Stainless Needle Bearings
Stainless Needle Bearings
(OP)
I am designing a valve for use in liquid oxygen. I want to use needle bearings but they need to be stainless steel for fluid compatibility reasons. My search for off the shelf solutions has come up blank and custom bearing quotes have been prohibitively expensive.
Does anyone know who makes stainless radial needle bearings? I need approximately 5/8 to 3/4" ID.
Does anyone know who makes stainless radial needle bearings? I need approximately 5/8 to 3/4" ID.





RE: Stainless Needle Bearings
That alone may be a problem in oxygen service.
Given the presence of grease, you don't need stainless.
But again, the grease itself may be a problem.
How do you feel about plain teflon bushings?
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Stainless Needle Bearings
Flammability - Steel combusts much more readily than stainless. Yes, they will both burn with enough motivation.
Cryo toughness - steel can become brittle at -290F (liquid oxygen). Some alloy steels can maintain usable toughness at cryo but probably not hardened steels.
Corrosion resistance - Considering the cryo temps, lube is out of the question (Molycote is OK).
We are considering some teflon filled bronze bushings. Loads are too high for a plain teflon bushing.
The application is 1/4 turn at slow speeds and only a few thousand cycles. It is my hope that an un-lubricated bearing would last. Our goal is to keep the friction as low as possible to minimize the size of the actuator and increase reliability.
RE: Stainless Needle Bearings
RE: Stainless Needle Bearings
http://www.wbparts.com/rfq/3110-00-925-8601.html
h
http://w
RE: Stainless Needle Bearings
The cam follower is interesting but i don't think I can use that packaging. At least is proves stainless needles are being manufactured. I had a vendor quote custom bearings at $400 ea in lots of 180. I'll get fires if I try to spend $72,000 on bearings.
RE: Stainless Needle Bearings
It's here or there, all one have to do is find it. This or something similar spoken by Pogo (1865).