20 Ceramic Bearing Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for ceramic bearings as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 20 ceramic bearing manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked ceramic bearing companies as of November, 2024: 1.3 AXIS Development, Inc., 2.McDanel Advanced Ceramic Technologies LLC, 3.Bearings & Industrial Supply Co., Inc..
Table of Contents
What Is a Ceramic Bearing?
A Ceramic Bearing is a bearing that uses ceramic as its material. Ceramic bearings are lighter than metal bearings because they are made of ceramic.
Ceramic bearings are also more resistant to corrosion and wear than metal bearings. Ceramic bearings are therefore used in corrosive environments and electromagnetic atmospheres.
Uses of Ceramic Bearings
Ceramic Bearings are widely used in consumer products. Typical examples are refrigerators, washing machines, and vacuum cleaners. Ceramic Bearings may be used in equipment that is in close proximity to food or the human body for hygienic reasons.
In industrial applications, ceramic bearings are used in clean rooms, vacuum environments, high-temperature environments, and underwater. Due to their high resistance to high temperatures and wear, they are suitable for equipment in the above environments.
Examples of industrial applications are as follows:
- Food and chemical manufacturing equipment
- Bearings in generators and turbines
- Liquid fuel transfer pumps
- Semiconductor manufacturing equipment and space industry equipment
- Inspection equipment and machine tools
Principle of Ceramic Bearings
Ceramics are inorganic compounds synthesized by combining metallic and non-metallic elements. The combination of metal and non-metal elements make it lightweight and resistant to corrosion and high temperatures. It also has high hardness and wear resistance.
Ceramic Bearings can be used in harsh environments because the material is ceramic. Because the characteristics vary depending on the type and ratio of the elements combined, a variety of Ceramic Bearings are available for different purposes of use.
Other special material bearings include resin bearings, stainless steel bearings, and urethane bearings. Each is used according to the application.
Other Information on Ceramic Bearings
1. Ceramic Bearing Life
Ceramic Bearings are generally made of silicon nitride, which has a higher rigidity than high-carbon chromium bearing steel, the material used in metal bearings. This results in higher contact stress, and the difference in rigidity due to material does not simply translate into a difference in life.
Although the load rating of Ceramic Bearings is specified to be equivalent to that of metal bearings, life tests have confirmed that the life of Ceramic Bearing is equal to or greater than that of metal bearings. Therefore, the life tends to be longer than the calculated value.
Flaking due to fatigue occurs in bearings that have reached their life expectancy, just as it does in metal bearings.
In addition, silicon nitride has about half the mass of high-carbon chromium bearing steel. As a result, centrifugal force during rotation is small, heat generation is small, and thermal deformation is virtually nonexistent. When rotating at high speeds under high temperatures, it exhibits superior characteristics to metal bearings.
2. Accuracy of Ceramic Bearing
The accuracy of Ceramic Bearing is also determined by the accuracy grade of the bearing. Technically, it is possible to produce ISO Grade 3 or higher, but it is more expensive; ISO-Grade 3 is ultra-high precision with a diameter of 12.7 mm or less, diameter variation, and sphericity of 0.08 μm or less. Therefore, they are used for special applications such as ultra-high-speed, high-precision spindles with rotational speeds of 100,000 RPM or higher.
In addition, Ceramic Bearings maintain their accuracy even under high temperatures because of less thermal expansion and thermal deformation compared to metal bearings. Therefore, they are suitable for use in high-temperature environments.
Although the rotational accuracy of a bearing requires the accuracy of the bearing itself, the housing and rotating shaft have a considerably greater effect. In addition to using high-precision bearings, the parts surrounding the bearing must also be machined to high precision. Since the accuracy also depends on the assembly, skilled assembly techniques are required for high-precision rotary components.
List of 20 Ceramic Bearing Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
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- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Austria
- China
- Japan
- Sweden
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Roller Bearing Company Inc.
