What is a Type E Pillow Block Bearing?
Type E pillow block bearings are the go-to option for a shaft that needs extra support, maybe because it generates excess torque or is involved in an enhanced mechanical process. Extra… excess… enhanced… Easy enough.
Type E bearings have a sturdier housing than regular bearings, and can have either two or four mounting screws. These features help the bearing assembly handle higher levels of radial and axial torque. The coating on the housing also offers greater protection against corrosion or other forms of surface damage that can weaken the housing and reduce bearing assembly life.
The collar of a Type E pillow block bearing will often have the set screw angled for maximum control at high speeds and high torques.
Lubrication issues are far and away the most common cause of bearing failure. Excess lubrication, lubrication leakage leading to shaft-bearing contact, contamination and the positive feedback loop between temperature and viscosity can all turn a $50-$250 bearing into the cause of a 5-figure (or more) process failure. Given the need for reliable lubrication is so much more critical with higher loads, Type E bearings have more advanced seals than standard pillow block bearings. Type E bearing seals often have multiple points of contact with the outer world and between the internal environment and the bearing. These seals minimize the risks of two of those causes of bearing failure: lubrication leakage and contamination.
Type E Pillow Block Bearings and MDS
MDS carries Type E pillow block bearings from #20 02-0103 up to #20 04-0500. In simpler terms, from a 4-pound bearing with a 1-3/16″ bore diameter to a 132-pound bearing with a 5-inch bore.
If you’re not sure if you need the extra enhanced everything provided by a Type E bearing, do the easy thing and contact MDS. Our team will talk through your project to ensure you have the right bearings and any other power transmission equipment you need to keep efficiency, safety, output, and up-time at their peak levels.
