# Alpine Bearing > Your SUPER-powered WP Engine Site --- ## Pages - [Purchase Order Terms & Quality Clause Conditions](https://alpinebearing.com/purchase-order-terms-quality-clause-conditions/): Terms and Conditions for All Orders A: Seller shall keep confidential all technical and proprietary information furnished to Seller by... - [Bearing Failure Analysis Services](https://alpinebearing.com/bearing-failure-analysis-services/): Bearing failure – whether reduced performance or shortened service life – has costs far beyond the price of replacing the... - [Quality Inspection and Verification Services](https://alpinebearing.com/quality-inspection-and-verification-services/): Two certifications power Alpine’s quality inspection and verification: ISO 9001 and AS9100D. As a result, our quality management system is... - [Bearing Inventory Management Services](https://alpinebearing.com/bearing-inventory-management-services/): At Alpine Bearing, we know that even a short supply chain delay can squander your company’s time and productivity, cutting... - [Bearing Application Engineering Services](https://alpinebearing.com/bearing-application-engineering-services/): Many bearings fail before the end of their natural working life because of improper lubrication or overloading. How can you avoid... - [Why Alpine?](https://alpinebearing.com/about/why-alpine/): Choosing the right bearing supplier is a critical decision that can significantly impact the performance, reliability, and longevity of your... - [Needle Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearings-products/needle-bearings/): Needle Bearings Needle and roller bearings differ from other ball bearings because of their long, thin, needle-like components which take... - [Airframe Control](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearings-products/airframe-control/): Airframe Control Needle and roller bearings differ from other ball bearings because of their long, thin, needle-like components which take... - [Thinex & Torque Tube](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearings-products/thinex-torque-tube/): Thinex & Torque Tube Thinex and torque tube bearings differ from other bearings because they distribute loads over a greater... - [Turbo Pump](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearings-products/turbo-pump/): Turbo Pump Turbo molecular pumps combine high rates of speed with challenging atmospheric conditions, pushing bearings to extremes. The right... - [Deep Groove](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearings-products/deep-groove/): Deep Groove Deep groove bearings are the most commonly used type of bearing. They’re comparatively easy to install and are... - [Thin Section](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearings-products/thin-section/): Thin Section Thin section bearings are ideal for situations requiring low torque and a small footprint. Used in aerospace and... - [Miniature & Instrument](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearings-products/miniature-instrument/): Miniature & Instrument Miniature and instrument bearings are compact, provide high performance, and carry moderate radial and thrust loads. Made... - [Advanced Search](https://alpinebearing.com/advanced-search/): Search Alpine Bearings add your content here Bearing Interchange (cross-reference) add your content here Item - 3 add your content... - [Sitemap](https://alpinebearing.com/sitemap/) - [Machine Tool Spindle](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearings-products/machine-tool-spindle/): Machine Tool Spindle Spindles are vital to CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining, lathes, mills, routers, 3D printers, cutters, and grinders.... - [Bearing Categories](https://alpinebearing.com/bearing-categories/) - [Bearing Relubrication & Repacking Services](https://alpinebearing.com/bearing-relubrication-and-repacking-services/): Alpine Bearing provides certified bearing relubrication and repacking services from our Class 6 ISO 14644-1 cleanroom. We support OEMs and... - [Find Bearings by Size](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-by-size/): Use the menus below to filter the list of bearings. - [Blog](https://alpinebearing.com/blog/) - [Robotics & Automation Precision Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/industries/robotics-and-automation-bearings/): From factory floors to autonomous drones, robotic systems demand bearings built for speed, load, and motion control. At Alpine Bearing,... - [Machine Tool Maintenance Industry Bearings & Spindle Applications](https://alpinebearing.com/industries/machine-tool-spindle-industries/): Spindles are the heart of CNC machines. They hold tools, guide cuts, and keep production moving. And when they fail,... - [Medical & Dental Bearing Supplier](https://alpinebearing.com/industries/medical-and-dental-device-industry/): In the medical and dental device industry, precision, dependability, and quality are essential. Manufacturers who design and create a dental... - [High-Precision Defense & Aerospace Bearing Distributor](https://alpinebearing.com/industries/aerospace-and-defense-technology/): The aerospace and defense industry builds everything from planes and propulsion systems to space vehicles and avionics. These complex technologies,... - [Download our Ball Bearing Product Catalog](https://alpinebearing.com/download-spindle-ball-bearing-catalog-2/): Bearing Catalogs Download our Ball Bearing Product Catalog Alpine Bearing provides thousands of high quality bearings to OEMs, distributors, rebuilders... - [Home](https://alpinebearing.com/): Precision Bearing Distributor Trusted Industrial Bearing Supplier for Leading Brands Alpine Bearing is an industrial bearing supplier and distributor, offering... - [Contact Us](https://alpinebearing.com/contact-us/) - [About Us](https://alpinebearing.com/about/): Our Culture At Alpine Bearing, our culture is the cornerstone of our success. We have fostered an environment where employees... - [Ball Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearings-products/): Ball & Roller Bearings Alpine Bearing is a trusted ball and roller bearings supplier, offering high-performance components from leading manufacturers... - [Authorized Bearing Supplier for OEMs & Repair Markets](https://alpinebearing.com/authorized-bearing-supplier/): As an authorized bearing supplier, Alpine Bearing supports OEMs, machine shops, and the replacement market with high-performance inventory from top... - [Download Product Catalog](https://alpinebearing.com/download-spindle-ball-bearing-catalog/) - [Industries We Serve](https://alpinebearing.com/industries/): Alpine Bearing provides top-quality bearings to fit the needs of a diverse group of industries. We know that all industries... - [Services](https://alpinebearing.com/services/): Alpine Bearing provides a wide selection of high-quality, fast-shipping bearings for a variety of industries, but we don’t stop there.... - [Resources](https://alpinebearing.com/resources/): At Alpine Bearing, we know you need information to select the right bearing for your application. To help you make... - [Typography](https://alpinebearing.com/typography/): Bolded Paragraph text. Bold Bold-Italics Italics. Paragraph text. This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this... - [Sample Page](https://alpinebearing.com/sample-page/): This is an example page. It’s different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will... - [Privacy and Legal](https://alpinebearing.com/privacy-policy/): By using the Website (“the Site”), you agree to follow and be bound by the following terms and conditions concerning... --- ## Posts - [Why Buy U.S. Made Bearings? Benefits of Domestically Manufactured Bearing Solutions.](https://alpinebearing.com/uncategorized/why-buy-us-made-bearings/): Why Buy U. S. Made Bearings? Benefits of Domestically Manufactured Bearing Solutions. At Alpine Bearing we know that sourcing precision... - [How Alpine Bearing Supports the Rapid Growth of Robotics and Automation](https://alpinebearing.com/uncategorized/alpine-bearing-supports-the-rapid-growth-of-robotics-and-automation/): How Alpine Bearing Supports the Rapid Growth of Robotics and Automation Humanoid robots are quickly shifting from futuristic prototypes to... - [Alpine Bearing customer story: Skip’s wearable tech helps people walk with less effort and more comfort](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/alpine-bearing-customer-story-skips-wearable-tech-helps-people-walk-with-less-effort-and-more-comfort/): MO/GO™ movewear fights gravity to give users’ knees a boost We all wish we could transcend our limitations sometimes, whether... - [Cleaner than ever: our clean room is now ISO 14644-1 Class 6](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/cleaner-than-ever-our-clean-room-is-now-iso-14644-1-class-6/): Big news: Alpine Bearing is now able to meet even more exacting bearing re-lubrication and re-packaging needs in our clean... - [Alpine Bearing’s website refresh: new bearing database, services information, and more!](https://alpinebearing.com/blog/alpine-bearings-website-refresh-new-bearing-database/): If you’re reading this, you may already have noticed something different about the Alpine Bearing website. We have a fresh... - [Brett Deccy Joins Alpine as Enterprise Program Manager](https://alpinebearing.com/employee-spotlight/brett-deccy-joins-alpine-as-enterprise-program-manager/): There’s a new face at Alpine Bearing’s Boston office. Brett Deccy (pronounced, DC) started in April of 2024 as the... - [Aeronautics: Flight Depends on Precision, Skill, and the Right Bearings ](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/aeronautics-flight-depends-on-precision-skill-and-the-right-bearings/): Aeronautics, the science of flight and the operation of aircraft, involves many moving parts. Where those parts move, there’s probably... - [Bearing FAQs – ABEC, bearing lubricants, flanges, and more ](https://alpinebearing.com/blog/bearing-faqs-abec-bearing-lubricants-flanges-and-more/): We know when you’re ordering bearings, you need as much information as possible. That’s why we’ve collected the answers to... - [HQW Bearings Are an Extremely Large Deal](https://alpinebearing.com/industry-news/hqw-bearings-are-an-extremely-large-deal-2/): Are you looking for precision bearings for an aerospace, medical, or robotic application? How about an Extremely Large Telescope? Look... - [Facility Feature: our clean room for ball bearing re-lubrication and repackaging](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/facility-feature-our-clean-room-for-ball-bearing-re-lubrication-and-repackaging-2/): Whether you’re at a food processor, medical device manufacturer, or aircraft repair facility, three things are true. One: you have... - [The 11 Most Interesting and Unusual Facts About Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearing-facts/the-11-most-interesting-and-unusual-facts-about-bearings/): Some people think bearings are boring. Those people are wrong. Sure, you might not live, breathe, and eat them like... - [Authorized Bearing Distributor: What it Means, Why it Matters](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/authorized-bearing-distributor-what-it-means-why-it-matters/): An authorized distributor contracts to sell products from an Original Component Manufacturer (OCM) or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). - [Employee Spotlight: Chris Kane](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/employee-spotlight-chris-kane/): Chris Kane officially joined the Alpine team as Director of Sales, West Coast, on July 5th after visiting