What is the difference between a roller bearing and a needle bearing?

Question

What is the difference between a roller bearing and a needle bearing?

Answer 1

Roller bearings are usually a caged assembly and the individual rollers are rather large. Needle bearings are usually not contained in a cage and each "needle" is a very small diameter compared to the rollers in a roller bearing.

Answer 2

Needle bearings and roller bearings are the same thing. The difference is in the size of the bearings. Both can be either caged or uncaged.

Answer 3

Both are antifriction  bearings

their "sub -species" is  Cylindrical Rolling Element

There are 3 basic types (not counting Roller Thrust brngs)

- Cylindical Roller

- Spherical Roller

- Needle Roller

What distinguishes  Roller Bearing from Needle  Bearing is the Rolling Elements'  Length : Width Ratio.

Rollers are Under 4:1,,,,the rolling element is comparatively "Short & Fat"

Needles are Over 4 :1,,,, Long and narrow

That's not written in stone as any sort of industrial standard,,,but a commonly accepted convention.

The 2 types,,actually all 3 Types of  Cylindrical Roller Brngs each have their own  characteristics ,,,strengths & weaknesses ,,,for specific applications

As Similar as  Needles & Rollers appear to be,,,they have very different applications.

And if they are EVER "interchangeable",,it's only a coincidence.

Needles are considered Low-to-Medium performance bearings,,,in practically every aspect.

Answer 4

roller bearings are ball bearings housed in a track/cage. needle bearings are lot of little needle type rollers