Why use an Air Bearing?
Below are the advantages of air bearings along with the considerations for use:-
Advantages
- Non contacting bearing - low friction
- Ability to operate over a wide speed range - from zero to in excess of 350,000 rpm
- High stiffness
- High rotational accuracy - Low spindle error motion
- Long life due to non-contacting surfaces
- Low heat generation
Considerations
- High geometry accuracies required during manufacture
- Clean and dry supply of pressurised air