Cyndi Nyberg
Former EASA Technical Support Specialist

There are two main types of load that act on the bearings of a motor – radial and axial.

• Radial – A radial load is defined as a load that is applied perpendicular to the shaft. An example of a radial load would be an overhung load, such as with a sheave.
• Axial – An axial load, also referred to as thrust, is a load that acts parallel to the shaft on which the bearing is mounted. Just the rotor weight of a vertically mounted motor will cause a downward axial load on the bearing.

The type and magnitude of the load will determine what type of bearing should be used in the application. If the wrong type of bearing is used, it could lead to a motor failure in a short period of time.

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