the Alpine... - [Bearing maintenance and repair – what causes bearing failures?](https://alpinebearing.com/technical-articles/bearing-maintenance-and-repair-what-causes-bearing-failures/): When a machine stops, everything grinds to a halt. Preventing premature failure is important to maintaining your machines and reducing... - [Why FAG’s HCM machine tool bearings?](https://alpinebearing.com/spindle-bearings/why-fags-hcm-machine-tool-bearings/): In the specialized world of machine tool spindle repair, downtime disrupts productivity and profit for machine shops. Optimizing precision and... - [Extended service life: benefits of high-nitrogen alloy steel](https://alpinebearing.com/technical-articles/extended-service-life-benefits-of-high-nitrogen-alloy-steel/): Demanding applications and conditions require high-precision bearings made with top-quality materials. Do you stop your equipment frequently? Do your machines... - [Turbomolecular Pump Bearings: Extreme Bearings for Extreme Machines](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/turbomolecular-pump-bearings-extreme-bearings-for-extreme-machines/): Turbomolecular pumps, or turbo pumps, are serious business. Their rotors spin at incredible speeds, sucking powerfully enough to create a... - [What are ANSI, ISO, and ASTM standards for bearings?](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/technical-standards-for-bearings/): If you’ve searched for bearings online, you’ve likely come across product descriptions boasting about meeting ANSI, ISO, or ASTM standards.... - [Avoiding Friction From Counterfeit Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/avoiding-friction-from-counterfeit-bearings-2/): If you unwittingly buy a fake Rolex, you’ll be disappointed, but you’ll probably be okay. But if your new bearings... - [Airframe Needle and Roller Bearings: Toughness at 33,000 Feet](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/airframe-needle-and-roller-bearings-toughness-at-33000-feet/): As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. Next on... - [Miniature and Instrument Bearings: High-Speed, Low-Torque](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/miniature-and-instrument-bearings-high-speed-low-torque/): As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. The latest... - [These 10 Things in Your Home Have Bearings in Them ](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/household-items-ball-bearings/): We deal with bearings all day long here at Alpine Bearing. You might not be as obsessed with bearings as... - [10 Things in Your Office You Didn’t Realize Had Ball Bearings in Them ](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearing-facts/ball-bearings-in-office-objects/): At Alpine Bearing, our world revolves around bearings. What you might not know is that your world does too. Whether... - [Roller Bearings: Load-Bearing Champions](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/roller-bearings-load-bearing-champions/): As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. For this... - [Thin Section Bearings: Slim Yet Strong ](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/thin-section-bearings-slim-yet-strong/): As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. Today’s article... - [A Talk with Jay Smith from Schaeffler](https://alpinebearing.com/industry-news/a-talk-with-jay-smith-from-schaeffler-2/): The team at Alpine is always looking to share our unique experiences and relationships with the people and companies that... - [A Talk with Ted Gentile From New Hampshire Ball Bearings, a Minebea Mitsumi Company](https://alpinebearing.com/industry-news/a-talk-with-ted-gentile-from-new-hampshire-ball-bearings-a-minebea-mitsumi-company/): At Alpine, we are always looking for ways to brag about the incredible people and companies that supply us with... - [JC Calvagna: Unexpected Career Is a Perfect Fit](https://alpinebearing.com/employee-spotlight/jc-calvagna-unexpected-career-is-a-perfect-fit/): James Calvagna, JC to just about everyone, started at Alpine in 1999. His first bearing-related position was in the shipping... - [Thinex And Torque Tube Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/thinex-and-torque-tube-bearings-2/): As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. In this... - [A Talk with Kevin Fang from TPI Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/industry-news/a-talk-with-kevin-fang-from-tpi-bearings/): An ornate carving atop a temple in Taipei City, Taiwan At Alpine, we’re always happy to talk about, or with,... - [Machine Tool Spindle Bearings: A Blast to the Future](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/machine-tool-spindle-bearings-a-blast-to-the-future/): We’ve put together a series of informational articles to highlight bearing types, terminology, and components. In this segment of Bearings... - [Alpine Now Stocks SLF Machine Tool Spindle Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/spindle-bearings/alpine-now-stocks-slf-machine-tool-spindle-bearings-2/): The sales engineers at Alpine Bearing are always on the lookout for new bearings to stock and distribute and new companies to work... - [What Does CNC Machining Owe Sheep?](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearing-facts/what-does-cnc-machining-owe-sheep/): A sheep You may look at a sheep and wonder what is has to do with CNC (computer numerical control)... - [Employee Spotlight: William Pool](https://alpinebearing.com/employee-spotlight/william-pool-alpines-quality-expert-sales-engineer-in-anaheim-2/): William Pool in his Anaheim office William Pool, a thirteen-year veteran of Alpine Bearing, works in the Anaheim office as... - [Bearings at the Louvre?](https://alpinebearing.com/ball-bearing-facts/bearings-at-the-louvre-2/): The “Mona Lisa” Do you know what connects the Pyramids, the “Mona Lisa”, and a healthy smile? Pssst, it’s bearings.... - [Deep Groove Bearings: Tough and Easy to Maintain](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/deep-groove-bearings-tough-and-easy-to-maintain/): Another kind of groove. As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’ve decided to highlight types of... - [The Bearing Glossary to End All Bearing Glossaries](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/the-bearing-glossary-to-end-all-bearing-glossaries/): We’ve started a feature on the Alpine Bearing site. We call it Bearings 101 and in it, we’ll post technical... - [Sales Engineer, Lenny Brookes: Creative Problem-Solver](https://alpinebearing.com/employee-spotlight/lenny-brookes-alpine-bearing-sales-engineer-creative-problem-solver/): In 2004, Lenny Brookes saw a note on the Boston University job board for part-time work in a bearing warehouse.... - [Alpine Bearing Partners with NTN Bearing Corp](https://alpinebearing.com/hot-topics/alpine-bearing-partnership-with-ntn-bearing-corp/): Partnership Gives Alpine Priority Access to NTN OEM Bearings, Providing Customers With Immediate Access to Highly Specialized Ball and Roller... - [Bearings and Bushings: The Inside Story](https://alpinebearing.com/bearings-101/bearings-and-bushings-the-inside-story/): From time to time, we’ll be posting educational articles on bearings, bearing attributes, and their applications. It’s called, Bearings 101.... - [Alpine Bearing's Boston Facility Earns ISO 9001: 2015 Certification](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/alpine-bearings-boston-facility-earns-iso-9001-2015-certification/): Boston Bearing Distributor Earns ISO 9001 Alpine Bearing, the distributor with the largest inventory of bearings in the U. S.... - [Employee Spotlight: Gabrielle Pritchett Is Keeping It in the Family](https://alpinebearing.com/employee-spotlight/employee-spotlight-gabrielle-pritchett-is-keeping-it-in-the-family/): When Gabrielle graduated from Elizabethtown College with a degree in business, she never thought she’d launch a career in the... - [Derek Anderson: 20 Years with Alpine Bearing and Still Going Strong](https://alpinebearing.com/employee-spotlight/derek-anderson-20-years-with-alpine-bearing-and-still-going-strong/): This employee spotlight deals, not with a new Alpine Bearing team member, but one of the oldest. October of 2018... - [Alpine Bearing and its Massive Inventory Make the World Spin](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/alpine-makes-world-spin/): Photo courtesy Alpine Bearing We’ve discussed preventive maintenance and how taking the right steps ahead of time can save you... - [Importance of Bearing Maintenance: Lubrication](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/importance-maintenance-lubrication/): Photo courtesy Pixabay Anyone who uses equipment with moving parts or cooks a meal understands the value of lubrication. You... - [EASTEC 2017](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/eastec-2017/): On three days in May, Alpine Bearing and hundreds of manufacturing, distribution, and technology firms descended on the Big E... - [Things My Dad Taught Me](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/things-dad-taught/): By Jim Levin, President, Alpine Bearing My dad, Robert, had some definite ideas about how to run a business. The... - [The Problem with Counterfeit Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/hot-topics/problem-counterfeit-bearings/): Does Quality Matter in Bearings? We hear about quality every day, but what does it mean? What’s the point in... - [Visit Alpine Bearing at EASTEC 2017, Booth #5669](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/visit-alpine-bearing-eastec-2017-booth-5669/): Once again the team at Alpine Bearing will be attending and participating in EASTEC! Stop by our booth, #5669, to... - [Alpine Bearing Showcases Bearings for Robotics at Mass Innovation Nights](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/alpine-bearing-showcases-bearings-for-robotics-at-mass-innovation-nights/): We had a great time the other night displaying and discussing various bearings for robotics at the monthly Mass Innovation Nights... - [Colin Griffin, the Newest Sales Engineer at Alpine Bearing](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/colin-griffin-the-newest-sales-engineer-at-alpine-bearing/): Colin Griffin, the newest sales engineer at Boston’s Alpine Bearing, is a long way from his first home in California,... - [Dave Coffer, Alpine Bearing's Man on the (West) Coast](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/dave-coffer-alpines-man-west-coast/): Dave Coffer lives over three-thousand miles from Alpine Bearing‘s headquarters in Boston. He has either the world’s worst commute or... - [The Boston Globe: Alpine Keeps its (ball) Bearings](https://alpinebearing.com/alpine-bearing/boston-globe-alpine-keeps-ball-bearings/): Boston Globe Correspondent Cindy Atoji Keene recently sat down with Jim Levin of Alpine Bearing, for a chat about the... --- # # Detailed Content ## Pages Terms and Conditions for All Orders A: Seller shall keep confidential all technical and proprietary information furnished to Seller by Buyer in connection with this order, including blueprints, data, designs, drawings, engineering data for production, product know- how, and any other information furnished to Seller by Buyer in connection with this contract. Seller shall not use such items or information in the design, manufacture, or production of any goods, or for any other purchase or for the manufacture of production of larger quantities than those specified, except with the express consent in writing from the Buyer. Seller, including its agents, employees, and representatives will exercise extreme caution to prevent disclosure of such information to third parties. The