How to Reduce Noise in Deep Groove Ball Bearings for Household Appliances?

As consumers demand more quiet performance in home appliances, manufacturers are solving the noise problem of Deep Groove Ball Bearings through technological innovation. As the core component of power transmission in home appliances, the vibration and abnormal noise of bearings directly affect user experience and equipment life.

1. Optimize bearing design: reduce vibration sources from the source
The noise of deep groove ball bearings is mainly caused by friction between rolling elements and grooves, cage collision and assembly errors. Improving the geometric accuracy of the groove (such as optimizing the radius of curvature and contact angle) can reduce stress concentration during ball movement. For example, using low clearance or preload design can improve rotational stability and reduce vibration amplitude by 20%-35% (based on ISO 15242 vibration test standard).
In addition, the innovation of cage materials is crucial. Nylon cages (PA66-GF25) can reduce operating noise by 3-5 decibels compared to traditional metal cages due to their self-lubricating and collision energy absorption characteristics, while reducing energy consumption.

2. Material upgrade: improving the intrinsic performance of bearings
The purity of bearing steel directly affects the noise level. High-carbon chromium steel (such as SUJ2) treated with vacuum degassing can reduce impurities inside the material and suppress abnormal noise caused by micro cracks. Some high-end home appliances have introduced hybrid ceramic bearings (ceramic balls + steel grooves), whose density is only 40% of steel, which can significantly reduce centrifugal noise during high-speed rotation.

3. Lubrication and sealing: building a stable operating environment
Lubricants play a dual role in noise reduction: both reducing friction and absorbing high-frequency vibration waves. It is recommended to use synthetic hydrocarbon-based grease (such as polyalphaolefin PAO) or solid lubricating coatings containing molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), whose wide temperature range (-40℃~150℃) characteristics can avoid dry friction noise during low-temperature startup. At the same time, non-contact rubber seals (RS type) can reduce windage noise by 30% compared to metal dust covers (ZZ type).

4. Precision manufacturing process: tolerance control determines the upper limit of silence
Bearing noise is exponentially related to manufacturing accuracy. The surface roughness of the groove is controlled at Ra≤0.05μm through super-finishing technology, which can eliminate the microscopic impact sound between the ball and the groove. The measured data of an international brand shows that when the radial runout of the bearing is reduced from 5μm to 2μm, the attenuation rate of the high-frequency component (>5kHz) in the noise spectrum reaches 47%.

5. Installation and maintenance: the key to extending the silent life
Improper installation is one of the main causes of early bearing noise. It is recommended to use hot installation (heating to 80℃-100℃) instead of mechanical pressing to avoid deformation of the ring. For high-frequency use equipment such as washing machines and vacuum cleaners, adding grease every 2 years (filling amount ≤30% cavity volume) can restore the bearing damping performance.