2016 - Pacamor Kubar Bearings

Pacamor Kubar Bearings(PKB) Awarded Contract to Support Mars 2020 Mission

September 21, 2016
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Pacamor Kubar Bearings (PKB), a Troy, NY manufacturer of ball bearings for aerospace and defense systems, was recently awarded a contract by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to supply critical hardware for the Mars 2020 mission. Scheduled to launch in 2020, the robotic science rover will investigate key questions about the habitability of Mars and assess natural resources and hazards in preparation for future human expeditions to the red planet. Under the new contract, PKB will manufacture ball bearings for several motors in the robotic arm actuator and sample caching system. The instruments will enable scientists to identify and select a collection of rock and soil samples that will be analyzed and stored for potential return to Earth.

“PKB has been supporting NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) programs and missions for over 10 years,” said Ed Osta, president of Pacamor Kubar Bearings. “We are grateful for NASA and SNC’s continued confidence in our ability to produce reliable aerospace bearings for these vital missions. PKB is committed to the success of this mission and proud to partake in this project. We look forward to continuing our longstanding relationships with JPL and SNC.”

PKB understands the unique challenges presented by aerospace and guidance applications. Temperature extremes and the vacuum of space create demanding requirements for the lubricant type and its ability to withstand the environment. To meet this demand, PKB is providing precise and reliable products in support of successful missions.

“SNC appreciates the PKB’s commitment to deliver the promised product within the assured timeline,” said Jason Priebe, vice president of productions/operations for SNC’s Space Systems business area. “Reliable suppliers are crucial to developing a final product that you’re proud to stand behind.”

ABOUT PACAMOR KUBAR BEARINGS

PKB is ISO9001:2015 and AS9100D certified, which includes the additional QS requirements specific to the aerospace industry. The company attained certification from the FAA to manufacture bearings per the requirements of TSO-C149, thereby enabling it to provide bearings as replacement parts to FAA certified repair stations. PKB is JCP-Certified, which is a joint certification program with United States and Canada.

Pacamor Kubar Bearings manufactures high performance DFARS-compliant miniature and instrument ball bearings for the aerospace, defense, medical, industrial and commercial industries. Customers include major aerospace manufacturers and key re-sellers as well as various national laboratories and prestigious government organizations such as NASA. PKB provides these industries with precision ball bearings, including those with unique designs and materials used at sub-cryogenic temperatures.

For more information on PKB, please follow us on our facebook page, and on our instagram feed.

Pacamor Kubar Bearings offers the right bearing at the right price, for all your miniature, precision, and instrument applications.

sales@pacamor.com

April 4, 2016
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Service Spotlight:

Miniature & Micro Ball Bearing Efficiency

Bearing speed is affected by a variety of factors including bearing geometry. Bearing rings must be ground to very tight tolerances and polished to a smooth and shiny finish. Bearing steel must be of high quality with small, evenly spaced carbides. Large carbides and inclusions reduce the quality of the steel and create “tear outs” and “comet tails” in the raceway. This not only slows the bearing, but shortens the life of the bearing. Similarly superior ball quality must be maintained for optimal performance. Pacamor Kubar Bearings (PKB) uses only the most reputable steel and ball vendors to ensure reliable, repeatable quality in all our domestically produced miniature ball bearings. The bearing retainer/cage must be produced from high quality materials and piloted in such a way, that it does not drag on any of the bearing components. Retainer drag will not only slow the bearing rotation, but will result in premature failure of the bearing assembly. Proper lubrication will enhance bearing performance and extend bearing life. Too much or too little lube or the wrong viscosity of bearing lubricant will also impair bearing performance.

Some limiting factors include component quality, lubrication density, retainer material and design. The upper level assembly into which the bearing will be placed can also limit the bearing speed. Atmospheric conditions such as contamination, ambient or fluctuating temperatures, and moisture all impact the bearings speed capabilities. It is important to discuss the bearing’s operating environment with PKB, to be sure that vacuum conditions, salt baths, and other environmental factors are considered for optimum performance.

Special coatings, various ball and retainer materials and a wide range of bearing lubricants are available to satisfy specific environmental conditions, speed, temperature, and other factors.

Bearings are an essential component in many products and assemblies. The bearing allows the shaft to turn and control speed and vibration in an assembly. Getting product to market expeditiously is crucial to any project plan. A bearing designed from standard envelope dimensions with minimal special features will help contain project costs and reduce component lead times. When choosing a bearing, refer to the standard bearing envelope dimensions offered, and work with PKB to satisfy the specific requirement.

