NewBee Machinery is a professional machinery parts manufacturer providing high quality precision bearings, high-quality non-standard transmission components, and intelligent CNC equipment and more.
NewBee Machinery is a professional machinery parts manufacturer providing high quality precision bearings, high-quality non-standard transmission components, and intelligent CNC equipment and more.
A Sunflower-Type Bearing Cage is a high-precision bearing cage designed with a bionic petal structure. Named for its overall radial shape of 12-15 petals, it integrates three core functions-"active lubrication, passive heat dissipation, and low vibration"-through the combination of spiral guide grooves (micro-vortex structure) between petals and special bearing cage material. It serves as a key component for high-end precision bearings to adapt to high-speed, high-temperature, and complex load scenarios. Its bearing cage design breaks through the single function of traditional cages (only separating rolling elements) and realizes the integrated forming of complex internal flow channels via Selective Laser Melting (SLM) 3D printing technology. Under the same working conditions, its heat dissipation efficiency is 30% higher than that of steel cage bearings, its critical speed is 50% higher than that of brass cage bearings, and its vibration amplitude is reduced by 70%. As a professional bearing accessory manufacturer, NEWBEE Transmission’s Sunflower-Type Bearing Cages cover bearings with inner diameters ranging from 15mm to 600mm. Customizable versions include PEEK+CF composite material (for lightweight) and Inconel 718 (for high-temperature resistance), which are widely used in aerospace, semiconductor manufacturing, high-end medical care, and other fields with strict requirements for precision and stability, fully demonstrating in-depth innovation in bionic bearing cage technology.
1. Bionic Structure and Efficient Heat Dissipation: The Sunflower-Type Bearing Cage adopts a radial petal layout, where 12-15 "petals" form natural heat dissipation fins. Its heat dissipation area is 40% larger than that of traditional stamped steel cages. Combined with the high thermal conductivity of bearing cage material (e.g., silicon nitride has a thermal conductivity of 30W/mK), the overall heat dissipation efficiency reaches 130% of traditional cages, reducing the bearing’s operating temperature by 25℃. NEWBEE Transmission optimizes the surface flatness of petals through ion beam machining (surface roughness Ra < 0.05μm) to reduce air flow resistance. Even under the working condition of high-speed spindles (15,000rpm), it can still maintain stable heat dissipation, avoiding lubrication failure caused by local overheating.
2. Superior High-Speed Adaptability: Relying on the combination of "lightweight structure + high-strength material", the critical speed of the Sunflower-Type Bearing Cage is significantly increased. The PEEK+CF composite version has a critical speed of 15,000rpm, 50% higher than that of brass cage bearings (10,000rpm), and its DN value (inner diameter × rotational speed) can reach up to 1,200,000 (mm×rpm), making it suitable for ultra-high-speed scenarios such as high-speed guide rails of semiconductor lithography machines and aero-engine spindles. NEWBEE Transmission’s Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) process eliminates 99.9% of material porosity, increasing the cage’s fatigue strength by 3 times. Even during long-term operation at 12,000rpm, it can avoid issues such as plating peeling and structural deformation that are common in traditional cages like Silver-plated cage bearings.
3.Extreme Low-Vibration Performance: Through an asymmetric geometric structure design, the Sunflower-Type Bearing Cage breaks the resonance frequency of traditional cages, controlling the vibration amplitude to 0.3μm, which is 70% lower than that of conventional cages (1.0μm). The spiral guide grooves between petals form micro-vortex areas, which can actively guide the uniform distribution of lubricating grease and reduce sliding friction between rolling elements and pockets. In precision medical equipment (e.g., MRI robot joints), it can control the bearing’s operating noise to ≤40dB, far lower than the 55dB standard of steel cage bearings. NEWBEE Transmission’s SLM forming technology (dimensional accuracy ±0.02mm) ensures the consistency of each petal, avoiding additional vibration caused by structural deviations and guaranteeing the measurement accuracy of precision instruments.