Thin Section Ball Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
Roller Bearings Incorporated was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Oxford, Connecticut. RBC manufactures and markets precision bearings and related components globally, mainly to the aerospace, agricultural, automotive, industrial, and semiconductor manufacturing sectors. The company’s products are primarily divided into two market segments: aerospace and industrial. Both segments include basic components such as airframe control ball bearings, needle track rollers, ball bearing rod ends, and thin-section ball bearings. The Aerospace Segment also includes special machine components while the Industrial Segment also includes heavy-duty needles roller bearings and self-lubricating bearings subsegments.
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CoorsTek, Inc.
BEARING AND BUSHING COMPONENTS
Manufacturer Overview
CoorsTek, Inc., founded in 1910, is a family-run manufacturer of technical ceramic material formulations with products such as acetabular liners, baffle chambers, carbon brushes for power, focal plane array components, and precision fixed gauges used in transportation, food & beverage, electronic, chemicals, and semiconductor industries. The company in Golden, CO, USA, has research & development, custom manufacturing, and design assistance capabilities. The company's CIO- Matt Mehlbrech, was awarded the 2023 Colorado ORDIE Award for CIO of the Year.
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KMS Bearings, Inc.
Plastic Radial Ball Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
KMS Bearings, Inc. is a manufacturer of plastic and AISI 316 stainless raceway, radial ball bearings. The company is located at Anaheim, California and established in 1979. Their product portfolio includes plastic radial ball bearings out of Engineering Polymers, Thin section ball bearings, 4-Points contact ball bearings, insert bearings, Skate wheel ball bearing, conveyor ball bearing and 316 stainless radial ball bearings. The company provide bearing solutions through the use of Design, Innovation and Material selections that suit the application.
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ORTECH ADVANCED CERAMICS
Ceramic Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
ORTECH ADVANCED CERAMICS, established in 2002, is a manufacturer of advanced technical ceramics, based in Sacramento, California, USA. The company specializes in producing ceramics like Alumina Oxide, Zirconia Oxide, Silicon Carbide, and Silicon Nitride. Their ceramics enhance product performance and offer benefits such as high temperature stability, wear resistance, and anti-corrosive properties. They provide a wide range of ceramic services, from isostatic pressing to ceramic injection molding. They are also ISO 9001:2015 certified and serve multiple industries like electronics, aerospace, and medical equipment. Their expert team leverages CNC machining, grinding, and other techniques to ensure precision.
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3 AXIS Development, Inc.
Ceramic Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
3Axis Development was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Boynton Beach, Florida. 3Axis is a manufacturer of custom machinery, equipment, and tools. 3Axis offers prototyping services such as stereolithography, FDM, SLS, DMLS, 3D architectural modeling, and 3D printing. 3Axis also offers numerous manufacturing services such as injection molding, plastic prototype extrusions, waterjet cutting, precision sand castings, sheet metal fabrication, vacuum & pressure forming, Swiss CNC machining, carbon fiber prototypes, 3D custom signage, fiberglass fabrication, and medical device engineering.
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McDanel Advanced Ceramic Technologies LLC
Ceramic Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
McDanel Advanced Ceramic Technologies (MACT) is an American contract manufacturer specializing in custom ceramic products. The company is based in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and was originally established in 1912 as the McDanel Brothers Company before its rebrand in 2002. The company offers fabrication services for the production of custom ceramic tubes, rods, labware, and crucibles made from various materials including alumina, zirconia, and silicon carbide. These are primarily used in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries. MACT operates as a subsidiary of engineered ceramics company CoorsTek, Inc., and has served clients such as Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, and L’Oreal.
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TQ Abrasive Machining
Ceramic Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
TQ Abrasive Machining (TQAM) is an American contract manufacturer specializing in ceramic machining services that was established in Santa Ana, California in 1994. The company offers various ceramic design and fabrication capabilities, including CAD/CAM design and prototype development, as well as machine slotting, press machine extrusion, hole drilling, and grinding. These are geared to the production of medical ceramic parts, vacuum tubes, insulator rods, and ceramic tiles, among others. TQAM mainly serves clients in the biotechnology, medical, semiconductor, and consumer electronics industries.
