What is an air bearing?

Air bearing: The air bearing is a sliding bearing that suspends the journal in the bearing ring with high-pressure gas and uses air as a lubricant to completely eliminate the friction between the solids and the heat generated thereby. Air is less viscous than oil, high temperature resistant, and non-polluting, so it can be used in high speed machines, instruments and radioactive devices, but its load capacity is lower than oil.

Under the extremely high rotation of ordinary rolling bearings, the centrifugal force of the rolling elements (balls or rollers) acting on the outer ring raceway is too large to bear. Therefore, the steel rolling elements are replaced by ceramic rolling elements, the former is lighter in weight and the centrifugal force is thus reduced. At the same time, the diameter of the rolling elements is reduced to reduce its centrifugal force. For ultra-high-speed cutting machines, the ideal main bearings are air bearings and magnetic bearings.