4. Multi-Scenario Environmental Adaptability: The diversified selection of bearing cage material enables the Sunflower-Type Bearing Cage to adapt to different extreme environments: - The Inconel 718 version can withstand temperatures up to 700℃ and, when combined with a thermal barrier coating, can be used in high-temperature areas of aero-engines. - Silicon nitride material (with zero outgassing characteristics) is suitable for the vacuum environment of spacecraft. - The PEEK+CF composite material, after micro-arc oxidation treatment, has a salt spray resistance of 1,000 hours and can replace Silver-plated cage bearings in offshore wind power equipment. NEWBEE Transmission can also customize Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coatings according to requirements, reducing the cage’s friction coefficient to 0.0008, making it suitable for scenarios with strict friction control such as food machinery and chemical equipment.
5. Intelligent Lubrication and Long-Service-Life Design: The spiral guide grooves of the Sunflower-Type Bearing Cage not only serve as heat dissipation channels but also act as "active delivery pipelines" for lubricating grease. Driven by centrifugal force, the lubricating grease flows directionally along the grooves and evenly covers the surface of rolling elements, avoiding uneven lubrication caused by the "passive oil carrying" of rolling elements in traditional cages. This design extends the bearing’s lubrication cycle to 3 times that of traditional products. Combined with the wear resistance of bearing cage material (the wear rate of PEEK+CF is only 1/5 that of brass cage bearings), the overall bearing service life is increased by 2-3 times. NEWBEE Transmission’s customizable guide groove angle (adjustable from 15° to 30°) can optimize lubrication efficiency for different scenarios such as radial load and axial load, adapting to both heavy-load and light-load working conditions.
Based on bearing cage design, bearing cage material, and application scenarios, Sunflower-Type Bearing Cages can be divided into multiple types. NEWBEE Transmission can provide a full range of bearing cage types to meet the needs of different high-end bearings:
1. Bearing Cage Types Classified by Material - PEEK+CF composite cage: Based on PEEK (polyether ether ketone) reinforced with carbon fiber (CF), it has a density of only 1.5g/cm³, 80% lighter than steel cage bearings (7.85g/cm³). It is suitable for lightweight and medium-high-speed scenarios (e.g., precision machine tool spindles, power tool bearings). The surface of this type of cage from NEWBEE Transmission can be customized with a DLC coating, achieving a friction coefficient as low as 0.0008. It is also resistant to chemical corrosion, making it suitable for clean environments such as pharmaceutical and food machinery. - Inconel 718 high-temperature cage: Made of nickel-based high-temperature alloy, it can withstand temperatures up to 700℃ and has a tensile strength of ≥1200MPa. It is suitable for high-temperature and heavy-load scenarios such as aero-engine spindles and gas turbine bearings. Through HIP treatment, the material porosity is <0.1%, and its fatigue life is 3 times that of brass cage bearings, enabling it to withstand instantaneous high-temperature impacts above 600℃ for a long time. - Silicon nitride ceramic cage: Made of reaction-sintered silicon nitride, it has zero outgassing, electrical insulation, and low thermal expansion coefficient. It is suitable for special scenarios such as spacecraft attitude control mechanisms and semiconductor lithography equipment. NEWBEE Transmission’s ion beam machining process ensures a surface roughness of Ra < 0.05μm, reducing wear on rolling elements. With no metal ion precipitation, it can replace Silver-plated cage bearings in high-cleanliness environments.
2. Bearing Cage Types Classified by Structural Function - Standard heat-dissipating cage: Equipped with 12 petals and a 20° guide groove angle, it focuses on improving heat dissipation efficiency. Suitable for medium-high temperature scenarios such as high-speed motors and CNC turntables, this standard model from NEWBEE Transmission has a delivery cycle of 10-12 weeks. - Low-vibration precision cage: Equipped with 15 petals and an asymmetric structure, it has a vibration amplitude of ≤0.2μm. Suitable for medical equipment and precision testing instruments, it requires reverse engineering via 3D laser scanning for customization, with a delivery cycle of 14-16 weeks. - High-temperature heavy-load cage: Features thickened petal walls (5-8mm), adopts Inconel 718 material + thermal barrier coating, and is suitable for aero-engines and heavy gas turbines. It can withstand radial loads above 200kN and requires customized production, with a delivery cycle of 16-18 weeks.