obligations of this provision shall survive the completion of performance and expiration or termination of this contract. B: Buyer and authorized representatives of Buyer’s Customers and / or Regulatory Authorities shall have direct access to all applicable areas of all Seller’s and Seller’s Subcontractor’s Plants(at any level of the supply chain) where work under this P. O. is being performed, to review progress, records and witness testing of the items related to this P. O. Seller shall include this clause in all of Seller’s subcontracted Purchase Orders. C: Prior to shipment, Supplier shall notify Alpine Bearing West if a non-conformance condition exists with the product and obtain approval for nonconforming product disposition. D: Supplier shall notify Alpine Bearing West of changes in product and/or process changes of suppliers, changes of manufacturing facility location... --- Bearing failure – whether reduced performance or shortened service life – has costs far beyond the price of replacing the bearing. Paying for unexpected maintenance, waiting for repairs and new parts, and delaying fulfillment hurts your business. Alpine’s bearing failure and damage analysis gives you the data you need to avoid costly repairs or delays. Alpine Bearing can help you understand why bearings fail prematurely, so you can remediate the cause for the future. Our analysis will show whether a bearing failed due to an inherent flaw, installation issue, or problem with the machine housing. Our accurate information will bolster your strategic maintenance decisions. Alpine offers bearing failure analysis: After a failure. We assess what’s left of your broken bearing to discover the likely cause of the failure. Then we make suggestions to change your lubricant, operating parameters, or bearing selection to prevent future failures. When a failure seems possible. If a bearing unexpectedly underperforms or shows unanticipated signs of wear, Alpine can examine it to determine why. To prevent failure. Alpine’s engineers have extensive experience with application engineering. We can suggest lubricant, environmental, or maintenance changes to extend the life of your bearings. How Alpine Bearing’s bearing failure analysis works Bearing failure analysis starts when you send us a bearing and tell us what happened. We customize our level and type of analysis to your needs. Examples of bearing failure analysis we’ve done for customers include: Destructive analysis. After a bearing fails, Alpine Bearing performs an “autopsy”, fully disassembling... --- Two certifications power Alpine’s quality inspection and verification: ISO 9001 and AS9100D. As a result, our quality management system is compliant with some of the highest standards in the aerospace industry. Because of our certifications, we only accept bearings from manufacturers who themselves align with the same certifications. We maintain the same stringent quality standards from incoming receipt and inspection through packing and shipping. Through our certifications’ repeatable work instructions, we minimize variation, creating the ultimate consistency for maximum quality. We perform first-article and pre-shipment verification inspections to the AS9100D standard, inspecting high percentages of product to AQL level 7. We survey our customers to confirm that our bearings arrive at the quality standard you expect and perform perfectly for their expected lifespan. Alpine employs bearing experts with extensive metrology training, who are qualified to inspect and verify quality to the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA) or International Standards Organization (ISO) standards your organization requires. Dimensions and characteristics we can verify for ball and roller bearings include: Running accuracy, including digital noise, roughness and torque Boundary dimensions and internal clearances, including radius and roundness Alpine Bearing’s quality inspection and verification tools The tool and gage calibration of the equipment Alpine Bearing uses conforms with ANSI/NCSL Z540-1. The quality inspection and verification equipment we have access to includes: Zeiss stereo microscope system with imaging analysis software Miniature bearing noise and vibration analyzer (up to 20mm bore) Large bore bearing noise and vibration analyzer (bores larger than 20mm) Mah-Federal Form Scan 6100... --- At Alpine Bearing, we know that even a short supply chain delay can squander your company’s time and productivity, cutting into your bottom line. That’s why we keep a well-stocked, vast inventory and can ship orders same day. But sometimes you need even more reliability and certainty – which is where we introduce our bearing inventory management services. When you use our bearing inventory management services, we reserve stock for your company, ready to ship on schedule for your just-in-time, Kanban, or lean scheduling system. Use us as a ship-to-stock vendor or work with us to create pre-packaged kits to streamline your manufacturing processes. Alpine’s inventory management services include: Kanban and just-in-time (JIT) deliveries Kitting (customized parts packages) Usage analysis Hold-for-release order management Inventory counting Why use inventory management services? Inventory management has many benefits. It can help you access bulk pricing by contracting for larger quantities of bearings over a longer period. With warehousing locations on both coasts of the country, we can limit transit times. This means our stock is your stock, without the inventory hitting your balance sheet. We design our inventory management programs and contracts for your needs, with the goal of keeping you satisfied and worry-free while your production runs smoothly. Our expert sales engineers are available to advise you on all bearing questions or issues. Why Alpine Bearing? Alpine Bearing is the top choice for bearing inventory management services. Our fast shipping, reliability, exemplary customer service, knowledgeable sales engineers, and vast inventory of bearings... --- Many bearings fail before the end of their natural working life because of improper lubrication or overloading. How can you avoid these issues? Call the sales engineers at Alpine. Consulting with Alpine Bearing’s team of sales engineers will save you time and effort when choosing the optimal components for your application. We can help you extend the longevity of your bearings and their mating components, whether you’re designing a bill of materials (BOM) to take your prototype to mass production or battling performance issues in an established application. We are accustomed to complex and unusual use cases. We’ve been improving bearing performance for our customers since 1957. Our engineers know bearings better than anyone. They provide the following services for all your bearing needs: Diagnostics Lubrication consulting and analysis Application reviews OEM part conversion Bearing condition analysis Bearing failure analysis Why use application engineering services? Choosing the right bearing for an application is a crucial step towards ensuring peak performance and productivity. In addition to choosing the right type and dimensions, you need to consider factors like: Angular vs radial contact Inch vs metric Rolling element type Lubrication type and quantity Tolerances Materials (especially for corrosive and extreme operating environments) Installation method and equipment Seals and shields With Alpine Bearing’s application engineering services, we’ll work with you to assess your use case and bearing needs, then research and analyze the options to help you find the best possible solution. You will save time on bearing selection and customization now, which will... --- Choosing the right bearing supplier is a critical decision that can significantly impact the performance, reliability, and longevity of your machinery. Alpine Bearing is an exceptional choice for your bearing needs. Here are several compelling reasons why we should be your go-to supplier.   Exemplary Customer Service  Customer service is the backbone of any successful business. At Alpine Bearing, we pride ourselves on providing best-in-class customer service, ensuring that every interaction is positive, professional, and productive. From the moment you first contact us, you will experience a level of attentiveness and responsiveness that is unmatched in the industry.  We understand that timely and efficient service is crucial for maintaining your operation’s continuity. Our team is committed to addressing your queries promptly, providing detailed information, and ensuring that your orders are processed and delivered quickly. This commitment to customer satisfaction builds trust and fosters long-term relationships, making it clear that we value your business and are dedicated to meeting your needs.   Knowledgeable Sales Engineers  In addition to outstanding customer service, we employ a team of highly knowledgeable solutions specialists. These professionals bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the table, ensuring that you receive accurate and relevant advice tailored to your specific requirements. Whether you need assistance selecting the right bearing for a particular application or require technical support, our sales engineers are here to provide the guidance you need.  Our team's in-depth understanding of bearings and related technologies allows us to offer valuable insights and recommendations, helping you... --- Needle Bearings Needle and roller bearings differ from other ball bearings because of their long, thin, needle-like components which take the place of the balls in other bearings. The needles, longer than the width of the bearing, provide a more frictionless rolling mechanism and a larger surface area. That surface area means the bearings distribute weight better and can carry heavier loads.   Engineers use lightweight needle bearings in aircraft controls, potentiometers, and joysticks where precision is essential. Their high load capacity makes them useful in farm and construction equipment as well. We can lubricate these bearings with grease or oil, depending on the application, load capacity, speed, or temperature. Alpine Bearing carries aircraft needle bearings from Accurate, Carter, IJK, NHBB, NMB, RBC, and Schatz. Needle Bearing Inch Light weight design and safe for extreme environments, these bearings are typically used to support high loads which spin at medium to low RPMs and are commonly oscillating. These bearings can take many forms including single, double row or thin section ball bearings. Known for their precise manufacturing and durability, this type of bearing is good for a wide variety of applications. Choose double row for increased load capacity and speed. View Bearings: Cage Retained Rollers Cage Retained Rollers, Single Seal Cage Retained Rollers, Two Seals Full Complement, Mechanically Retained Rollers Needle Bearing Metric Light weight design and safe for extreme environments, these bearings are typically used to support high loads which spin at medium to low RPMs and are commonly oscillating.... --- Airframe Control Needle and roller bearings differ from other ball bearings because of their long, thin, needle-like components which take the place of the balls in other bearings. The needles, longer than the width of the bearing, provide a more frictionless rolling mechanism and a larger surface area. That surface area means the bearings distribute weight better and can carry heavier loads.  