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Needle Roller And Cage Assemblies

Needle roller and cage assemblies are a type of rolling element bearing. They consist of a cage (also called a retainer) that holds and guides a set of needle rollers—cylindrical rollers that are much longer than their diameter. These assemblies are designed to provide high load-carrying capacity and are often used in applications where radial space is limited.

ZMS is a professional needle roller and cage assemblies supplier in China for 15 years. Beside standard series, we also can make custom needle roller and cage assembles for customer.

Main series:
Single Row Needle Roller and Cage Assemblie
K series
Double Row Needle Roller and Cage Assemblies
K…ZW series
Split and Splitable Needle Roller and Cage Assemblies
K..D series
KK..ZWD series

Other special function needle roller and cage assemblies, please contact us for detail.

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Features

No Integral Inner or Outer Ring

The needle rollers run directly on the shaft and housing, or separate raceways can be used. This allows for a more compact and lightweight design.

High Load-Carrying Capacity

Due to the large number of small-diameter needle rollers, these assemblies can support high radial loads relative to their size.

Sensitive to Shaft and Housing Quality

The corresponding shaft journal surface and housing bore surface are used directly as the raceways. Therefore, their surface hardness is required to be HRC 60, and the surface roughness (Ra) should not exceed 0.63 μm

Suitable for Oscillating Motion

They perform well in applications with oscillating or reciprocating motion, such as rocker arms or cam followers.

Application

Automotive Industry

Transmissions: Used in gearboxes, planetary gears, and automatic transmission systems for supporting shafts and gears.
Rocker Arms and Cam Followers: Provide smooth oscillating motion and reduce friction in engine valve trains.
Universal Joints and Propeller Shafts: Allow for compact, high-load support in driveline components.

Industrial Machinery

Gearboxes and Speed Reducers: Support rotating shafts and gears in compact spaces.
Textile Machinery: Used in looms and spinning machines for high-speed, high-load applications.
Printing Machines: Provide precise, low-friction support for rollers and cylinders.

Aerospace

Actuators and Control Systems: Used in flight control mechanisms and actuators where space and weight are critical.
Gear Mechanisms: Support high loads in compact assemblies.

Power Tools

Electric Drills, Grinders, and Saws: Used in rotating parts to provide high load capacity in limited space.

Two-Stroke Engines and Small Engines

Connecting Rods: Needle roller and cage assemblies are used at the small end and big end of connecting rods for smooth, high-speed operation.

Agricultural Machinery

Harvesters, Tractors, and Seeders: Used in various rotating and oscillating components for durability and compactness.

Construction Equipment

Hydraulic Pumps and Motors: Provide reliable support for rotating shafts under heavy loads.

Robotics and Automation

Joints and Actuators: Used in compact, high-load joints and moving parts.

The Ultimate Space-Saving Radial Bearing

When your design requires high load capacity but absolutely no radial space can be spared, ZMS Radial Needle Roller and Cage Assemblies (K Series) are the ultimate engineering answer.
By eliminating both the inner and outer bearing rings, this assembly features the smallest possible radial cross-section—equal only to the diameter of the needle rollers themselves. The assembly runs directly on the machine’s shaft and housing bore, providing a highly compact, lightweight, and incredibly stiff bearing arrangement.

Engineered for Extreme High Speeds

Without the added friction of bearing rings, and guided by a precision-engineered cage, these assemblies excel in ultra-high-speed environments. The cage securely retains the needle rollers, ensuring parallel alignment and preventing them from skewing. This minimizes internal friction and allows for exceptional rotational speeds in planetary gearboxes, machine tool spindles, and industrial centrifuges.

Split Cage Designs for Complex Assembly

In some machinery layouts, such as single-piece automotive crankshafts or complex gear trains, it is impossible to slide a solid bearing ring over the end of the shaft. To solve this assembly nightmare, ZMS offers Split Needle Roller and Cage Assemblies. The cage is cleanly divided into two halves, allowing it to be easily wrapped around the shaft journal during assembly without compromising structural integrity.