With the advantages of "high speed, low vibration, and resistance to extreme environments", Sunflower-Type Bearing Cages are widely used in high-end fields. Various products from NEWBEE Transmission are specifically adapted to different scenario requirements:
Aerospace Field: The spindles of turbine engines use Inconel 718 Sunflower-Type Bearing Cages, which can withstand 700℃ high temperatures and have a critical speed of 15,000rpm, ensuring stable operation of the engine under high-altitude and high-speed conditions. The attitude control mechanisms of satellites use silicon nitride ceramic cages; their zero outgassing characteristics prevent contamination of the spacecraft’s vacuum environment, and their low thermal expansion coefficient adapts to the severe temperature changes (-180℃~150℃) in orbit. A vibration amplitude of ≤0.3μm ensures the pointing accuracy of satellite antennas.
Precision Manufacturing Field: The guide rails of semiconductor lithography machines are equipped with PEEK+CF composite cages. With a DN value of 1,200,000 (mm×rpm), they meet high-speed positioning requirements. The DLC coating reduces the friction coefficient to 0.0008, avoiding contamination of wafers by lubricating grease. The high-speed spindles of five-axis machining centers use standard heat-dissipating cages, with heat dissipation efficiency increased by 30%, enabling long-term operation at 12,000rpm and achieving a machining accuracy of ±0.001mm, far exceeding the ±0.005mm standard of spindles adapted with brass cage bearings.
Medical Equipment Field: The joints of MRI robots use low-vibration precision cages, with a vibration amplitude of 0.2μm and noise ≤40dB, avoiding interference with magnetic resonance imaging accuracy. The end effectors of surgical robots use lightweight PEEK+CF cages, weighing only 2-5g, 70% lighter than steel cage bearings, which improves the movement flexibility of robots. The biocompatible material (complying with FDA standards) prevents metal ion precipitation, ensuring patient safety.
Energy Equipment Field: The yaw bearings of offshore wind power equipment use nitrided PEEK+CF cages. The micro-arc oxidation coating provides 1,000 hours of salt spray resistance, replacing Silver-plated cage bearings and reducing costs by 40%. The rotors of high-speed motors are equipped with standard heat-dissipating cages, with a temperature rise of ≤30℃ under 15,000rpm, avoiding insulation aging caused by overheating in traditional steel cage bearings and extending the motor’s service life to more than 15 years.
The price of Sunflower-Type Bearing Cages is affected by bearing cage material, bearing cage design, specifications, and customization requirements. NEWBEE Transmission can provide a transparent quotation plan to help users accurately control costs:
1.Differences in Bearing Cage Material: There are significant price gaps between different materials: - PEEK+CF composite cages (for bearings with inner diameters 15-200mm) cost 150-800 US dollars per unit. - The Inconel 718 version, due to high raw material costs (approximately 5 times that of PEEK), is 200%-300% more expensive than composite material cages (450-2000 US dollars per unit). - Silicon nitride ceramic cages have the highest price (800-3500 US dollars per unit for bearings with inner diameters 50-600mm) due to high processing difficulty, which is 10-15 times that of brass cage bearings and only used in high-end special scenarios.
2. Complexity of Bearing Cage Design: - Standard heat-dissipating cages (12 petals, fixed guide groove angle) have a simple structure and lower unit price for mass production. - Low-vibration precision cages (15 petals, asymmetric structure) require optimization of resonance frequency, resulting in a 35%-50% higher price than standard cages. - High-temperature heavy-load cages (thickened walls + thermal barrier coating) involve more process steps (SLM forming + HIP treatment + coating), leading to a 60%-80% higher price than standard cages. For example, the high-temperature heavy-load cage customized by NEWBEE Transmission for aero-engines is 75% more expensive than the standard cage of the same size.