Engineers use lightweight needle bearings in aircraft controls, potentiometers, and joysticks where precision is essential. Their high load capacity makes them useful in farm and construction equipment as well. We can lubricate these bearings with grease or oil, depending on the application, load capacity, speed, or temperature. Alpine Bearing carries aircraft needle bearings from Accurate, Carter, IJK, NHBB, NMB, RBC, and Schatz. Single Row Light weight design and safe for extreme environments, aircraft bearings are typically used to support high loads which spin at medium to low RPMs and are commonly oscillating. These bearings can take many forms including single, double row or thin section ball bearings. Known for their precise manufacturing and durability, this type of bearing is good for a wide variety of applications. Choose single row when space is at a premium. View Bearings: B500 Extra Light Torque Tube B500DD Anti-Friction Extra Light Duty KP- Heavy Duty KP-A Heavy Duty KP-AK, KP-K, W-AK, P-K, PD-K, P- Pulley Bearing KP--B Extra Light Duty KP--BS Extra Light Duty Externally Self-aligning KSP- Self-Aligning KSP-A Self-Aligning MB500DD Anti-Friction Extra Light Duty MK--B Extra Light Duty Precision SSW-AK Intermediate Duty... --- Thinex & Torque Tube Thinex and torque tube bearings differ from other bearings because they distribute loads over a greater number of small diameter balls, which decreases starting and running torque. Thinex and torque tube bearings provide low friction and high accuracy. They come in radial and angular contact designs and are available as duplex preloaded matched sets. These bearings are ideal for applications that demand small, lightweight components, like aircraft accessories, missile guidance equipment, computers, business machines, robotics, and medical devices. Alpine carries Thinex and torque tube bearings in many sizes from the high-quality brands, myonic, NHBB, NMB, and RBC. Radial Ball Bearings Thinex and Torque Tube bearings are available in radial and angular contact designs and distribute the load over a greater number of small diameter balls for lower starting and running torque. These are used where instrument ball bearings require low friction and high accuracy. All Thinex and Torque Tube bearings can be supplied as duplex preloaded matched sets. Thinex series bearings are for applications where space is at a premium and shaft location is primary compared to load support. Bearings up to 6" OD are available. Applications include aircraft accessories, missile guidance equipment, computers, business machines, robotics and medical devices. View Bearings: Thinex Torque Tube Angular Contact Ball Bearings Thinex and Torque Tube bearings are available in radial and angular contact designs and distribute the load over a greater number of small diameter balls for lower starting and running torque. These are used where instrument ball... --- Turbo Pump Turbo molecular pumps combine high rates of speed with challenging atmospheric conditions, pushing bearings to extremes. The right turbo pump ball bearings enable your pump to start up quickly, move at high speed, and operate quietly. Alpine carries turbo pump bearings in a variety of sizes from Barden, HQW, and GRW. Ball Bearings Combining incredible high rates of speed with challenging atmospheric conditions, turbo molecular pumps push bearings to new extremes. Alpine Bearing has worked together with world class manufacturers to develop replacement bearings for both ball bearing and magnetic levitation (mag-lev) turbo molecular pumps. The workhorse of turbo pump bearings, turbo pump ball bearings allow for instant start up of your pump, high speed and quiet operation. Not finding your pump model or size listed? Alpine Bearing is constantly developing new sizes and values your input and questions. Please feel free to contact our turbo pump specialist at turbo@alpinebearing. com Mag-Lev Ball Bearings Combining incredible high rates of speed with challenging atmospheric conditions, turbo molecular pumps push bearings to new extremes. Alpine Bearing has worked together with world class manufacturers to develop replacement bearings for both ball bearing and magnetic levitation (mag-lev) turbo molecular pumps. Turbo pump magnetic levitation bearings are used to protect rotors in case of magnetic field failure. This type of bearing is for safety purposes only. Not finding your pump model or size listed? Alpine Bearing is constantly developing new sizes and values your input and questions. Please feel free to contact our... --- Deep Groove Deep groove bearings are the most commonly used type of bearing. They’re comparatively easy to install and are easier to maintain than other bearing types. There are two kinds — single and double-row bearings, with either one or two rows of balls in each bearing. They are available with or without closures. Their low friction, low noise, and low vibration qualities make them a great bearing choice for carrying either axial or radial loads and rotating at high speeds.   While their sizes can vary according to the application, deep groove bearings are appropriate for light or heavy loads and some can withstand temperatures up to 660°F (350°C), making them ideal for industrial ovens and the metals industry.   Alpine carries deep groove bearings in a variety of sizes from FAG, GRW, JAF, Nachi, NTN, RBC, Schatz, SKF, and SMT. Inch Ball Bearings Deep groove bearings have race dimensions that are similar to their ball dimensions. These bearings can be used in a wide variety of applications. They have grooved raceways on the inner and outer rings allowing them to sustain moderate radial and axial loads in both directions. They are well suited to high speed applications and can maintain their precision tolerance during high speed operation. Click above to see our selection of deep groove bearings with inch dimensions. View Bearings: Open R Series Metric Ball Bearings Deep groove bearings have race dimensions that are similar to their ball dimensions. These bearings can be used in a... --- Thin Section Thin section bearings are ideal for situations requiring low torque and a small footprint. Used in aerospace and defense, machine tool, robotics, medical device, satellite equipment industries, these bearings offer the compact size and accuracy these fields require.   Angular Contact Ball Bearings Angular contact bearings provide greater thrust capacity than a radial contact or four-point contact bearing. Their counterbored outer race gives angular contact bearings unidirectional thrust capacity. To establish and maintain the contact angle, and to support reversing thrust loads, mount this bearing opposed to another bearing.   View Bearings: Open Four-Point Contact Ball Bearings Standard bearing lines handle either radial or axial loads. The gothic arch geometry of the inner and outer races of the Kaydon Reali-Slim® four-point contact bearing line enables a single bearing to carry three types of loading (radial, axial, and moment) simultaneously. This makes it the bearing of choice for many applications since a single four-point contact bearing can often replace two bearings, providing a simplified design. View Bearings: Open Sealed Radial Contact Ball Bearings The radial contact bearing is a single-row radial ball-bearing of conventional design with a Conrad-type assembly. This type of bearing specializes in carrying radial loads, but can accept an axial load if configured differently.   View Bearings: Open Sealed Thin Section Bearings Thin section bearings deliver precise, low-torque performance in applications where space, weight, and efficiency are critical. Their slim profile and consistent torque performance make them ideal for assemblies with limited space or strict weight... --- Miniature & Instrument Miniature and instrument bearings are compact, provide high performance, and carry moderate radial and thrust loads. Made of stainless steel to resist corrosion or chrome for long life, these bearings come open, shielded, flanged, or unflanged. They are also available with either crown or ribbon metallic cages, multiple types of composite cages, and in angular and radial contact angles. Built to withstand high and low temperatures, corrosive materials, and high speeds, miniature and instrument bearings are ideal for aerospace and aircraft applications as well as servo motors, surgical devices, and gimbals.   Inch Ball Bearings The construction of these bearings enables them to carry moderate radial and thrust loads at low operating torque while providing high performance within a small design. Miniature and instrument bearings are available in stainless steel for those applications requiring corrosion resistance, and chrome for maximum fatigue life. Stainless steel or chrome steel bearings are available with crown or ribbon type metallic cages. Open or shielded bearings may be flanged or unflanged. Bearings are available in angular and radial contact angles and can be custom lubricated to meet your specific needs. View Bearings: Radial Open Inch Radial Open Flanged Radial Shielded Inch Radial Shielded Flanged Inch Radial Open Extended Inner Ring - Flanged & Unflanged Radial Shielded Extended Inner Ring - Flanged & Unflanged Radial Shielded Tapered OD Flanged Radial Open Full Complement Radial Shielded Full Complement Radial Open Specials Radial Shielded Specials Metric Ball Bearings The construction of these bearings enables them... --- Search Alpine Bearings add your content here Bearing Interchange (cross-reference) add your content here Item - 3 add your content here Item - 4 add your content here Item - 5 add your content here --- Pages About Us Why Alpine? Advanced Search Authorized Bearing Supplier for OEMs & Repair Markets Ball Bearings Airframe Control Deep Groove Machine Tool Spindle Miniature & Instrument Needle Bearings Thin Section Thinex & Torque Tube Turbo Pump Bearing Application Engineering Services Bearing Categories Bearing Failure Analysis Services Bearing Inventory Management Services Bearing Relubrication & Repacking Services Blog Contact Us Download our Ball Bearing Product Catalog Download Product Catalog Find Bearings by Size Home Industries We Serve High-Precision Defense & Aerospace Bearing Distributor Machine Tool Maintenance Industry Bearings & Spindle Applications Medical & Dental Bearing Supplier Robotics & Automation Precision Bearings Privacy and Legal Purchase Order Terms & Quality Clause Conditions Quality Inspection and Verification Services Resources Sample Page Services Sitemap Typography Posts by category Category: Alpine Bearing Alpine Bearing customer story: Skip’s wearable tech helps people walk with less effort and more comfort Cleaner than ever: our clean room is now ISO 14644-1 Class 6 Alpine Bearing’s website refresh: new bearing database, services information, and more! Aeronautics: Flight Depends on Precision, Skill, and the Right Bearings Bearing FAQs – ABEC, bearing lubricants, flanges, and more Facility Feature: our clean room for ball bearing re-lubrication and repackaging Authorized Bearing Distributor: What it Means, Why it Matters Employee Spotlight: Chris Kane What are ANSI, ISO, and ASTM standards for bearings? Avoiding Friction From Counterfeit Bearings These 10 Things in Your Home Have Bearings in Them Alpine Bearing’s Boston Facility Earns ISO 9001: 2015 Certification Alpine Bearing and its Massive Inventory Make the... --- Machine Tool Spindle Spindles are vital to CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining, lathes, mills, routers, 3D printers, cutters, and grinders. They hold either the working tools or the piece being machined. Mills, additive manufacturing companies, and machine shops all need their machines to work efficiently, often at high speeds and for long spans of time. Ensuring the accuracy and speed of the spindles is essential to maintain product and company standards. An integral part of that quality control comes from the bearings each company uses.   