What is the difference between a bushing and a bearing?
Quick answer
A bushing is a plain bearing — a one-piece sleeve, usually bronze, in which the shaft slides directly on a lubricated surface. A rolling element bearing separates shaft and housing with balls or rollers. Bushings suit slow, heavily loaded and shock-prone positions; rolling bearings suit higher speeds and lower friction.
How a bushing works
A bushing is a plain sleeve pressed into a housing. The shaft rides on a lubricated film against the bushing bore. With no rolling elements it tolerates shock and contamination well and can be replaced cheaply once worn — bronze bushings and babbitted bearing liners are the usual heavy-industry forms.
How a rolling element bearing works
Balls or rollers between an inner and outer race replace sliding with rolling contact, cutting friction and heat at speed. In exchange, the assembly is more sensitive to contamination, shock loading and misalignment.
Which one a drive uses
Slow, heavily loaded positions — kiln support rollers, mill trunnions, crusher eccentrics — commonly run bronze bushings or babbitted liners. Faster shafts and gearbox internals normally run rolling element bearings. Monmet supplies both to the fits and clearances on your drawing.
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