3. Specification and Size: - Micro-cages (for bearings with inner diameters 15-50mm) require high SLM forming precision (tolerance ±0.01mm), so their unit weight price is 80%-100% higher than that of conventional sizes (inner diameters 50-200mm). - Large cages (for bearings with inner diameters >300mm) require larger 3D printing equipment, so their prices increase stepwise with inner diameter. For every 100mm increase in inner diameter, the price rises by 40%-60% (e.g., the Inconel 718 cage for inner diameter 400mm is 50% more expensive than that for inner diameter 300mm).
4. Customization Requirements: - Customized surface coatings (e.g., DLC coating, thermal barrier coating) increase the price by 25%-40%. - Special bearing cage designs (e.g., special-shaped petals, integrated temperature sensor mounting grooves) require re-development of 3D models and processes, resulting in a 50%-70% price increase. - Small-batch customization (<50 units) is 30%-50% more expensive than bulk orders (>200 units) due to high production debugging costs. For example, the cage with sensor grooves customized for a medical equipment manufacturer is 60% more expensive than the standard model.
1. Matching Working Conditions with Bearing Cage Material: Select materials based on rotational speed, temperature, and environment: - Choose PEEK+CF composite material for ultra-high-speed (>10,000rpm) and lightweight requirements. - Select Inconel 718 for high-temperature (>300℃) scenarios. - Opt for silicon nitride ceramic for vacuum and high-cleanliness environments. - Use PEEK+CF (with micro-arc oxidation treatment) for humid/corrosive environments, which can replace Silver-plated cage bearings to reduce costs. NEWBEE Transmission can recommend the optimal bearing cage material based on working condition parameters (e.g., rotational speed 12,000rpm, temperature 200℃), avoiding the insufficient strength of traditional cages like brass cage bearings at ultra-high speeds.
2. Adapting Bearing Cage Design to Bearing Function: - Choose the 12-petal standard heat-dissipating type for high-speed heat dissipation needs. - Select the 15-petal asymmetric type for precision low-vibration requirements. - Opt for the thickened-wall type for high-temperature heavy-load needs. Confirm that the number of petals, guide groove angle of the cage matches the rolling elements (e.g., for a cage adapting to φ8mm steel balls, the pocket diameter should be 8.1-8.3mm). NEWBEE Transmission provides a full range of bearing cage types and can accurately match cages according to bearing models (e.g., 7010 angular contact ball bearings, NU2320 cylindrical roller bearings).
3. Precision and Tolerance Requirements: - Ultra-high-precision scenarios (e.g., lithography machines) require cages with dimensional accuracy ±0.02mm and surface roughness Ra < 0.05μm, which can be achieved by NEWBEE Transmission’s SLM + ion beam machining process. - For ordinary high-speed scenarios (e.g., motor spindles), precision of ±0.03mm is sufficient. When purchasing, you can request a three-coordinate measurement report and vibration test data to ensure matching with bearing precision (P4 grade, P2 grade) and avoid affecting overall performance due to insufficient cage precision.
4. Supplier Qualifications and Technical Capabilities: Choose suppliers like NEWBEE Transmission that have a complete 3D printing production line (SLM equipment + HIP equipment + ion beam machining machine). They can provide bearing cage material reports (e.g., composition analysis of Inconel 718, mechanical properties of PEEK+CF) and service life test data (1000-hour high-speed operation test). Avoid purchasing products from unqualified small manufacturers (e.g., SLM cages with excessive porosity, which are prone to breakage at high speeds). All cages of NEWBEE undergo 100% load testing and vibration detection, with a quality traceability code attached to each batch.
5. Balancing Cost and Delivery Cycle: - Standard models have a delivery cycle of 10-12 weeks and lower prices. - Customized models require 14-16 weeks and higher costs. For non-extreme working conditions, prioritize PEEK+CF composite material instead of expensive silicon nitride ceramic to reduce procurement costs by 40%-60%. Bulk purchases (>200 units) can enjoy unit price discounts (e.g., the bulk price of PEEK+CF cages is 25% lower than the retail price). NEWBEE can provide cost-effective solutions based on project cycles and budgets, avoiding cost waste caused by over-pursuing high-end configurations.
