Mounted Bearing Innovation Supports Emerging Trends

The world is in a period of rapid technological advancement where every application is pushed to the limits of efficiency, sustainability and reliability. Mounted bearings, also known as housed units, address these trends — and help customers’ equipment withstand extreme applications like high-temperature food production and rough-sea tidal power.

Backed by deep technical expertise and insight into customers’ most complex engineering challenges, Timken offers one of the broadest mounted bearings portfolios in the world, with nearly infinite customization options.

“When we solve one customer problem, we immediately think about how it could apply to other applications and markets.  We’re all about continuous innovation.”

Cory Shaw
General Manager, Timken Mounted Bearings

“When we solve one customer problem, we immediately think about how it could apply to other applications and markets.” said Cory Shaw, generation manager of Timken Mounted Bearings. “We’re all about continuous innovation.”

Portfolio expansions address efficiency and reliability trends
All roller bearings enable rotational movement, manage friction and handle stress. Mounted bearings are uniquely engineered to deliver additional support when system stability and a tight bearing fit are crucial for operational efficiency and reliability.

A diverse range of industries and applications benefit from mounted bearings, which has led to major Timken portfolio expansions and frequent incremental product innovations by the company’s mounted bearing experts.

Customer problems are always at the root of these advancements. Timken® split cylindrical roller bearing mounted units were specifically developed to simplify installation and maintenance for bearings mounted in hard-to-access locations like steelmaking equipment. The innovation has been an efficiency game-changer for maintenance teams, with some reporting reduced bearing fitting times by as much as 90%.

In the food and beverage industry, producers have a different challenge: meeting stringent food safety requirements while simultaneously addressing greater consumer demand.

The company developed Timken® IP69K hygienic mounted ball bearings to meet the need. The portfolio addition is rated for the food industry’s highest standard for ingress protection and was recognized for its outstanding innovation and service to end customers by the Bearing Specialist Association.

Additionally, Timken recently developed and patented a new solid, self-aligning tapered roller bearing unit that optimally manages misalignment in food processing applications. The solution has already been adopted by a leading global producer of food processing equipment used for making baked goods, protein products and pet food.

While major Timken portfolio expansions like this help advance entire industries, company engineers dedicate much of their time to product customizations for individual customers with unique needs and, in some cases, one-of-a-kind equipment.

Timken mounted bearings play a crucial role in tidal power, which harnesses the energy of the ocean’s waves and converts it into electricity for the power grid.

‘Constant innovation’ advances next-generation sustainability

Due to such a broad existing portfolio and deep R&D capabilities across the company’s global enterprise, Timken mounted bearings increasingly influence new technologies that support a more sustainable future.

For example, processes in electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing use chemicals that can corrode seals, leading to premature bearing failure. With more than 2,000 bearings running in a single EV factory, early failures can create significant maintenance and production delays.

Timken mounted bearing experts solved the issue for a manufacturer in South Korea with the help of engineers at GGB, a Timken acquired business and leader in plain bearings and bushings. Together, the teams designed a new mounted bushing solution that eliminates corrosion and optimizes the facility’s productivity to help accelerate the growth of the global EV industry.

In global iron and steel production, recent Timken advancements in split cylindrical and spherical mounted bearing solutions support direct reduction systems that are driving down the metal industry’s energy consumption and carbon emissions.

And in British Columbia, Timken mounted bearings play a crucial role in tidal power, which harnesses the energy of the ocean’s waves and converts it into electricity for the power grid.

“We never say ‘here is your problem, here is our solution, let’s see if it works.’ Instead, we say ‘here is how we can customize an existing solution to permanently fix your problem,”  Shaw said. “When it comes to customers, we just always say yes.”

The growing Timken solutions portfolio is designed to meet changing customer needs, expectations and opportunities. Learn more about the company’s latest investment in product options that support more sustainable air travel and elevate food processing productivity by tapping into the Internet of Things.

Published: 2025/05/5