3D printed bearings experiments

grabcad

Although not all function as intended, some of these bearings are intriguing and simpler to comprehend than actual bearings, making them potentially educational. The helical bearing (37 marbles) allows the nut and screw to fall due to gravity; however, the marbles fail to circulate since the screw doesn't grip them well. This imprecision renders it useless for practical applications. Perhaps the turning radius of the channels is too small or additional lubrication could help. The linear bearing (33/36 marbles) functions with applied force on the shaft but lacks precision and smoothness in guidance, as seen in the provided videos. Standing spool bearings, with 108 marbles for uprails and 56 for radials, have marbles circulating but struggle to stay within the spools. The webm videos illustrate these issues. Overall, these homemade bearings exhibit potential educational value but require refinement for practical use.