NEWBEE Transmission is a professional manufacturer of Sunflower-Type Bearing Cages. With over ten years of experience in the field of bionic bearing cages, it provides a full range of bearing cage types, including PEEK+CF composite material, Inconel 718, and silicon nitride ceramic, adapting to bearings with inner diameters from 15mm to 600mm. It can customize bearing cage designs (e.g., special-shaped petal structures, special coatings, sensor integration) according to customer needs. Relying on an advanced intelligent manufacturing system, NEWBEE has achieved a high level of precision in its production process: - It uses German SLM Solutions 3D printers (forming accuracy ±0.02mm) and Swiss Rtec HIP equipment (eliminating 99.9% porosity) to ensure the structural integrity of cages. - American Ion Beam Services ion beam machining machines achieve a surface roughness of Ra < 0.05μm, far exceeding the Ra ≤0.4μm standard of steel cage bearings. - Combined with ISO 9001 and AS9100 aerospace quality systems, each batch of cages undergoes "full-dimensional inspection", "vibration testing", and "high-temperature aging testing" to ensure 100% compliance. NEWBEE has recently made a breakthrough in "lightweight and high-strength" technology: the developed PEEK+CF + carbon fiber woven composite cage is 15% lighter and 20% stronger than pure PEEK+CF, adapting to more severe high-speed and heavy-load scenarios. The silicon nitride cage customized for the semiconductor industry has passed the SEMI F47 standard certification, meeting the high-cleanliness requirements of wafer manufacturing. Currently, its products have been supporting global aerospace enterprises and semiconductor equipment manufacturers. Among them, Inconel 718 cages account for more than 25% of the aero-engine market, and PEEK+CF cages have become the preferred accessory for high-end machine tool spindles. For detailed parameters or customization plans, you can contact the technical team of NEWBEE directly.
1.Standard Installation Operation: - Use special positioning tools during installation to ensure the coaxiality deviation between the cage, rolling elements, and inner/outer rings is ≤0.03mm. Avoid hitting the petals to prevent structural deformation (although Inconel 718 has high strength, the petal roots are still prone to fracture due to impact). - For split bearing assembly, follow the order of "rolling elements - cage - inner ring" to ensure each petal pocket fully encloses the rolling elements. NEWBEE Transmission provides installation guide videos to avoid installation deviation issues common in Silver-plated cage bearings.
2.Lubrication and Cleaning Management: - For grease lubrication, use long-life lubricating grease (e.g., polyurea grease) with a filling amount of 1/3-1/2 of the bearing’s internal space, and use the cage’s guide grooves to achieve uniform distribution. - For oil lubrication, ensure the circulating oil circuit is aligned with the guide grooves to reduce flow resistance. - Clean the cage surface with anhydrous ethanol before installation to prevent impurities from blocking the guide grooves and causing uneven lubrication (especially for silicon nitride ceramic cages, whose surface micropores easily absorb impurities).
3. Regular Inspection and Maintenance: - Inspect the cage status every 500-1000 operating hours: use an endoscope to check for petal cracks and coating peeling (reapply DLC coating in a timely manner if worn). - Monitor the bearing’s vibration value (normal ≤0.5μm) and temperature (normal ≤70℃). If abnormalities occur (e.g., sudden vibration increase >1.0μm), stop the machine immediately for inspection to avoid bearing jamming caused by cage failure. - When the cage reaches 70% of its recommended service life (e.g., 3000 hours for PEEK+CF cages), preventive replacement is recommended. NEWBEE can provide old part testing to analyze the cause of failure.
For the latest prices, bearing cage design plans, or technical materials of Sunflower-Type Bearing Cages (including PEEK+CF, Inconel 718, and silicon nitride materials), please contact NEWBEE Transmission:
Email: paul@newbeetrans.com
Official Website: www.newbeetrans.com
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sales@newbeetrans.com
+8615090185276