, FAG, Timken, and NSK, established standardized designs and broad global availability.