WIB SA Angular Contact Ball Bearings

Pacific International Bearing Sales (PIB) proudly offers WIB SA Angular Contact Ball Bearings (ACBBs), high-performance bearings ideal for advanced robotics, industrial automation, and gearbox applications. WIB SA is a Swiss precision bearing manufacturer founded in 1961, known for innovation in high-quality ball bearings. Drawing on a legacy of precision miniature bearings and specialty solutions, WIB’s angular contact ball bearings provide engineers and OEMs with the reliability and accuracy needed for modern high-demand systems. In this introduction, we’ll briefly explain what makes angular contact ball bearings special: their core function is to support combined axial and radial loads in a single compact assembly. Thanks to a unique internal geometry, these bearings handle axial (thrust) loads from one direction with high precision while still carrying radial loads, making them indispensable for precision motion in multi-directional load environments.

Angular contact bearings differ from standard radial bearings by incorporating a contact angle in their raceway design. This angle allows one race of the bearing to contact the balls at a tilted orientation relative to the bearing axis. The result is that ACBBs can sustain significant thrust loads in one direction without sacrificing rotational smoothness or accuracy. For engineers in robotics, automation, or gear design, this means a single angular contact ball bearing can ensure both shaft stability under radial loads and precise positioning under axial loads. Below, we explore the performance benefits of WIB’s ACBBs, the materials and custom configurations available, key application areas, example specifications, and how PIB Sales supports OEMs in selecting and using these advanced bearings.

Performance Benefits of WIB Angular Contact Bearings

WIB angular contact ball bearings are engineered for optimized load distribution and high-speed performance. The specific contact angle of each bearing (typically available in configurations such as 15° or 30°) ensures that forces are shared efficiently between the balls and raceways. This optimized geometry spreads the load across more rolling elements, reducing stress concentrations and enabling the bearing to handle higher combined loads. Improved load distribution via contact angle means that under axial thrust, the bearing’s components align to support the load rather than fight it, which is crucial in keeping precision alignment in robotic joints or gearbox shafts.

Another major benefit is high-speed reliability. WIB ACBBs are designed with premium materials and tight manufacturing tolerances that allow them to operate at very high rotational speeds without excessive heat or vibration. These bearings utilize smooth raceway finishes and optimized cages that minimize friction. Whether in a high-RPM motor spindle or a rapidly oscillating robotic arm, WIB angular contact bearings maintain stability and precision at speeds where conventional bearings might fail. The ability to support high RPMs (often tens of thousands of revolutions per minute, depending on size and lubrication) makes them ideal as high-speed bearings in equipment like CNC machines, packaging machinery, and automation systems that demand both speed and accuracy.

Crucially, WIB SA brings Swiss engineering excellence to every angular contact bearing, which translates to consistent performance in demanding environments. Precision manufacturing processes ensure each bearing meets strict quality standards (often ABEC-7/P4 or higher for precision grades). This results in low runout (vital for accuracy in multi-axis robots) and long service life. Engineers and OEM decision-makers can trust that Swiss-engineered bearings from WIB will perform reliably even under harsh conditions such as vibration, temperature extremes, or continuous duty cycles. In summary, the performance benefits of WIB angular contact bearings include superior combined load support, exceptional speed capability, and proven reliability—exactly what advanced robotics and automation applications require.

Materials and Custom Configurations

One of the reasons WIB angular contact bearings stand out is the range of materials and custom configurations available to tailor each bearing to its application. Standard WIB ACBBs are typically made from high-grade stainless steel (for the bearing rings and often 52100 or 440C steel for rings and balls), providing corrosion resistance and strength. However, WIB also offers hybrid designs and special materials to meet industry-specific needs:

• Premium Stainless Steels and Alloys: Bearing rings can be made from martensitic stainless steel for corrosion resistance or special high-strength alloys. WIB even has proprietary stainless grades (such as their SP series) for extreme corrosion protection without sacrificing hardness.
• Ceramic Components: For ultra-high-speed or low-friction requirements, hybrid angular contact bearings with ceramic balls (usually silicon nitride) are available. Ceramic balls reduce rotating mass and friction, enabling higher speeds and longer life with less wear.
• Engineered Polymer Cages: Depending on the application, cages (ball separators) can be made from engineered polymers like PEEK or polyamide, as well as metals (brass or steel). Polymer cages are lighter and quieter, suitable for high-speed or low-noise requirements, whereas metal cages can offer extra strength at high temperatures.
• Seal and Shield Options: WIB ACBBs can be supplied open (for maximum speed), shielded, or sealed. Seals (contact or low-contact rubber seals) keep out contaminants in dirty or humid environments like factory automation, while non-contact metal shields can provide protection with minimal speed reduction.
• Special Coatings: Industry-specific coatings are available, such as anti-corrosion coatings (for marine or cleanroom environments) or dry film lubricants. For electric motor or aerospace use, specialized coatings can provide insulation or additional wear resistance.
• Precision Tolerances and Clearances: WIB manufactures these bearings in various precision grades and can adjust internal clearances or preload levels. Whether you need a loose clearance for high-temperature operation or a preloaded condition for stiffness, bearings can be built to the required tolerance classes (e.g., ABEC-5, ABEC-7) and fit.
  
