What is a Slewing Bearing?
Aug 22,2025

A Slewing Bearing is a large-sized, high-precision, heavy-duty bearing, usually featuring a toothed structure on its inner and outer rings (with options of internal or external teeth). The rollers are arranged either in a full complement or separated by cages. It can simultaneously bear axial loads, radial loads, and overturning moments, and is a core transmission component of large rotating equipment.

NEWBEE Transmission's Slewing Bearings, with their modular structural design, achieve low-friction rotation while ensuring an ultra-large load-carrying capacity (up to several thousand tons), and are widely used in heavy machinery fields with strict requirements for heavy loads, stability, and service life.

 Features of Slewing Bearings

1. Super strong comprehensive load-carrying capacity: The multi-row roller layout and thickened raceway design of Slewing Bearings allow them to simultaneously bear axial, radial, and ultra-large overturning moments (up to 10⁶N·m). A single set of bearings can replace the traditional combined bearing system, greatly simplifying the equipment structure. By optimizing the arrangement angle of the rollers, NEWBEE Transmission has increased the rated static load of Slewing Bearings by 20%.

2.High structural strength: Made of 42CrMo alloy structural steel through integral forging, Slewing Bearings undergo integral quenching treatment (raceway hardness HRC 58-62), with their deformation resistance being 30% higher than that of ordinary cast steel bearings. The gear ring part is carburized (carburized layer depth 2-5mm) to ensure no plastic deformation of the tooth surface during transmission.

3. Precise transmission performance: The gear ring meshing accuracy of Slewing Bearings reaches GB Class 5 (equivalent to ISO Class 5), with backlash controlled within 0.1-0.3mm, making them suitable for high-precision drive systems. NEWBEE Transmission's precision machining process ensures that the raceway tolerance is ≤0.05mm, guaranteeing no jamming during rotation.

4. Excellent sealing and weather resistance: Adopting a combined design of double-lip skeleton oil seal and labyrinth seal, Slewing Bearings can adapt to harsh environments such as dust, humidity, and high temperatures (-40℃~120℃); the special anti-corrosion coating provided by NEWBEE Transmission (meeting Sa 2.5 derusting standard) extends the service life of the bearings in marine and chemical environments to more than 5 years.

5. Modularity and customization: Slewing Bearings support various installation methods such as flange connection and bolt fixing, and the inner and outer rings can be integrated with sensor mounting holes (for monitoring rotational speed/temperature); NEWBEE Transmission can customize Slewing Bearings with toothless structures, special lubrication channels, or lightweight aluminum alloy outer rings according to requirements.

Applications of Slewing Bearings

With the advantages of heavy load and comprehensive transmission, Slewing Bearings are widely used in the following fields:

Construction machinery: Crane turntables, upper body rotating mechanisms of excavators. The high load-carrying capacity of Slewing Bearings ensures stable rotation when lifting heavy objects.

New energy equipment: Yaw/pitch systems of wind turbines, photovoltaic tracking brackets. NEWBEE Transmission's Slewing Bearings are suitable for complex outdoor climates, ensuring continuous operation of the equipment.

Port machinery: Rotating platforms of container quay cranes, slewing mechanisms of stackers and reclaimers. Slewing Bearings can bear instantaneous impact loads without affecting positioning accuracy.

Medical equipment: Rotating frames of large CT scanners, treatment beds of radiotherapy equipment. The low-vibration characteristic of Slewing Bearings ensures imaging and treatment accuracy.

Military industry and aerospace: Radar antenna bases, shipborne cranes. The extreme environment resistance of Slewing Bearings meets the needs of special equipment.

Factors affecting the price of Slewing Bearings

The price of Slewing Bearings is affected by the following factors:

1. Materials and processes: The price of Slewing Bearings made of 42CrMo forged steel is 30%-40% higher than that of ordinary cast steel; products using vacuum degassing process have fewer internal defects, so their price increases by another 15%.

2. Specification and size: The price of Slewing Bearings with an outer diameter of 1-3m is relatively low. For products with an outer diameter >5m or ultra-large thickness (>300mm), due to the limitation of processing equipment, the price increases exponentially with the size.

3. Tooth structure design: The price of external tooth type Slewing Bearings is 10%-15% higher than that of internal tooth type; products with hardened tooth surfaces (HRC 55-60) have higher processing difficulty, so their price increases by 20%.

4.Customization requirements: The price of Slewing Bearings with upgraded sealing (IP66 protection), sensor integration, or special coatings increases by 25%-40%. For specific quotations, you can contact NEWBEE Transmission for solutions.

What factors need to be considered when purchasing Slewing Bearings?

1.Load matching: Select Slewing Bearings with corresponding rated dynamic loads according to the actual axial/radial loads and overturning moments of the equipment. NEWBEE Transmission provides load calculation software to assist in selection.

2. Environmental adaptation: For marine environments, priority should be given to Slewing Bearings with anti-corrosion coatings and stainless steel accessories; for high-temperature scenarios, customized products with high-temperature tempering treatment (maximum temperature resistance of 150℃) are required.

3. Installation accuracy: Measure the flatness of the equipment installation surface (required to be ≤0.1mm/m). NEWBEE Transmission can provide supporting installation and leveling tools to reduce the assembly stress of Slewing Bearings.

4.Supplier qualifications: Choose manufacturers like NEWBEE Transmission that have the full-process capabilities of forging and heat treatment for large bearings to ensure the quality consistency of Slewing Bearings.

5.After-sales service: Compare the warranty period of suppliers (NEWBEE Transmission provides an 18-month warranty) and on-site maintenance support to reduce later use risks.

A high-quality supplier of Slewing Bearings - NEWBEE Transmission

NEWBEE Transmission is a professional manufacturer of Slewing Bearings, having been engaged in the field of heavy-duty bearings for more than 20 years. Its Slewing Bearings cover outer diameters of 0.5-10m and can be customized into single-row, double-row, or triple-row roller structures. Relying on 2000-ton forging equipment, imported German CNC grinders, and the ISO 3834 welding quality system, NEWBEE Transmission's Slewing Bearings have passed 100% non-destructive testing and are widely used in construction machinery, wind power, ports, and other fields. For detailed parameters or load test reports of Slewing Bearings, you can contact the technical team directly.

Precautions for using Slewing Bearings

1. When installing Slewing Bearings, bolts should be tightened evenly in a diagonal order (the recommended preload is 70% of the bolt yield strength) to avoid excessive local stress causing raceway deformation.

2.Before the first operation, special extreme pressure grease should be injected (the filling amount is 1/3 of the internal space), and it should be replenished every 100 hours of operation; in harsh environments, the interval should be shortened to 50 hours.

3. Regularly check the gear ring meshing gap (normal value 0.1-0.3mm) and the integrity of the seals of Slewing Bearings. If oil leakage or abnormal noise is found, stop the machine for inspection immediately.

For the latest price, customization plans, or installation manuals of Slewing Bearings, please contact NEWBEE Transmission:

Email: paul@newbeetrans.com

Official website: www.newbeetrans.com

WhatsApp sales@newbeetrans.com +8615090185276