bearing steel
metallurgy
Quick Summary
Bearing steels are a specialized type of steel designed for roller and ball bearings. They typically contain around 1 percent carbon, 1.2 percent chromium, 0.25 percent nickel, and 0.25 percent molybdenum. After heat treatment, these steels become very hard. Crucially, they are manufactured to be extremely clean, with virtually all inclusions removed through vacuum treatment of the liquid steel. This cleanliness is vital because inclusions can create stress points, leading to reduced fatigue strength in bearings.1
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