• Custom Lubrication and Engraving: As part of customization, WIB can lubricate bearings with the customer’s choice of grease or oil—ranging from food-grade lubricants, to high-temperature oils, to vacuum-compatible greases for clean environments. They also offer laser-engraved part numbers or customer-specific markings on the bearings for easy identification and traceability in assembly.

This flexibility in materials and configurations means that whether you’re designing a robot that operates in a cleanroom, a gearbox in a humid factory, or a high-speed spindle in a machine tool, there is a WIB angular contact bearing ideally configured for your needs. Industry-specific customization is a hallmark of WIB: for example, bearings can be made to low-noise specifications for medical devices, fitted with high-capacity phenolic cages for machine tool spindles, or coated for vacuum use in semiconductor manufacturing. With options for special seals, coatings, cages, and more, OEM engineers can work with PIB and WIB to create a truly tailor-made bearing solution.

Applications: Gearboxes, Robotics, and Automation

Angular contact ball bearings are utilized across various industries, but they are especially critical in gearboxes, robotics, and automation systems. Let’s explore how WIB ACBBs excel in each of these applications:

Gearboxes and Power Transmission

In industrial gearboxes and drives, angular contact bearings provide the high-load support and stability needed to maintain smooth power transmission. Gearbox shafts often experience combined radial loads from gear meshing and axial loads from helical or bevel gear thrust. A WIB angular contact bearing (often used in pairs) can handle these forces, keeping the shaft precisely positioned. The optimized contact angle of WIB bearings ensures heavy axial thrust from gears is supported without excessive deflection, which helps preserve gear alignment and prolong gear life. Additionally, their ability to operate at high RPM with minimal friction means less heat generation in high-speed gearboxes. For designers, this translates to speed, stability, and efficiency: even as loads fluctuate, the bearings maintain consistent performance. Whether in a large industrial reducer or a compact precision gearbox in a robotic actuator, WIB ACBBs contribute to quiet, reliable operation with minimal maintenance downtime.

Robotics and Multi-Axis Joints

Modern robotics relies on bearings that deliver both precision and the ability to handle variable loads. In robot arms and cobots (collaborative robots), joints often use angular contact ball bearings to support the arm segments. These joints encounter complex load patterns: as the robot moves, each joint faces radial forces from the arm’s weight and axial or moment loads when positioning or lifting objects. WIB angular contact bearings are ideal robot joint bearings because their one-directional thrust capacity can be strategically oriented to handle the dominant loads in the joint. Often, robotic joints will use a pair of ACBBs in a back-to-back duplex arrangement, enabling the joint to take thrust in both directions with high stiffness. The result is improved accuracy and repeatability in the robot’s movements. Moreover, WIB’s high precision manufacturing means low play and high rigidity, which is crucial for robots to maintain exact positioning (for example, in pick-and-place tasks or surgical robots). Engineers value the precision and reliability of WIB ACBBs in robotics, knowing these bearings help absorb shocks, minimize deflection under load, and deliver smooth, controlled motion across multiple axes.

Industrial Automation and Machinery

In broader industrial automation, angular contact bearings are found in everything from automated assembly machines and packaging equipment to conveyor systems and high-speed printing presses. The common theme in these applications is the need for motion smoothness and minimal downtime. Automation systems often run 24/7, so every component must be dependable. WIB angular contact ball bearings, with their robust materials and quality, offer the durability required for continuous operation. They handle the combined loads present in belt tensioners, cam drives, or linear motion guides with ease, ensuring machines run with minimal vibration. Their high-speed capabilities also make them suitable for servo motor shafts or spindle units in automated tools, where accurate speed and low friction are paramount. Additionally, WIB can provide bearings with low-noise characteristics and proper seals for dusty or wet environments (like food and beverage automation). By using ACBBs, machine designers can achieve reliable, smooth rotation even under complex loading, which translates to consistent product throughput and reduced maintenance. In essence, for automation machinery that demands both precision and endurance, WIB angular contact bearings are a go-to solution that keeps production lines moving efficiently.