PKB manufactures bearings for all miniature and instrument applications. PKB miniature bearings are found in medical and surgical handpieces, bone saws and drills, and fluid pumps for the medical industry. PKB produces annular bearings for miniature motors, actuators, and electrical sub assemblies for robotic applications such as pick-and-place robots and packaging equipment. PKB instrument bearings are used in guidance and missile applications as well as specialty products produced for rocket booster components.

Customer Testimonial:

“We used to advise after 3 months to a year that we recommend changing the bearings; several years ago we stopped changing the bearing…We have not changed a bearing for years and have had no failures due to bearing wear…the bearings are exactly the same which is amazing!!”

Read the Full Testimonial

PKB = Quality + On-time + Competitive + USA Made

Made in Troy, NY USA
AMERICAN owned and operated Small Business
VETERAN owned and operated
DFARS-compliant
ISO 9001:2015 certified
AS9100D certified factory
FAA TSO-C149 Aircraft Bearings
ISO 14644-1 Class 6 Clean Room
ISO 14644-1 Class 5 Clean Benches
U.S. / Canada JCP Certified
In-house DMIR for expedited aerospace projects
Lowest prices of ANY domestic ball bearing manufacturer. Let us show you!

Let our engineers help you, with recommendations, or assistance with your bearing design! sales@pacamor.com

What bearing attributes are closely linked to speed, and how?

Speed is affected by many factors, including bearing geometry. Bearing rings must be ground to tight tolerances and polished to a smooth and shiny finish. Bearing steel must be of high quality with small, evenly spaced carbides. Large carbides and inclusions reduce the quality of the steel and create “tear outs” and “comet tails” in the raceway; this slows the bearing and shortens its operating life. Finally, retainers must be piloted so they do not drag on any of the bearing components. Retainer drag slows the bearing and results in premature assembly failure.

Link to Additional Resource

What are some of the limiting factors associated with speed, and how do you overcome them?

The upper-level assembly into which bearings are placed can limit speed. Contamination, ambient or fluctuating temperatures, and moisture as well as vacuum conditions, salt baths, and other environmental factors should be considered for optimum performance. Special coatings, various ball and retainer materials, and a variety of bearing lubricants satisfy specific environmental conditions, speed, temperature, and other factors.

Link to Additional Resource

March 9, 2016
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How-To Guide: Estimating Ball Bearing Life

Pacamor Kubar Bearings(PKB), is continuing our HOW-TO GUIDE series with some suggestions for estimating ball bearing life. We hope this will help you to maximize bearing life and performance.

How-To Guide: Estimating Life of Miniature and Instrument Ball Bearings

“Life” is the number of hours that a percentage of similar bearings have survived under an essentially identical set of operating conditions and loads. Life can be affected by a number of factors including loads, speed, lubrication, fit, maintenance, temperature, contamination, and others.

Bearing life is defined as the length of time (number of revolutions) until a specific failure occurs. Predicting the life of a ball bearing is a statistical calculation of the fatigue properties of the various bearing components. Fatigue Life (L10 or Rating Life) of bearings is the number of hours or revolutions reached by 90% of a group of bearings subjected to the same loads before the onset of fatigue. Conversely, 10% of the same group of bearings can be expected to show evidence of fatigue before the L10 Life is reached.

Many variables can impact bearing life. Various factors such as handling and contamination damage can dramatically reduce bearing life. Bearings should be properly stored, mounted, dismounted, and inspected. Optimized performance and life is also contingent on appropriate lubrication and sufficient protection from foreign matter. Bearings should be stored in a cool, clean, low humidity environment free of dust, shocks and vibrations. Proper fitting, using specialized tools and techniques, will also help maximize bearing life.

For further assistance with bearing selection and design, please feel free to contact our engineering team. Catalog bearings, of all sizes produced by PKB, can be configured as Angular Contact, Radial, or Full-Complement types. PKB also manufactures a wide range of Thin-Section and Metric bearings.

See our Bearing Installation Guide & Bearing Handling Practices pages for more information about proper installation of a PKB bearing into your device. Be sure to visit our Shaft and Housing Fits page for a detailed chart and more information about this topic.

For further assistance with bearing selection and design, please e-mail sales@pacamor.com

Pacamor Kubar Bearings manufactures DFARS-approved FAA TSO-C149 Aircraft Bearings in its ISO 9001:2015 certified factory, in Troy, NY.

Yearly Archives: 2016

Pacamor Kubar Bearings(PKB) Awarded Contract to Support Mars 2020 Mission

Getting The Most Out Of High-Speed Bearings

How-To Guide: Estimating Life of Miniature Ball Bearings