Alpine Bearing carries the best spindle bearings from Barden, FAG, GMN, GRW, IJK, INA, Nachi, NHBB, NMB, NTN, SKF, SLF, and TPI in a variety of sizes, bores, and contact angles. Buying bearings from reputable manufacturers enables us to distribute them to our customers with confidence. Angular Steel Ball Bearings Angular Steel Ball Bearings are precision angular contact bearings, non-separable with outer rings relieved and available with 15° or 25° contact angles. For critical applications these bearings are stocked as universally ground duplex pairs with standard preloads and as single row bearings. A different design for separable, single row bearing series with inner ring relieved and 15° contact angle is also available. Duplex pairs can be mounted back-to- back, face-to-face or tandem depending on the loading expected. Due to high speeds, these bearings usually require phenolic retainers, which have either a stepped or cylindrical pocket design. View Bearings: SUPER ULTRA LIGHT 1800 SUPER ULTRA LIGHT CERAMIC SEALED 1900 ULTRA HIGH SPEED 1900 EXTRA LIGHT... --- Alpine Bearing provides certified bearing relubrication and repacking services from our Class 6 ISO 14644-1 cleanroom. We support OEMs and repair teams with custom bearing lubrication services using over 100 grease types, applied to exacting tolerances.   Whether you’re extending the life of existing parts or preparing new bearings for sensitive environments, our technicians deliver clean, consistent results built around your specs. Specialized Bearing Lubrication Services for Demanding Applications Alpine Bearing offers bearing relubrication and repacking services tailored to meet the needs of advanced mechanical systems. Our technicians work in a Class 6 ISO 14644-1 cleanroom equipped with Class 100 laminar bench workstations to ensure full protection from contamination. These controlled conditions allow us to deliver precision lubrication for new and customer-owned bearings alike. Re-Lubrication and Repacking Options We re-lubricate new bearings to your specifications, helping you prep components for unique environments where standard grease won’t hold up. This kind of restoration can help extend the service life and get your equipment to perform as it used to.   Our repackaging options include pill-packing in strips, large-volume vial packing, and custom labelings. We’re MIL-DTL-197 capable and provide packaging solutions that protect inventory and simplify storage in your facility.   Cleanroom, MIL-SPEC, and Application-Specific Grease Options lpine Bearing supports a wide range of lubrication services using over 100 types of grease. Whether your application demands MIL-SPEC compatibility, cleanroom use, or resistance to extreme temperatures, we stock and supply the proper lubrication to your exact fill rate.   If you’re unsure which... --- Use the menus below to filter the list of bearings. Inch or Metric All Units INCH METRIC Bore All Sizes 0. 04 0. 0925 0. 0947 0. 08 0. 0902 0. 0932 0. 1567 0. 2756 0. 315 0. 0469 0. 055 0. 0781 0. 1562 0. 1875 0. 75 0. 875 0. 7874 0. 9375 0. 9843 0. 19 0. 25 0. 3125 0. 375 0. 5 0. 625 0. 0937 0. 125 1. 2mm 1mm 1. 5mm 1. 4375 1. 313 1. 438 1. 563 1. 813 1. 3125 1. 5625 1. 8125 1. 0625 1. 625 1. 125 1. 25 1. 375 1. 5 1. 75 1 2mm 2. 5mm 2. 9375 2. 063 2. 313 2. 938 2. 0625 2. 3125 2. 5625 2. 8125 2. 25 2. 75 2 2. 5 3mm 3. 063 3. 25 3. 75 3. 0625 3 3. 5 4mm 4 4. 25 4. 5 4. 75 5. 25 5mm 5 5. 5 6. 1mm 6mm 6 6. 5 7mm 7 7. 5 8. 5 8mm 8 9mm 9 10mm 10 11 12mm 12 14 15mm 16 17mm 18 20 20mm 21 22 25mm 25 30mm 30 35mm 35 40mm 40 45mm 50mm 55mm 60mm 65mm 70mm 75mm 80mm 85mm 90mm 95mm 100mm 105mm 110mm 120mm 130mm 140mm 150mm 160mm 170mm 180mm 190mm 200mm 220mm 240mm 260mm 280mm Outside Diameter Outside Dimension All Sizes 0. 2362 0. 125 0. 2188 0. 45 0. 2883 0. 275 0. 5769 0. 7435 0.... --- From factory floors to autonomous drones, robotic systems demand bearings built for speed, load, and motion control. At Alpine Bearing, we supply precision bearings for robotics and automation that support everything from lidar-guided machinery to multi-axis arms.   As the robotics industry expands into manufacturing, defense, and logistics, we help OEMs and integrators source the exact bearing configurations needed to meet various technical and environmental demands. Engineered Bearings for Robotics Applications Robots are everywhere: from automated warehouses and precision surgical tools to defense equipment and agricultural machinery. Each system requires exacting movement and load control, starting with having the right components.   Alpine Bearing supplies robotics and automation precision bearings engineered for speed, accuracy, and uptime. Our team of experienced sales engineers works closely with fabricators, OEMs, and prototype designers to recommend the right bearing for the job.   We support rapid development cycles, system retrofits, and high-volume manufacturing with immediate access to top brands and precision classes.   As an established supplier of bearings for robotics applications, we stock a wide range of sizes and styles ready for same-day shipping, minimizing downtime and keeping development on schedule.   Supporting Linear, Rotary, and Multi-Axis Robotic Movement Robotics systems rely on smooth, coordinated movement across multiple axes. Whether your design calls for high-speed rotation, linear tracking, or synchronized motion control, Alpine Bearing provides bearings for robotics applications that maintain stability under constant motion.   Our inventory includes angular contact bearings for high-speed spindle assemblies, miniature radial bearings for compact robotic joints,... --- Spindles are the heart of CNC machines. They hold tools, guide cuts, and keep production moving. And when they fail, speed matters. That’s why Alpine Bearing supports the machine tool maintenance industry with OEM-grade bearings for spindle and CNC machining applications.   We proudly serve CNC shops, spindle rebuilders, and machine tool manufacturers with premium inventory from leading brands like Barden, FAG, SKF, NTN, GMN, SLF, Nachi, and TPI. Our Selection of Machine Tool Maintenance Industry Bearings When a spindle breaks, every hour of lost production affects delivery schedules, payroll, and profitability. Thus, Alpine Bearing offers machine tool spindle replacements with same-day shipping on critical parts.   Our extensive stock supports CNC shops, machine tool manufacturers, and spindle rebuilders who need reliable access to:  Angular contact bearings Cylindrical roller bearings Hybrid ceramic bearings High-speed motor bearings With responsive support and a vast in-stock selection, we ensure you get the right bearing for your application every time. Precision Brands for Demanding CNC & Spindle Applications Alpine Bearing supplies high-performance bearings for spindle and CNC machining applications, specializing in machine tool maintenance industry bearings. Our OEM-grade inventory features leading names trusted by machine tool builders and spindle repair professionals. These include brands like Barden, FAG, SKF, NTN, GMN, SLF, Nachi, and TPI. Having these long-standing distributor relationships means we can get the exact spindle bearing you need within seconds and ship it the same day. This level of accessibility eliminates the wait time that typically comes with sourcing from overseas or custom... --- In the medical and dental device industry, precision, dependability, and quality are essential. Manufacturers who design and create a dental drill that rotates at sufficient speed and accuracy do so under the strictest possible guidelines.   These medical professionals cannot function to their highest levels unless they’re confident their instruments are correctly calibrated and fabricated by a trusted manufacturer. As a leading medical and dental bearing supplier, Alpine Bearing is proud to provide the components that keep these life-saving tools running reliably. Bearings for Medical & Dental Applications Reliable performance in medical and dental technology starts with the right components. Bearings used in this industry must operate quietly, endure repeated sterilization through autoclaving, and maintain precision at high speeds. Every application depends on smooth, consistent motion, from handheld dental drills to advanced imaging machines.   Alpine Bearing supplies a full range of bearings for medical and dental applications, all manufactured to meet the tight tolerances and performance standards required in these regulated environments.   Our team supports OEMs and the replacement market with fast access to inventory, same-day shipping, and technical guidance from experts who understand the demands of medical device manufacturing.   Common Bearing Types Used in Dental & Medical Devices As a trusted dental and medical bearing supplier, Alpine Bearing stocks several bearing types for use in even the most precise, critical instruments. These bearing types include:  Miniature Bearings: Built for compact spaces and capable of extremely high RPMs, miniature bearings are often used in dental handpieces, surgical... --- The aerospace and defense industry builds everything from planes and propulsion systems to space vehicles and avionics. These complex technologies, whether designed for commercial use or for the Department of Defense, depend on components that meet the highest performance standards.   As a trusted aerospace bearing distributor, Alpine Bearing supplies high-precision aerospace bearings that support critical systems, from actuators and potentiometers to flight control and more.   Bearings Built for Aerospace & Defense Applications Every part in an aircraft or spacecraft plays a crucial role, and bearings are no exception. In aerospace and defense systems, bearings must perform under high stress, extreme temperatures, and rigorous mechanical demands. The wrong type, size, or quality of bearings could affect the accuracy, efficiency, and longevity of the instrument. It could also affect the safety of the technicians, workers, and the public. Whether used in defense technology or commercial aircraft, these high-precision aerospace bearings are essential to keeping operations smooth, efficient, and safe. Types of High-Precision Aerospace Bearings We Supply Choosing an aerospace bearing distributor for a part as important as a bearing in an aircraft involves trust.   Engineers must know where the bearings come from and rely on the reputations of the manufacturer and the distributor. A solid distributor ensures the bearings are right for each application. Alpine Bearing carries airframe control ball, needle, and roller bearings, as well as miniature and instrument bearings in a variety of sizes from the most trusted brands in the business.   