In modern heavy industry and large-scale infrastructure, equipment and structures must endure extreme weight, severe temperature swings and unavoidable physical displacement — the thermal expansion of a chemical reactor, the wind-load micro-adjustment of a tall electrostatic precipitator, or the support of heavy pipelines and weighing facilities. How do you guarantee absolutely safe load-bearing while still giving these giants room to “breathe” and move? DSD HILGERS Stahlbau GmbH of Rheinbrohl, Germany — a century-old steel-structure and mechanical manufacturer — answers with its multi-ball bearings (Vielkugelauflager).
1. What is a multi-ball bearing, and where do its strengths lie?
A multi-ball bearing is a moving support designed for large industrial equipment and steel structures. Compared with traditional single-ball or sliding supports, it packs many high-precision balls inside, achieving more even pressure distribution and multi-directional free movement.
- High-temperature performance: standard models run stably at 120 °C; specially designed custom bearings withstand up to 400 °C — ideal for high-temperature reactors and flue-gas cleaning systems.
- Load and displacement: a single bearing carries up to 2500 kN (~250 t) vertical load and allows up to 100 mm displacement in all directions.
- Very low friction: a coefficient of friction of just 2% greatly reduces the additional stress transmitted to the foundation.
- Horizontal load capability: guided versions also absorb horizontal loads up to 10% of the vertical load.
- Truly maintenance-free: the balls are fully embedded in a special grease compound or graphite powder, with no need for re-lubrication after delivery.
2. Typical applications
- Flue-gas cleaning and dedusting systems (e.g. the base support of large electrostatic precipitators).
- Chemical and energy equipment: industrial reactors and heavy pressure-pipeline systems.
- Industrial silos and buildings: bunkers, roof trusses and heavy support structures.
- High-precision metering: floating supports for large industrial weighing facilities.
3. Key installation guidance: do not ignore the centering screws
Although maintenance-free in operation, correct installation determines service life and structural safety. Per DSD HILGERS’ official instructions: never tilt or open the bearing (the balls are precisely embedded in grease/graphite); long lateral centering screws lock the bearing during transport and must stay fixed until the structure is fully adjusted; after alignment, immediately remove the transport centering screws and close the threaded holes with the supplied short closing screws and Dubo washers so the balls can roll freely; and for pre-adjusted bearings, check the marked dot and arrow against the fixed point or medium-flow direction before installation.
Conclusion
In engineering, balancing heavy load and high temperature with free sliding and stable support is the real art. DSD HILGERS multi-ball bearings — with quietly rolling steel balls — safeguard the foundations of modern industry.