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This section provides an overview for roller followers as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 17 roller follower manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked roller follower companies as of December, 2024: 1.TFL BEARINGS Co., Ltd, 2.Roller Bearing Company Inc., 3.SKF.
Table of Contents
A roller follower is a type of compact and highly rigid bearing incorporating a needle bearing inside.
Its outer ring, in direct contact with the rolling surface, is thick-walled, hard, and features a high-precision surface. This design allows them to withstand high loads and impact loads, making them suitable for use as guide rollers in cam mechanisms and linear motion systems.
Roller followers, with their inner diameter as an inner ring, offer flexibility in shaft settings, enabling their use as compact guide rollers or cam followers with extended shafts.
These components are used in various applications, including eccentric rollers, guide rollers, rocker arm rollers, cam rollers, and pressure rollers.
Roller followers are employed in scenarios where direct contact and rotation with cam mechanisms are required. Some common applications include:
These mechanisms, which alter motion direction, benefit from roller followers due to their ability to handle high loads and high-speed operation. Their adaptable shaft length makes them suitable for different types of cams, such as groove cams.
Roller followers operate by supporting radial loads while minimizing friction. This is achieved through cylindrical rollers (needles) placed between the inner and outer rings. The rollers rotate, allowing smooth rolling of the inner and outer rings.
Internally, these bearings are typically grease-filled for lubrication. For long-term or high-speed applications, lubrication ports and holes can be added for maintenance.
Roller followers are available in two needle arrangements: full complement and with cage. The full complement type, with more needles, is ideal for high loads but not for high-speed rotation due to friction. The caged type, suitable for high-speed rotation, has fewer needles and thus a lower load capacity.
The outer ring's rolling surface can be cylindrical for a larger contact area and higher track load capacity or spherical to compensate for any misalignment, ensuring smooth rotation.
Roller followers are categorized into non-separating and separating types:
This type features a steel plate press-fitted into the outer or inner ring, creating a labyrinth seal that prevents foreign matter entry and keeps side plates intact. It is designed for smooth rotation under axial and moment loads, and sealed versions have additional rubber seals for enhanced protection.
The separated type lacks a flange on the outer and inner rings, allowing each component to be separated and replaced individually. This design offers compactness and ease of assembly compared to the non-separated type.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Intech Power-Core, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Closter, New Jersey, is a manufacturer of self-lubricating, lightweight machine components. Its products include precision-machined plastic components, gears, rollers, cam followers, pulleys, and sprockets designed for various applications where vibration, inertia, moisture absorption, or corrosion pose problems with metal or traditional plastic materials. All finished parts undergo inspection to ensure compliance with specifications, and the company's plastics engineers utilize PRO-E for component design.
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.
Accurate Bushing Co., Inc. established in 1938 and based in Garwood, New Jersey, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of precision needle roller bearings. The company's product lineup includes cam follower needle roller bearings in both inch and metric sizes, stainless steel cam followers for special corrosive applications, and Smith-Trax with tapered roller bearings for thrust load applications, among others. used in industries such as Aerospace, Military, and Industrial Manufacturing, these products are pivotal for engine, airframe applications, and thrust load operations. Its services include custom product manufacturing, precision machine component creation, and specialized assembly.
Accent Bearings Co. Inc. was established in 1993 and is a distributor for industrial bearings. Accent Bearings offers a full range of bearing-related parts including ball, cylindrical, radial, thrust, and standard, as well as CAM followers, rod ends, belts, sheaves, busings, bronze busings, bar stock, pulleys, chains, sprockets, gears, speed reducers, motors, clutches, brakes, couplings, shafts, shaft accessories, oil seals, gauges, retaining rings, air cylindeers, conveyor belts, and fluid power process control equipment.
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.
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.
Apex Precision Mechatronix Private Limited, established in 1945 in Mumbai, India, is an manufacturer of industrial screws, ball screw support bearings, and related components. The company boasts a diverse product range that includes automatic couplings, industrial couplings, industrial bearings, high-speed guides, and pneumatic grippers. These components are crafted with precision, undergoing meticulous rolling and grinding processes to ensure impeccable dimensional accuracy and operational efficiency. It aims to provide solutions that cater to the demands of a wide array of industries and sectors.
THK Co., Ltd. was incorporated in 1946 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. THK is a manufacturer and supplier of machine components such as linear motion components for customers globally. THK’s products are used in many industries including electronics, aerospace, industrial robots, and precision instruments. THK’s primary product categories are Linear Motion, Feed Screw, Rotation, Custom Assemblies, and Seismic Isolation. Linear Motion products assist in linear motion and transportation. They include linear motion actuators, guides, and rollers. Feed screws include ball screws, screw nuts, and change nuts. Seismic Isolation includes both large systems and small guides.
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.
Founded in 2003, and located in Shandong, China, TFL Bearings Co., Ltd is a manufacturer of ball bearings, roller bearings, bearing units, wheel bearings, and accessories. The company offers Cross Roller Bearings, Ceramic bearings, Self Aligning Ball Bearing, Miniature Ball Bearings, and Angular Contact Ball Bearing that have applications in the Railways, Mining, and, Construction industries. They also provide Needle bearings, Plastic Bearings, Slewing Bearings, Joint bearings, and, Thin section bearings that are used in the medical sector.
