With our busy lives, most of us don’t really stop to think much about the products that we’re using every day. We know we need them. We know that if they ever stopped working we’d be in trouble, or at least pretty inconvenienced. But the majority of us don’t really take much time to contemplate what exactly goes into the creation of these convenient products.
The truth is, there are many very important parts that go into the products that we are using in our everyday lives. Without each of these little components, these products wouldn’t be able to function properly; making our lives less comfortable, less easy, and even less healthy. Our alarm clocks wouldn’t tick, our air conditioners wouldn’t turn on, our x-ray machines wouldn’t work, and our cars would fall apart.
For example, let’s take a look at a simple manufacturing component: the bearing. Simply put, a bearing is a manufacturing component that makes certain moving parts of a finished product move in a specified way. This can be side to side, up and down, in a circular motion, etc. They can also help to reduce friction, help to bear weight, etc.
To give you a better idea of just how important these little bearings are, here are 5 everyday products that wouldn’t work without mechanical bearings:
1. Clocks
If you’re like the majority of teenagers or adults, chances are you depend on an alarm clock to help wake you up in the mornings. Well, without bearings your trusted alarm clock wouldn’t be so trusted anymore. As you’re well aware, clocks are comprised of parts that are constantly moving. You can just watch a clock for a matter of a few short seconds and realize that their parts are constantly in motion. Clocks depend on small bearings to help their parts move properly and precisely. Without bearings working properly, clocks would either keep a faulty time, or stop working altogether.
2. X-Ray Machines
How many of us have had to get an x-ray at some point in our lives to help figure out what was wrong with us? Whether it was a broken bone, or a tooth that was bothering us, or trying to figure out if our chronic headaches are a symptom of a bigger problem, x-rays help to identify problems within our bodies that we would have a very hard time detecting otherwise. CAT scans and other types of x-ray machines move to take many images of our bodies. And without the bearings that were used to make them, these machines wouldn’t be able to move at the high speeds they need to move at, and they wouldn’t be able to properly capture the images that our doctors need in order to help us.
3. Air Conditioners
Most of us are able to enjoy the benefits of an air conditioner in our home to help keep us comfortable during the hot, grueling summer months. One of the most integral parts of your air conditioner is the fan that is located inside of it. Of course your AC unit needs to be able to cool air well or else it would just spurt out hot hair. But without the AC fan your air conditioner wouldn’t have the ability to blow out any air at all. Well, you guessed it, the fan contained in your air conditioner is comprised of many bearings that help it move and function properly.
4. Cars
Do you use a car to get to work or school? Well you better thank the creators of many different types of bearings, because without them you’d have to take a whole lot more steps to get to your destinations. There are over 100 bearings in each car that’s manufactured. Bearings help ensure the smooth running of your vehicle, and help to make sure that you get from point A to point B all in one piece.
5. Garage Door Openers
Speaking of cars, remember the days of having to go out into the cold or heat to be able to open your garage door? Although automatic garage door openers are just a small convenience, they really are a nice little amenity that we take for granted. And these door openers only work because of the bearings that are in them. They help the garage doors open and shut smoothly and properly.
As you can see, many of the modern conveniences that many of us enjoy on a daily basis are only made possible because of the mechanical bearings that were used to create them. Without these little components, as well as many, many other parts within them, these devices would either not work properly, or would cease to exist completely. So the next time you’re woken up at the exact right time by your alarm clock, or you’re able to commute to work through the snow in your car, maybe take a second to think of all of the amazing innovation and work that went into making that product a reality for you.
Nicole writes about anything to do with the manufacturing industry. She loves researching and learning about how things are made and what makes things work. In her opinion, Statewide Roller Bearings offers the best mechanical bearings she could find.