If you need help... --- Bearing Catalogs Download our Ball Bearing Product Catalog Alpine Bearing provides thousands of high quality bearings to OEMs, distributors, rebuilders and individuals throughout the world. Click Here to Download Our Product Catalog Today --- Precision Bearing Distributor Trusted Industrial Bearing Supplier for Leading Brands Alpine Bearing is an industrial bearing supplier and distributor, offering products from the industry's leading manufacturers. Whether it’s one piece or one thousand, from pairs to quad sets, we have the bearings you need for every application. With over 20,000 SKUs of industrial bearings in stock, we offer the ability to purchase and ship internationally. If we don’t have the bearings you need in stock, we’ll find them. Types of Bearings Miniature & Instrument Machine Tool Spindle Thinex & Torque Tube Turbo Pump Deep Groove Airframe Control Thin Section Needle Our Bearings Catalog Download our catalog of bearings and components Brands We Carry Latest from Our Blog Bearings 101 Glossary and Definitions on Bearings --- Our Culture  At Alpine Bearing, our culture is the cornerstone of our success. We have fostered an environment where employees thrive and grow. Many of our employees have been with us for more than two decades, spending the majority of their careers here. Why is our retention rate so high? Our stimulating environment encourages employees to learn, achieve, and think. Teamwork, accountability, and an unwavering focus on the customer inspires every member of our team to excel. Our collaborative atmosphere is more than just a perk — it's a testament to our commitment to our team.   By designing a workplace where every voice is heard, every idea is valued, and every achievement is celebrated, we've created a culture that retains and nurtures top talent and propels us forward toward boundless success.   Our History  Alpine Bearing, a trailblazer in precision bearing solutions, began in 1950s New York. Founded by Bob Levin, the company started as a surplus dealer. Bob ran the business out of his car. The business did so well, Bob bought the Allston, Massachusetts office/warehouse that serves as Alpine’s headquarters today. In the 1990s, Bob passed the reins to his son, Jim. Jim Levin worked for Alpine from 1982, learning the ropes from his dad. This transition ignited a period of remarkable growth and transformation. Under Jim's leadership, and the guidance of Sales Manager James "JC" Calvagna, Alpine Bearing shifted its focus to precision bearing sales and began expanding rapidly. During this era, we broadened our offerings,... --- Ball & Roller Bearings Alpine Bearing is a trusted ball and roller bearings supplier, offering high-performance components from leading manufacturers worldwide. With over 600,000 precision bearings in stock and global sourcing capabilities, we deliver fast solutions for OEMs, repair facilities, and high-spec applications. As a certified precision ball and roller bearing distributor, we support everything from single-unit orders to bulk shipments, ensuring you get exactly what you need, when you need it. Airframe Control Deep Groove Machine Tool Spindle Miniature & Instrument Needle Thin Section Thinex & Torque Tube Turbo Pump Extensive Inventory, Trusted Brands, and Custom Sourcing As a leading ball and roller bearings supplier, Alpine Bearing stocks over 600,000 parts, including hard-to-find and specialized bearing types. We carry premium products from trusted manufacturers such as NMB, NHBB, Barden, and SKF, ensuring consistency, traceability, and quality across every order. For unique applications or obsolete components, our sourcing team can locate or configure the exact bearing you need – quickly. Whether you’re matching specs for a legacy system or scaling up for high-volume production, we’ve got the inventory and supplier network to keep your project moving. Your Source for Certified Precision Ball and Roller Bearings With decades of experience and a reputation built on reliability, Alpine Bearing is a certified precision ball and roller bearing distributor trusted by engineers, OEMs, and repair professionals across industries. Our in-house quality control process includes rigorous inspection standards to ensure every bearing meets exacting performance requirements. From cleanroom relubrication to ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D... --- As an authorized bearing supplier, Alpine Bearing supports OEMs, machine shops, and the replacement market with high-performance inventory from top manufacturers. We carry precision-grade miniature, spindle, angular contact, and ball screw support bearings, ready to ship for fast turnaround. Customers rely on our extensive stock, technical expertise, and brand partnerships to keep critical equipment running without delay.   Contact Our Team for Expert Sourcing and Support Alpine Bearing is prepared to be your one-stop shop when you’re ready to order from an authorized bearing supplier that delivers speed, accuracy, and trusted brand access.   Contact our team today for quotes, technical support, or help finding the exact bearing your application needs. We’re standing by to assist with both standard and specialty orders — no matter what your operation requires. Contact Us Now Explore Bearings from Leading Manufacturers  We proudly stock a wide range of high-performance bearings from precision-focused brands. Customers can request angular contact and spindle bearings from GMN and Barden, high-speed miniature and radial options from NHBB and GRW, and ceramic hybrid bearings from SKF.   Our inventory supports both production-scale applications and urgent replacement needs, and we have direct access to key series and sizes across each manufacturer.   Bearing Distributor & Supplier for Top-Tier Brands As a trusted bearing distributor and supplier, Alpine Bearing partners directly with leading manufacturers to provide OEMs and repair professionals with certified, high-quality components.   We are a trusted source for well-known brands like NHBB, NMB, SKF, GMN, Barden, Nachi, and NTN... --- Alpine Bearing provides top-quality bearings to fit the needs of a diverse group of industries. We know that all industries need high precision, excellent durability, and great reliability. We also know that each bearing application has its own unique requirements – which is why we maintain such a wide selection of bearings in a variety of types, sizes, and specifications. It’s also why we offer bearing repackaging and lubrication with more than 100 types of grease in our ISO Class 7 cleanroom. Check out the four largest industries we serve below – or contact our sales engineers to see what bearings we offer for your industry. Aerospace and Defense Technology The aerospace and defense industries need extremely high-precision bearings that can hold up to the forces associated with flight operations, both in the air and in space. Quality control and longevity are essential for the bearings that go into engines, planes, avionics systems, drones, and space vehicles. Alpine Bearing carries airframe control needle and roller bearings, as well as miniature and instrument bearings suitable for aerospace technologies. Learn more Machine Tool Spindle and Motor Repair When a machine is down, profitability is impacted by halting production and disrupting workflow. Every minute of downtime results in lost output. We proudly serve the machine tool spindle and motor repair companies that aid in these emergency situations. In addition to quick fulfillment, our customers in these industries need high-quality, high-precision machine tool spindle and motor bearings to keep their machines running accurately and... --- Alpine Bearing provides a wide selection of high-quality, fast-shipping bearings for a variety of industries, but we don’t stop there. Our goal is to support you with every aspect of bearing selection, customization, installation, maintenance, stocking, and replacement. Our additional services include bearing re-lubrication, packaging, application engineering, and inventory management. We’re here to help!   Bearing Application Engineering Services Extend the longevity of your bearings and the systems they go in by taking advantage of Alpine’s application engineering services. Our team of sales engineers bring years of expertise to bear when they help you choose the optimal components and lubrication for your application. We’ll assess your use case and needs, then analyze your options to give you the best possible recommendation. Learn more about our bearing application engineering services. Bearing Failure Analysis Services Bearing failure – whether reduced performance or shortened service life – has costs far beyond the price of replacing the bearing. Paying for unexpected maintenance, waiting for repairs and new parts, and delaying fulfillment hurts your business. Alpine’s bearing failure analysis gives you the data you need to avoid costly repairs or delays. Learn more about our bearing failure analysis services. Bearing Inventory Management Services Ensure that you get parts when you need them. In addition to maintaining a wide inventory and shipping orders same-day, Alpine Bearing offers inventory management services for all your supply chain needs. We can set aside bearings for your just-in-time, Kanban, or lean scheduling system. Our kitting service packages the parts you... --- At Alpine Bearing, we know you need information to select the right bearing for your application. To help you make bearing decisions, we’ve collected a set of resources almost as diverse as our stock of bearings. Read our blog, check our facilities’ certifications, search our database, or get in touch directly.   Bearing Blog Find answers to your frequently asked questions, spotlights on specific industries and bearing types, news about the brands we carry, and more. The Alpine Bearing blog brings together the most interesting and relevant facts, stories, and updates to keep you informed on anything bearing-related. Read the blog here.   Facility Certifications Alpine Bearing is dedicated to ultimate service and precision in everything we do. That’s why our facilities in Boston, Massachusetts and Anaheim, California bear ISO 9001:2015 quality management system certifications. Our quality management systems ensure that our facilities always deliver the high-quality, precisely lubricated, and perfectly packaged bearings our customers deserve. View the Boston facility certification.   View the Anaheim facility certification.   You may also be interested in learning about our Class 6 Per ISO 14644-1 Clean Room. In addition to its ISO certification, it has re-lubrication certifications from three major bearing manufacturers. Bearing Database and Catalog  Our bearing database lets you search and filter through the thousands of bearings we sell, from airframe control bearings to turbo pump bearings. Find a bearing by its part number, filter by bearing type, or sort by bore, outside diameter, or other specifications.   