• JillyB@beehaw.org
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    3 days ago

    A steel ball is not a ball bearing. A bearing is something that bears load and allows for motion, usually rotation. There are sleeve bearings which are just one material or journal bearings which have pressurized oil to separate the spinning shaft. A ball bearing is an assembly with rolling elements (balls, rather than rollers). Those steel balls are just called balls. The whole assembly is called a ball bearing. I used to work in bearing manufacturing and they were just called balls.

    • azimir@lemmy.ml
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      3 days ago

      Would it be better if I clarified by calling them “ball bearing balls”? Or would that lead to my unpleasant pummeling by steel balls?

        • call_me_xale@lemmy.zip
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          3 days ago

          Yeah, I think this is the best option. It sounds a little weird at first, because we’re so used to hearing it the other way around, but it makes more sense if you think about it.