Example Configurations and Specifications

WIB’s angular contact ball bearing range covers various sizes and series, each with specific characteristics. Below are a few example configurations and their typical specifications to illustrate the offerings:

• WIB 7002 AC: A high-precision single-row angular contact bearing in the 7000-series. The 7002 AC has a 15 mm inner diameter and 32 mm outer diameter (with a 9 mm width). It is often available with a 15° contact angle, making it well-suited for applications that prioritize high-speed capability and precision over maximum thrust load. Despite its compact size, the 7002 AC can carry significant dynamic loads (on the order of 5–6 kN) and sustain speeds exceeding 50,000 RPM with the proper oil lubrication. This type is commonly used in small spindle assemblies and robotic joints where space is tight but performance can’t be compromised. Engineers can order the 7002 AC with light or moderate preload for increased stiffness, or in a universal ground pair if a duplex arrangement is needed to support bidirectional thrust.
  
• WIB 7200 B: A medium-sized angular contact bearing from the 7200-series, with a 10 mm bore (ID), 30 mm OD, and 9 mm width. The 7200 B version typically features a larger contact angle (commonly around 30° or 40°). This greater contact angle allows the 7200 B to handle higher axial loads compared to smaller-angle designs, making it suitable for gearbox bearings and moderate thrust applications. For instance, its dynamic load rating is roughly 7 kN (with a static rating around 3 kN), providing plenty of capacity for supporting shafts and gears. The maximum speed for a 7200 B with grease lubrication is about 30,000 RPM (higher with oil or in precision P4 versions). This bearing can be provided in matched pairs (back-to-back or face-to-face) with predefined preload options (light, medium, or heavy) to achieve the desired assembly stiffness. Using a duplex pair of 7200 B ACBBs is a common approach in machine tool spindles and small gearboxes to balance thrust loads in both directions while maintaining excellent concentricity.
  
• WIB 7301 C: A robust example from the heavy-duty 7300-series, the 7301 C has a 12 mm inner diameter, about a 37 mm outer diameter, and a wider profile (roughly 12 mm width). This model often comes with a 15° contact angle (“C” designation) but in a larger cross-section bearing, yielding a combination of high precision and load capacity. The 7301 C can support very high radial loads along with substantial axial thrust, thanks to the deeper outer ring and larger ball complement of the 7300 series design. It boasts a dynamic load rating in the range of 9–10 kN (with even higher static capacity), making it ideal for high-load support in demanding gearboxes or heavy robot axes. Its limiting speed is slightly lower than smaller series due to the larger size (commonly around 20,000 RPM with grease), but it remains more than sufficient for typical industrial drives or robotic joints. Engineers often use the 7301 C in paired configurations (e.g., a duplex back-to-back pair) to provide rigid support for shafts that experience thrust from both directions, such as output shafts of gear reducers or vertical ball screw supports. Preloads can be factory set, and these bearings are manufactured to precision grades that ensure minimal deflection and excellent alignment under stress.
  

In all these examples, note that WIB’s ACBBs can be supplied as universal matched pairs (designated with suffixes like “DU” or “DB”/“DF” for back-to-back or face-to-face). When two angular contact bearings are paired correctly, they can accommodate thrust loads in both directions and even out any manufacturing tolerances via preload. This is critical for applications like machine spindles or gimbal systems, where balanced axial loading and high rigidity are needed. Additionally, preload levels (the internal force with which paired bearings are pressed together) can be chosen to be light, medium, or heavy depending on the desired balance between stiffness and bearing life. PIB Sales can assist in selecting the right duplex arrangement and preload for your application—ensuring that the example configurations above (or any other in the WIB lineup) are implemented for optimal performance.

Engineering Support and Custom Fitment

Selecting the right angular contact ball bearing for a given application involves many considerations: contact angle, preload, clearance, cage type, lubrication, mounting fits, and more. This is where PIB Sales’ engineering support becomes invaluable. Our team works closely with customers to custom-fit bearing solutions to each project’s requirements. From initial consultation, PIB’s bearing specialists (including certified bearing engineers) will help identify the best WIB ACBB for your needs or design a custom variant if required. We consider factors like the direction and magnitude of loads, operating speeds, desired bearing life, environmental conditions (e.g., vacuum, cleanroom, high temperature), and any industry-specific standards (for example, medical or aerospace regulations).