Select a bearing... --- Bolded Paragraph text. Bold Bold-Italics Italics. Paragraph text. This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. Want to see what a blockquote looks like? This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. Want to see what a blockquote large looks like? This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. Want to see what a pullquote looks like? This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. attr: Bartholomew Icarus Perhaps you’d like to see what an unordered list looks like? Unordered list item #1 Unordered list item #2 Unordered list item #3 Or you’d prefer... --- This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I'm a bike messenger by day, aspiring actor by night, and this is my website. I live in Los Angeles, have a great dog named Jack, and I like piña coladas. (And gettin' caught in the rain. ) ... or something like this: The XYZ Doohickey Company was founded in 1971, and has been providing quality doohickeys to the public ever since. Located in Gotham City, XYZ employs over 2,000 people and does all kinds of awesome things for the Gotham community. As a new WordPress user, you should go to your dashboard to delete this page and create new pages for your content. Have fun! --- By using the Website (“the Site”), you agree to follow and be bound by the following terms and conditions concerning your use of the Site (“Terms of Use”) and our Privacy Statement. Note that we may revise the Terms of Use and Privacy Statement at any time without notice to you. USE OF WEB SITE INFORMATION You may download, view, copy and print documents and graphics incorporated in these documents (the “Documents”) from the Site subject to the following: (a) the Documents may be used solely for personal, informational, non-commercial purposes; and (b) the Documents may not be modified or altered in any way. Except where your use constitutes “fair use” under copyright law, you may not otherwise use, download, upload, copy, print, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, post, transmit or distribute any information from this Web site in whole or in part without the express authorization of Alpine Bearing. PASSWORDS AND SECURITY You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any password(s) you may be given to access the Site, and are fully responsible for all activities that occur under your password(s). You agree to notify immediately of any unauthorized use of your password(s). Alpine Bearing is concerned about the security of personal information we have collected from you and has taken reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to that information. PRIVACY POLICY We are committed to respecting your privacy and recognize your need for appropriate protection and management of personally identifiable information you share with us (any information... --- --- ## Posts Why Buy U. S. Made Bearings? Benefits of Domestically Manufactured Bearing Solutions. At Alpine Bearing we know that sourcing precision components is never just a purchasing decision, it’s a commitment to performance, compliance, and long term value. Bearings are no exception. For industries ranging from aerospace and defense to medical and industrial systems, partnering with a trusted U. S. bearing supplier delivers unmatched advantages over imports. By choosing domestically manufactured bearings from Alpine Bearing, engineers and buyers gain reliability, reduce supply chain risk, and meet strict procurement requirements with confidence. The Advantages of American Made Bearings 1. Superior Quality and Reliability Alpine’s broad selection of U. S. manufacturers ensures that our customers have access to domestically made bearings built under the strictest quality standards. These American made products deliver proven durability, material strength, and precision that imported alternatives often can’t match. By sourcing from trusted domestic partners, Alpine provides reliability that minimizes downtime, protects critical equipment, and reduces the risk of costly failures. 2. Full DFARS Compliance and Traceability Government contractors and aerospace manufacturers can’t afford compliance issues. U. S. made bearings from Alpine Bearing are DFARS compliant, with full material traceability to meet Department of Defense and federal procurement requirements. Choosing compliant bearings avoids delays, contract risks, and costly resourcing efforts. 3. Predictable Pricing and Reduced Supply Chain Risk Imported bearings often come with hidden costs such as tariffs, fluctuating shipping rates, and unpredictable lead times. Alpine Bearing’s domestically manufactured bearings offer consistent long-term pricing, helping procurement teams plan... --- How Alpine Bearing Supports the Rapid Growth of Robotics and Automation Humanoid robots are quickly shifting from futuristic prototypes to practical solutions in manufacturing and warehouse automation. From lifting and sorting to precise assembly tasks, these advanced robots are designed to move like humans, requiring unmatched accuracy and reliability in every joint and motion. At the heart of this movement are bearings for humanoid robotics, the critical components that enable smooth rotation, precise articulation, and long operating life. Bearings for Humanoid Robotics Unlike traditional industrial robots with limited movement, humanoid robots must replicate complex human motions. Each shoulder, elbow, wrist, and ankle depends on robotics bearings capable of handling high loads, continuous cycles, and rapid directional changes while maintaining low friction. Bearings for humanoid robotics, must also withstand the harsh environments of factories and warehouses, including dust, temperature changes, and constant vibration. For manufacturers and OEMs building the next generation of humanoid robots, selecting the right automation bearings is essential to reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and ensure long term performance. Alpine Bearing: Precision Bearings for Robotics and Automation As demand for humanoid robots accelerates, Alpine Bearing stands out as a trusted supplier of humanoid robotics and automation bearings. With one of the largest in-stock inventories in the United States, Alpine provides: Angular contact bearings for high speed rotary joints Miniature radial bearings for compact, lightweight designs Thin section bearings for weight sensitive robotic applications Alpine’s team offers expert engineering support, application analysis, and re-lubrication services to ensure every bearing meets... --- MO/GO™ movewear fights gravity to give users’ knees a boost We all wish we could transcend our limitations sometimes, whether that means climbing a bigger mountain or wishing an old knee injury could handle taking the stairs. Alpine Bearing customer Skip has developed a new type of technology called movewear to make this wish come true.   Skip’s first movewear product, MO/GO, a pair of pants with a robotic knee assist, provides up to a 40 percent power boost on the way up stairs and hills. On the way down, it gently supports the knees. MO/GO users can go farther with less effort and strain. Each actuator in the device uses six precision bearings from Alpine Bearing. Talk about power walking!   A tech startup born at Google X Skip co-founder Kathryn Zealand’s mom dreamed of hiking the Scottish Highlands. Unfortunately, she had mobility issues, so the beautiful hills and mountains were too steep for her to enjoy. Zealand wished she could make the highlands accessible to her mom.   Luckily, Zealand worked at X, Google’s incubator for innovative technologies. X supports experimental ‘moonshot’ projects that might spin off into startups. Zealand and product expert Anna Roumiantseva teamed up to use machine learning, AI, and sensors to augment human movement and design a new consumer product category around it. In total, twelve people joined the team, including roboticist Andy Metzger. Together, they narrowed the movewear concept into their first product, the MO/GO.   In January 2023, the founders and team... --- Big news: Alpine Bearing is now able to meet even more exacting bearing re-lubrication and re-packaging needs in our clean room! Filter Sales and Service is delivering Alpine’s updated certification – an ISO 14644-1 Class 6 classification for our clean room in Boston. The recertification from Class 7 to Class 6 speaks to Alpine’s cleanliness, quality management, and commitment to continuous improvement. We’ve been re-lubricating bearings in our clean room since the 1990s. From the beginning, we’ve focused on delivering ever more precise, fast, and high-quality re-lubrication and re-packaging services. We know it’s hard to find a bearing re-lubrication or re-packaging facility that meets the stringent demands of industries like aerospace or medical devices. This certification helps us meet even more of those demands for a variety of applications.   We’re proud to add this certification to our other formal certifications: Certified re-lubrication facility for New Hampshire Ball Bearing (NHBB) since 1998 Certified re-lubrication facility for Nippon Miniature Bearing (NMB) Certified trained lubrication technicians for GRW Bearing Filter Sales and Service, which originally built our clean room, retested the facility for the certification. To test how effectively our clean room worked, it had to be “at rest” – with no people in it. Then, filtration professionals took air quality readings and compared them with the industry standard.   About our Class 6 clean room Our upgrade from Class 7 to Class 6 means we now limit the quantity of particles as small as 0. 1. To meet ISO 14644-1 Class 6 standards, our clean room... --- If you’re reading this, you may already have noticed something different about the Alpine Bearing website. We have a fresh look, but that’s not all. We’ve added functionality to make life easier for engineers, shop managers, and everyone looking for the right bearing. The Alpine website now offers an expanded bearing database with new filtering capabilities. The Save as PDF feature lets you download specification sheets for individual bearings. You’ll also find pages for each of the top industries Alpine serves and detailed information about all our services. Alpine's previous website Our new website Complete, searchable bearing database Alpine Bearing’s complete bearing catalog is now available to browse on our website. You can view bearings by category – for example, look up double-row airframe control bearings, or mag-lev turbo pump bearings. We’ve improved our search function, too. Now, you can find bearings by SKU or bearing type. Just click the search button at the end of the navigation menu and type in the number or bearing type. Our favorite new database feature, the one we think you’ll get the most use out of, is the ability to filter bearings by measurement. Filter to an exact bore, outside diameter, and width in imperial or metric units. Once you’ve found your bearing, you can export the specifications as a PDF. Information about – and for – industries we serve As part of our website redesign, Alpine is highlighting a few of our industries. Our customers come from a wide range of industries,... --- There’s a new face at Alpine Bearing’s Boston office. Brett Deccy (pronounced, DC) started in April of 2024 as the new enterprise program manager. He dove in immediately, excited by the opportunity to join a growing company. One of his first assignments is to look for a new space for Alpine. Brett says, “We want to make some changes, modernize some of the processes, and a new facility is a great way to start. ” Of course, Alpine will continue to be the same knowledge-based distributor it always has been. “There’s a lot of talent here,” says Brett. “I’m surrounded by good people with deep knowledge in the bearing and engineering fields. The move to another facility will give us the space we need to grow. ” Brett spent seven years working for Proctor & Gamble in Wisconsin after graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a degree in mechanical engineering. At P&G, he was a systems project manager. “I spent time learning about each project until I understood its challenges. Then, I worked toward solving them,” says Brett. Working for P&G enabled him to earn his MBA from Indiana University. “I got to travel to Ireland and Thailand as a part of my coursework. These were life-changing adventures. I learned a lot in class and at work every day. It was a great experience. ” After moving to Boston for P&G and working for Keurig Dr. Pepper, Brett realized he wanted to try a smaller company, but one that was... --- Aeronautics, the science of flight and the operation of aircraft, involves many moving parts. Where those parts move, there’s probably a bearing. From the navigation systems to the accelerometers to the landing gear, airframe control and miniature bearings play integral parts in the operation of every type of aircraft. Flight control systems Rudders, ailerons, gimbals, and