News from SMB Bearings

Terminology confusion could cause equipment failure

Bearings 20-05-2019

To avoid equipment breakdowns, industry professionals must improve their knowledge of bearing materials — that is the warning provided by SMB Bearings. We have identified a worrying trend related to the terminology used for ceramic bearing types, with many end users failing to differentiate between hybrid and full ceramic variations.

Bearing beauty is only skin deep

Bearings 10-05-2019

Beauty is only skin deep. Albeit cliché, the same is true of ball bearings. External signs of rust do not necessarily equate to poor performance. However, many customers are falling foul of this misconception.

Addressing EU bearing stockpiling

Business 01-05-2019

SMB Bearings, has increased its capacity from 1.5 million bearings to 2.6 million bearings at its Oxfordshire warehouse. The increase in capacity has been carefully planned to alleviate the pressures associated with European customers stockpiling bearings ahead of predicted Brexit shortages.

Ceramic bearings enable new research

Bearings 28-03-2019

The global ceramic bearings market set to grow at a CAGR of around eleven per cent between 2017 and 2023, with lab equipment representing a key application for this growth. We examine the link between ceramic bearings sales and the output of successful scientific research.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: the cold truth

Bearings 22-03-2019

Low-temperature reactions are widely used in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Temperatures of approximately minus 80 degrees Celsius are sufficiently cold for most cGMP requirements, but as Chris Johnson, managing director of SMB Bearings explains, these extreme temperatures create design challenges for machinery components.

The rise of recycled bearings

Bearings 08-03-2019

Bearings are circular, much like the economy they are used in. As more customers avoid disposing of bearings needlessly, Chris Johnson explains the sudden surge in popularity of reusing and recycling ball bearings through relubrication.

Engineering at sea

Bearings 14-01-2019

Heat, contamination and unpredictable weather constantly threaten to disrupt the performance of offshore oil and gas facilities. These unforgiving conditions can be detrimental to the performance of drilling equipment, pumps and extraction machinery — but what steps can be taken to ensure quality engineering at sea? Chris Johnson, managing director of SMB Bearings, explains why, sometimes, it’s the little things that count.

Ceramic vs hybrid bearings

Bearings 14-12-2018

Approximately 27,000 ceramic tiles cover the exterior of the NASA Space Shuttle — a reusable spacecraft that carries astronauts in a low orbit around Earth. Acting as a thermal barrier to the 1650 degrees Celsius generated by atmospheric re-entry, the tiles illustrate the impressive resistance of ceramic materials. The impressive properties of ceramics are also being used in bearings. Here, Chris Johnson, managing director of precision bearing specialist SMB Bearings, explains the specifications, capabilities and differences of full ceramic and hybrid bearings.

Keeping vibration analysis happy

Technology 07-12-2018

Implementing condition monitoring can reduce the frequency and cost of equipment maintenance. Specifically, vibration analysis can provide valuable insight into machine condition, flagging up problems before extensive damage occurs. Chris Johnson, managing director of ball bearing supplier SMB Bearings, explains the steps machine builders should take to reduce the likelihood of bearings being the root cause.

An update from Ian Emery

Business 06-11-2018

What a year for Ian Emery, RC heli pilot. How has he got on in 2018, with his stock of SMB's bearings on tow?

Demystifying CCTV cameras

Bearings 31-10-2018

Britain is the most watched nation in the world — home to just one per cent of the world’s population, but 20 per cent of its CCTV. To support this developing infrastructure, CCTV bearing supplier SMB Bearings, helped the market leader of network cameras, with a common CCTV camera issue — bearing outgassing.

Could Brexit put the brakes on?

Business 23-10-2018

Brexit challenges the ease-of-access between Britain’s automotive manufacturers and its parts suppliers. So, how can automotive manufacturers prepare for the potential turmoil?