IKO International was established in 1950 and is headquartered in Himeji, Japan. As a certified ISO 9001:2015, the company is a manufacturer of needle bearings, linear motion rolling guides, and precision positioning tables. Its products are used in a wide variety of applications, including industrial machinery, robotics, and medical equipment. The company's product range includes needle bearings, linear motion rolling guides, and precision positioning tables and are used in some of the world's advanced machines. IKO International has over 6,000 employees and operates in more than 50 countries.
PCI ProCal, Inc. is a US-based company that offers calibration services for various industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and aerospace. They provide instrument and equipment calibration services, as well as equipment rental and repair services. The company was founded in 1996 and has built a solid renown in the industry due to its team of highly skilled professionals who ensure accurate and efficient calibration. They are acknowledged for their dependable services to delivering top-notch calibration solutions to their clients.
NSK Europe Ltd., situated in Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, is a manufacturer and distributor of a range of mechanical components. Its offered components include motion control products, and automotive components such as wheel bearings, engine belt drive parts, and mounting components. These products are used in various applications such as wind turbines, machine tools, production lines, and vehicles. The company holds several certifications, including ISO 9001:2015 across all its European sites and IATF 16949:2016 for its automotive operations.
Carter Manufacturing Limited, established in the United Kingdom in 1999, is a supplier of precision bearings and related solutions. The company specializes in offering a wide range of bearings suitable for demanding industries like aerospace, motorsport, and defense. It boasts a strong global footprint, serving a discerning clientele across diverse sectors. Its key strengths include a comprehensive product portfolio and delivering top-tier engineering solutions. With a track record of perfection, it has earned numerous certifications and industry accolades, reinforcing its name as a sough-after partner in providing precision bearing solutions.
UNASIS International Limited, founded in the United Kingdom in 1973, is a global supplier of precision bearings and related products. The company specializes in providing quality bearings for various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and industrial applications. With a well-established network, it serves a diverse customer base worldwide, offering a wide range of bearing solutions designed for precision and reliability. Its strengths lie in its extensive product catalog and delivering top-notch customer service. It has earned appreciation for its expertise in bearing technology and its ability to meet the exacting demands of industries where precision matters most.
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.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TFL BEARINGS Co., Ltd |
33.3%
|
| 2 | Roller Bearing Company Inc. |
33.3%
|
| 3 | SKF |
33.3%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the roller follower page as of December 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
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
5 | 41.7% |
|
United Kingdom
|
3 | 25.0% |
|
Japan
|
2 | 16.7% |
|
India
|
1 | 8.3% |
|
Sweden
|
1 | 8.3% |
24 products found
24 products
NOSE SEIKO CO.,LTD.
180+ people viewing
Last viewed: 11 hours ago
◼︎Features ・A bearing designed so that the outer ring attached to the stud rolls directly on the raceway. - Since the outer ring is thick, it can ...
Makitec Co., Ltd.
510+ people viewing
Last viewed: 16 hours ago
Fast Response
5.0 Company Review
A cam follower is a highly rigid shaft bearing with a thick outer ring and needle-shaped rollers inside. Can be used as a conveyance roller or guid...
10 models listed
Tatsuta Co., Ltd.
30+ people viewing
4.5 Company Review
NUTR is a similar series to NART, and is a full roller type without a cage. There are two types of outer diameters for the same inner diameter: NUR...
Tatsuta Co., Ltd.
30+ people viewing
4.5 Company Review
NOSE SEIKO CO.,LTD.
220+ people viewing
Last viewed: 4 hours ago
◼︎Features A bearing that allows you to easily separate the cage with needle rollers from the outer ring, inner ring, or side plate.
3 models listed
NOSE SEIKO CO.,LTD.
210+ people viewing
◼︎Features A side plate is fixed to the inner ring, and the cage with needle rollers is integrated with the outer ring and inner ring.
NOSE SEIKO CO.,LTD.
160+ people viewing
◼︎Features Contains double rows of cylindrical rollers, making it possible to carry heavy radial loads.
NOSE SEIKO CO.,LTD.
230+ people viewing
Last viewed: 23 hours ago
◼︎Features A bearing that allows you to easily separate the cage with needle rollers from the outer ring, inner ring, or side plate.
3 models listed
NOSE SEIKO CO.,LTD.
200+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 day ago
◼︎Features A side plate is fixed to the inner ring, and the cage with needle rollers is integrated with the outer ring and inner ring.
Hatashige Shoten Co., Ltd.
30+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 day ago
Very Fast Response
■Roller follower Roller followers are compact and highly rigid bearings that have needle bearings built into them and are used as cam plates and gu...
NOSE SEIKO CO.,LTD.
30+ people viewing
■Standard Roller Followers ・A bearing designed so that the outer ring rolls directly on the raceway. - Since the outer ring is thick, it can carry...