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High Tech Material Solutions
Ceramic Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
High Tech Material Solutions is based in Auburn, Washington. The company is a supplier of advanced materials and a manufacturer of custom-machined ceramic components to customers globally, with local delivery and in-store pickup also available. The company primarily serves aerospace, medical, government agencies, and energy industries. The company’s services include CNC machining and custom ceramic-based materials fabrication. Additional materials the company provides include crystals, optical materials, nickel foam, and aerospace gels.
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Boca Bearing Company
2-Bolt Flange Unit Set
Company Overview
Boca Bearing Company, established in 1987 and headquartered in Boynton Beach, Florida, operates as a distributor, manufacturer, and designer of ball bearings. Its product range includes ceramic balls, utilized for its durability and resistance to harsh environments, ceramic hybrid bearings that combine ceramic rolling elements with steel races, full ceramic bearings made entirely of ceramic material, and medical bearings. The company has over 8000 different bearings and well over 10 million bearings in stock.
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Bearings & Industrial Supply Co., Inc.
Ceramic Bearings
Company Overview
Bearings Industrial Supply Company, Inc (BIS) was founded in 1982 in Addison, Illinois. The company is a supplier and distributor of bearings, seals, belts, power transmission parts, and a variety of other industrial supplies to small and large customers such as Boeing and Toyota. The company isources from manufactureres such as Emerson, KOYO, Tsubaki, NTN, and Timken. The company's offerings include numerous types of bearings, many varieties of seals, several different belts, AC and DC motors, and power transmission components.
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Emerson Bearing
Ceramic Bearings
Distributor Overview
Emerson Bearing is based in Boston, Massachusetts and serves both domestic and international customers of industries ranging from mining to machine tools to power generation to wood products to wastewater treatment to robotics and more with bearings and casters. Emerson Bearing’s product list includes adhesives, sealants, ball bearing, roller bearing, mounted nut bearings, linear motion bearings, rod ends, belts, sheaves, chains, sprockets, couplings, clutches, brakes, locknuts, washers, lubricants, pullers, tools, retaining rings, seals, and shaft collars.
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NKE Austria GmbH
Bearings with ceramic rolling elements
Manufacturer Overview
NKE Austria GmbH is based in Steyr, Austria, and is a premium bearings manufacturer that was established in 1996 before becoming a part of the Fersa group of companies in 2016. The company mainly produces rolling bearings for custom and heavy duty industrial applications. These include bearings for industrial gearboxes, bearings for rail or freight operations, and bearings for conveyor belts. It also offers inch-sized bearings designed to support heavy loads and reduce friction. The company chiefly serves clients in Europe’s heavy industry, sustainable energy, and railway mass transit industry.
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Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd.
silicon nitride ceramics for machine parts
Manufacturer Overview
Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd is a Japanese-based manufacturer and retailer of fine ceramics, magnetic parts, special metals, and alloys founded in 2003. They manufacture fine ceramics for medical equipment, aircraft engines, fan motor, and machine tools, including aluminum nitride and silicon nitride. A tungsten and molybdenum product line also includes wires, probe pins, rotating anodes, and parts of these metals or their alloys. Toshiba Materials also manufactures materials and coatings, including niobium, titanium, and crAix alloy, used in producing semiconductors.
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JTEKT Corporation
Ceramic Bearing
Manufacturer Overview
JTEKT was born from the merger of bearing maker Koyo Seiko and machine tool maker Toyoda Machine Works. JTEKT focuses on environmental sustainability to create automotive-specific components as well as industry-agnostic components including sensors, gears, displays, storage devices, and hydraulic units. JTEKT also creates and designs machine tools and equipment necessary for machine production. JTEKT is also developing "internet of everything" (IoE) solutions for modern industry.
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Lily Bearing
Ceramic Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
Shanghai Lily Bearing Factory Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Lily Bearing Manufacturing Co., Ltd.), established in 2000, is a Chinese manufacturer and supplier based in Minhang District, Shanghai, specializing in precision industrial bearings and components. The company offers various industrial bearings, encompassing ball, ceramic, plain, linear, and roller bearings. Additionally, it offers various products like slewing ring and stainless steel bearings, guide wheels, and polyurethane rollers. Industrial components are also part of the company’s offerings, including chains, gears, O-rings, and sprockets. The company also produces aerospace bearings, such as airframe control ball bearings and aerospace spherical bearings, along with agricultural bearings.