One major aspect of engineering support is helping with preload and mounting configurations. Angular contact bearings can be mounted in different orientations (such as back-to-back for greater moment rigidity, or face-to-face for better accommodation of misalignment). PIB’s experts guide engineers on the pros and cons of each configuration for their particular mechanism. We also advise on the appropriate preload—too little preload might allow unwanted deflection, while too much could shorten bearing life. With our guidance, customers can specify whether they need a light preload for delicate instruments or a heavy preload for maximum stiffness in a high-speed spindle. Additionally, we address tolerance classes and fits: ensuring the bearing’s dimensional precision (bore/OD tolerances) matches the shaft and housing fits so that the assembled clearance or preload is exactly as intended.

For specialized industries like aerospace, medical devices, or semiconductor manufacturing, PIB Sales provides clean-room relubrication and documentation services. This means we can take a standard WIB angular contact bearing and re-lubricate it in a certified clean room with a customer-specified grease or oil (for example, applying a low outgassing lubricant for space applications or a biocompatible grease for medical equipment). Our clean-room process, which meets ISO and NHBB certification standards, ensures no contaminants enter the bearing during relubrication. We supply full documentation and traceability for these services, which regulated industries often require. Whether it’s lot traceability, material certifications, or lubrication batch records, PIB has you covered with the necessary paperwork. We also handle custom requests like special packaging (vacuum-sealed packs, nitrogen flush, etc.) and laser engraving of part numbers or serial numbers on bearings for quality control.

In essence, PIB Sales acts as an extension of your engineering team when it comes to bearings. We help tailor WIB’s angular contact ball bearings to perfectly fit your assembly, reducing the risk of issues in the field and often enhancing performance beyond off-the-shelf solutions. Our support doesn’t end at selection—we assist with installation tips, provide bearing failure analysis if needed, and ensure you have the right information to integrate the bearings successfully. This level of engineering support and custom fitment service is a key reason OEMs have partnered with PIB for decades.

Why Source from PIB Sales

When you choose PIB Sales as your supplier for WIB angular contact bearings, you’re not just buying a part—you’re gaining a partner with over 40 years of OEM bearing experience. PIB Sales has a global reach and a track record of supporting original equipment manufacturers across industries. As an authorized distributor of WIB SA, we maintain direct access to WIB’s high-quality products and engineering resources. This means you get genuine bearings with full technical backing. Our longevity in the market (PIB was established in 1990, building on bearing industry experience dating back to the 1970s) translates to deep expertise and trust. We understand the challenges designers face and have helped solve complex bearing applications for decades.

PIB Sales operates an engineering-backed e-commerce model that sets us apart. On one hand, we offer a convenient online platform – the PIB Sales online catalog and shop – where you can explore a wide range of bearings, check specifications, and even make purchases or RFQs (requests for quote) easily. On the other hand, behind that digital catalog stands a team of knowledgeable engineers and certified bearing specialists ready to assist. This means you can have the ease of online ordering with the assurance of expert support whenever needed. Our website provides rich information and allows quick stock checking, while our staff are a phone call or email away to answer technical questions or provide advice on products like ACBBs, precision miniature bearings, linear components, and more.

Another key advantage of sourcing from PIB is our customized stocking programs and ISO-certified services. We offer Just-In-Time (JIT) delivery programs for OEMs so that critical components like angular contact bearings are available exactly when you need them in production, reducing your need to hold large inventories. We can stock customer-specific part numbers and release them according to your schedule, even accommodating changes in demand. Our operations adhere to ISO 9001 quality management standards, and we take quality seriously – every bearing we ship goes through our incoming inspection and, if relubricated or modified, follows strict quality procedures. In fact, our clean-room relubrication and repackaging services are performed to aerospace-level quality certifications. This commitment to quality ensures that you receive consistent, reliable products every time.

PIB Sales also prides itself on responsive quoting and customer service. We know that in fast-paced industries, engineers and purchasing managers need quick answers. Our team strives to turn around quotes promptly and provide clear communication about lead times, options, and pricing. With our global network and inventory access, we often can locate hard-to-find or specialty bearings (if a specific WIB item isn’t in stock, we’ll work to get it for you fast). Moreover, our pricing is competitive, with volume pricing programs available for large orders and long-term agreements that can lock in pricing for the duration of your project. In summary, partnering with PIB Sales means reliable supply, technical excellence, and peace of mind – allowing you to focus on innovation while we handle your bearing needs.

Visit the PIB Sales online shop to explore WIB Angular Contact Ball Bearings, check current availability, request a quote, or contact us at [email protected] . We’re ready to help you find the perfect WIB angular contact bearings for your robotics, automation, or gearbox project – and to support you every step of the way, from selection to successful operation. 

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