Chris Johnson, managing director of SMB Bearings, explores how custom and off-the-shelf options address technical, budgetary, and operational needs, guiding engineers to balance cost, lead time, and performance.

Chris Johnson, managing director of SMB Bearings, highlights the importance of precision fits in ensuring optimal bearing performance and longevity, particularly in high-load and high-precision machinery like robotics and wind turbines.

Chris Johnson, managing director at specialist bearing supplier SMB Bearings, discusses the economic benefits of high-quality bearings, focusing on reduced downtime, minimized repair costs, and improved machinery reliability across industries.

By Chris Johnson of SMB Bearings emphasises how industrial bearings equipped with sensors can support GenAI by providing real-time data and insights.

By Chris Johnson, managing director at SMB Bearings explains how, by preventing failures, reducing maintenance costs, and extending component lifespan, sensor-equipped bearings will be at the forefront of smart maintenance and supporting Industry 5.0 goals.

Chris Johnson, managing director at bearing specialist SMB Bearings, explores how precision bearings enhance the performance and reliability of cobots.

Simple yet sophisticated, the humble ball bearing is arguably one of the greatest technological developments of all time. However, the story is far from written, over the last few decades the design of bearings has advanced significantly.

It is estimated that a ten per cent reduction of friction in all large bearings in use would provide an energy saving equal to the output of 18 large power stations.

Semiconductor chips store data on almost every modern digital device that we use. According to ASML, in 2020, more than one trillion chips were produced around the world. Despite their use in many of the products we rely on, the manufacturing process is complex and requires precision.

As the name suggests, corrosion-resistant bearings can be used in applications where corrodible materials wouldn’t suffice — think food processing, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical production and bearings for marine applications. But, what materials suffice? Chris Johnson, managing director of miniature bearing supplier SMB Bearings, explains.