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SKF
Ceramic Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
SKF UK is the British division of SKF, originally founded in 1907 and headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. SKF designs, develops, and manufacturers bearings, seals, lubrication systems, and services worldwide, with industrial and automotive segments, providing solutions for industries including aerospace, agriculture, transportation, food and beverage, general machinery, material handling, mining, energy, paper, and wind energy. SKF UK offers rolling bearings, mounted bearings, automotive seals, lubrication management, vehicle aftermarket services, waste electric products, and electronic equipment products as well as services including maintenance, remanufacturing, customization, and training.
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BNB INT Co., Ltd.
Ceramic Bearing
Manufacturer Overview
BNB Int Co. Ltd. is a manufacturer of bearings and motors that was established in Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, in 1990. The company’s products include ball bearings and related products, such as ball and spring plungers and ball transfer units for conveyor systems or robots. It also offers various motors for industrial applications, including stepper motors and DC motors, as well as motor parts for repair such as rotary dampers. The company’s products are mainly used by its clients in the semiconductor, automotive, and rail industries.
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TOK America, Inc.
Ceramic Bearings
Manufacturer Overview
TOK America Inc., established in 2016 in the USA, is a manufacturer of mechanical and motion control components and parts for commercial and industrial clients. The company's product line includes ball bearings, one-way clutches, rotary dampers, torque limiters, and guides used in furniture, electrical appliances, home appliances, office equipment, and medical devices. TOK America specializes in the use of stainless steel, steel, ceramic, polyacetal, polyethylene, polyetheretherketone, and PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride). The company also provides custom product design, testing, and production services.
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JTEKT Corporation.
Wind power generation equipment
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Ritbearing corporation
Ceramic bearings
Distributor Overview
Ritbearing is a wholesale distributor and supplier of a full range of ball and roller bearing products based in the United States since 1946. Ritbearing offers various types of ball and bearings including plastic and stainless steel bearings, and cylindrical roller bearings. The company has an extensive bearing partner network which enables them to offer custom bearing solutions to meet individual needs. They can design and deliver custom-engineered bearings for specialty applications without requiring high-volume order quantities.
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Ceramic Bearing Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 AXIS Development, Inc. |
13.4%
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| 2 | McDanel Advanced Ceramic Technologies LLC |
10.0%
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| 3 | Bearings & Industrial Supply Co., Inc. |
7.7%
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| 4 | Roller Bearing Company Inc. |
7.7%
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| 5 | ORTECH ADVANCED CERAMICS |
5.7%
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| 6 | KMS Bearings, Inc. |
5.3%
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| 7 | High Tech Material Solutions |
5.3%
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| 8 | SKF |
5.3%
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| 9 | CoorsTek, Inc. |
4.8%
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| 10 | TQ Abrasive Machining |
4.8%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the ceramic bearing page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- JTEKT Corporation: 46,053
- Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd.: 529
Newly Established Company
- Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd.: 2003 (21 years ago)
- Lily Bearing: 2000 (24 years ago)
- NKE Austria GmbH: 1996 (28 years ago)
Company with a History
- SKF: 1907 (117 years ago)
- Roller Bearing Company Inc.: 1919 (105 years ago)
- Ritbearing corporation: 1946 (78 years ago)
Ceramic Bearing Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
- Roller Bearing Company Inc.
- CoorsTek, Inc.
- KMS Bearings, Inc.
- ORTECH ADVANCED CERAMICS
- 3 AXIS Development, Inc.
- McDanel Advanced Ceramic Technologies LLC
- TQ Abrasive Machining
- High Tech Material Solutions
- Boca Bearing Company
- Bearings & Industrial Supply Co., Inc.
- Emerson Bearing
Global Distribution of Ceramic Bearing Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
|
11 | 68.8% |
Japan
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2 | 12.5% |
Austria
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1 | 6.3% |
China
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1 | 6.3% |
Sweden
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1 | 6.3% |
