What is a slewing ring used for?

Slewing rings are commonly used in a variety of industries and applications where rotational motion is required. Some examples include cranes, construction equipment, solar panels, wind turbines and robotic arms.

Slewing rings provide a reliable and efficient way to enable this type of motion, and can often be customized to meet the specific needs of the application. Slewing rings are also sometimes used in more specialised applications, such as astronomical telescopes and radar dishes. In these cases, the slewing ring must be able to support very high loads and provide smooth, precise motion. No matter what the application, slewing rings can be an important part of ensuring reliable and efficient operation. In short, slewing rings are bearings that allow for rotation while supporting a significant amount of load, delivering a reliable and efficient way to enable this type of motion, and can often be customized to meet the specific needs of the application.

Extended Service Life

The Slewing ring bearing configuration minimizes the stress and friction on the bearing and interacting components by using slewing rings. The longer service life of the bearing, as well as the entire system, is aided by reduced equipment wear. The rotational friction of a system is greatly reduced by using slewing rings. This results in less wear on the system components and less energy required to operate the equipment, which leads to increased efficiency and productivity.

Improved Safety

Slewing ring bearings support large radial and axial loads while allowing for smooth, precise motion. This results in improved safety for both the operator and those working nearby.

Reduced Maintenance Costs

The extended service life and improved safety of a system using slewing rings results in reduced maintenance costs. The need for repairs and replacements is minimized, and the overall cost of ownership is reduced.

Improved Productivity

The efficiency of the equipment is increased by using slewing rings. The extended service life, reduced maintenance costs, and improved safety of a system using slewing rings all contribute to increased productivity.

Customisation

Slewing rings can be customized to meet the specific needs of an application. The size, shape, and material can be chosen to optimize performance and improve efficiency. Slewing rings are also sometimes used in more specialised applications, such as astronomical telescopes and radar dishes. In these cases, the slewing ring must be able to support very high loads and provide smooth, precise motion. No matter what the application, slewing rings can be an important part of ensuring reliable and efficient operation.

The different ways to drive a slewing ring include: 

• External gear
• External belt
• Worm gear
• Drive-plate coupling
• Through-shaft coupling

The choice of drive depends on the required torque, rotation speed, smoothness of rotation, and positioning accuracy. All these factors must be considered when selecting a slewing ring for an application. A slewing ring with plastic liners also has the advantage of being electrically insulating, which means that power cables can pass through the middle of the slewing without the need for any extra layer of polymer or another type of grounding. Slewing rings based on ball bearings, on the other hand, require an additional layer of polymer or some form of grounding to prevent electricity from travelling through them from the cables.