elevators stabilize the aircraft, enabling pilots to control pitch and roll. The wings house flaps which help prevent stalling, and spoilers which pilots deploy to reduce speed. At the heart of each component are bearings — ensuring that each system remains supple, flexible, and available to the flight crew at all times. Cockpit controls Joysticks, accelerometers, steering wheels, pedals, and throttles depend on miniature bearings to rotate easily, preventing choppy flights and potential loss of control. VTOL aircraft In helicopters, VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) craft, and other rotary aircraft, bearings in the rotor and blades enable the rotors to rotate smoothly and the hydraulic blade-folding mechanisms to function. Spacecraft Bearings play a vital role in the control, movement, and inner working of supersonic jets, space shuttles, space stations, rovers, and satellites. Temperature extremes, unforgiving conditions, and the need for pinpoint accuracy call for the best possible equipment. That includes the bearings. Unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs or drones are becoming more common every day. Police and the military deploy them in dangerous situations and for surveillance. Surveyors use them in land mapping. Game wardens and forestry rangers observe wildlife, prevent poaching, and detect fires... --- We know when you’re ordering bearings, you need as much information as possible. That’s why we’ve collected the answers to our most frequently asked bearing questions in one convenient place. If you have a different question about our business, bearings, or our clean room services like repackaging and relubrication, use our contact form to reach out or email us at sales@alpinebearing. com. We’re here to help. Can bearings be refurbished? Yes, but refurbishing bearings isn’t necessarily a practical choice.   It’s not always economical to refurbish small bearings. However, refurbishing larger-size bearings (6-inch or greater bore) can be cost-effective.   Bearings such as slewing rings, cylindrical roller bearings, and spherical roller bearings can be ideal candidates for refurbishing. However, beyond the bearings’ accumulated wear, many other factors affect the decision to refurbish. These factors include maintenance cycles, lubrication, MTBF (mean time between failures), and environmental considerations. Learn more about bearing maintenance and repair.   What are ABEC ratings?   The ABEC scale is an industry-accepted standard for the tolerances of a ball bearing. The Annular Bearing Engineering Committee (ABEC) of the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA) developed the ABEC scale. The scale contains five classes, from widest tolerances to tightest: 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.   Higher ABEC classes provide better precision, efficiency, and greater speed capabilities, but don’t necessarily mean the bearing can spin faster. Additionally, ABEC ratings do not specify many other critical factors, such as the smoothness of the rolling contact surfaces, ball precision, and material... --- Are you looking for precision bearings for an aerospace, medical, or robotic application? How about an Extremely Large Telescope? Look no further. Alpine Bearing is now an authorized HQW distributor. The German bearing manufacturer has what you need. HQW started out as a bearing customizer. They used their Veitshöchheim, Germany plant to recondition and relubricate bearings for custom uses. In 2013, they began manufacturing themselves. Soon, they were supplying precision bearings to the aerospace, robotics, medical, and food & beverage industries. After building a second facility on their original site, HQW purchased Barden UK, forming Partners in Precision. Partnering with the prominent aerospace/defense supplier enabled the companies to work together to create high-quality bearings ideal for corrosive environments and high temperatures. Characterized by high nitrogen steel composition, these bearings shine in motors, fuel systems, gearboxes, and navigation systems. Partners in Precision and HQW were not satisfied to create stock precision bearings, they also fabricate custom bearings for engineers and engineering firms inventing new products. Their agile processes and ability to work with engineers produce made-to-order bearings quickly and efficiently. They also manufacture machine tool spindle bearings and deep groove bearings in a variety of sizes. The Extremely Large Telescope Remember the Extremely Large Telescope we mentioned earlier? HQW supplied the super precision miniature ball bearings for this optical/mid-infrared telescope. The aptly named telescope will be up and running in the mid-2020s, perched atop Cerro Armazones, part of the Chilean Range of the Andes Mountains. Part of the European Southern Observatory,... --- Whether you’re at a food processor, medical device manufacturer, or aircraft repair facility, three things are true. One: you have specific needs that a standard bearing straight out of the box can’t necessarily meet. Two: you don’t have an infinite budget. Three: you don’t have time to wait around for weeks to replace a bearing. Alpine Bearing solves all those issues in our clean room. We customize and re-lubricate bearings with fast turnaround times. Lubricating bearings in our Class 7 Per ISO 14644-1 clean room We built our clean room in the mid 1990s and have been lubricating bearings there ever since. We offer a variety of lubrication services specific to your application requirements. Bearing customization Some applications require special grease. We know your bearings might be in a corrosive, hot, marine, or submerged environment. We stock more than 100 types of grease for a wide range of unique environments. And we have the expertise to select the perfect grease for any application, from aerospace to medical devices and food service. No matter which type of grease you need, our skilled technicians will apply it to exacting standards. Alpine Bearing holds tight lubrication amount tolerances better than other re-lubrication facilities. And we’ll do it fast. Bearing re-lubrication Engineers and shop managers rely on relubrication to extend bearings’ life and bring them back into compliance. It saves money and resources to re-lubricate bearings instead of replacing them. But, especially in industries like aerospace, medical devices, and food service, you need to... --- Some people think bearings are boring. Those people are wrong. Sure, you might not live, breathe, and eat them like we do at Alpine Bearing, but we hope everyone can still share our love for these components. Bearings are precise, reliable, and beautifully engineered. Yet they can also be fun, weird, and even magical. Read on for facts about bearings in strange places, at astounding sizes and temperatures, and throughout history. Bearings in surprising locations Bearings help buildings survive earthquakes. The international terminal at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport is the largest building in the world to sit on seismic base isolators. Seismic base isolators buffer the terminal from earthquakes. Great industrial design is truly an art. A self-aligning ball bearing designed by SKF’s Sven Wingquist is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. MoMA founding director Alfred Barr Jr. included it in the 1934 exhibition “Machine Art”. The museum says, “The ball bearing is illustrative of Barr’s overarching idea: even machines could be appreciated for their beauty, which comes from the purity of their geometric forms. ” Steel balls... on a delicious piece of salmon? Bon Appétit media personality and chef Brad Leone uses bearing balls as cooking weights. “We use them for pie weights, but they’re great for gravlax weights,” he says. Big, small, smooth bearings A lifting, drilling, and energy company manufactures the world’s largest ball bearings. Huisman makes gargantuan bearings for the pivoting system on its tub cranes. The company’s biggest bearings are 30 meters in... --- An authorized distributor contracts to sell products from an Original Component Manufacturer (OCM) or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Alpine Bearing is an authorized distributor for several major bearing companies including New Hampshire Ball Bearings, NMB Technologies, GRW and SKF. We enjoy having strong relationships with our manufacturing partners. But did you know those relationships confer advantages to you too? What is an authorized distributor? An authorized distributor is a company that sells the products of an Original Component Manufacturer (OCM) or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) according to a certain agreement. The distributor signs a contract with the manufacturer. The terms can vary, but often include things like: A distributing license A guarantee they will be the only distributor in a region The ability to sell parts with a manufacturer warranty Special training from the manufacturer “Authorized distributor” isn’t just another meaningless descriptor. It means the distributor has entered a business relationship with the manufacturer. Why should I buy bearings from an authorized distributor? When a manufacturer chooses a company to be an authorized distributor, it’s a sign of trust. In a world rife with counterfeit bearings and dishonest dealing, relying on authorized distributors gives you reassurance that you’re getting what you paid for, from the brand you asked for. These distributors provide quality products with traceable origins. They bring deep expertise to conversations about the brands they carry. When you’re looking for a certain brand of bearing, seek an authorized distributor! Alpine's relationships with these brands enables us stock their most specialized, hard-to-find products. Instead of waiting for months for a custom order, customers can get those bearings... --- Chris Kane officially joined the Alpine team as Director of Sales, West Coast, on July 5th after visiting the Alpine headquarters in Boston. Chris’ professional background Chris brings over a decade of experience in bearing sales and a deep understanding of the market to his new position. Excited to join the Alpine team, Chris looks forward to applying his experience, learning and deepening Alpine’s OEM sales. Chris has a two-year degree from Loyola Marymount and a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership (BSOL) earned from Chapman University. After college, Chris’ love of learning shifted to his passion for law enforcement, and he attended the police academy. He was recruited by a local sheriff’s department but decided to continue with his business career at Kenworth Truck, where he managed six divisions during his 10 years at the truck manufacturer. However, he did not give up on his interest in law enforcement and has been a reserve sheriff’s deputy since graduating from the academy. Still not done learning, he returned to Chapman to earn an MBA with a leadership emphasis. Joining Alpine in the Anaheim office Joining Alpine was an easy decision. Chris recognizes how Alpine is respected in the industry. He knew the people, culture and growth opportunities. He’s excited to bring his experience to the team and focus on OEM to strengthen Alpine’s sales relationships and keep customers coming back. Being part of the Alpine team is Chris’ favorite part of his new role. He enjoys the people and the... --- Photo by Sven Daniel on Unsplash When a machine stops, everything grinds to a halt. Preventing premature failure is important to maintaining your machines and reducing downtime, so you can be as productive as possible. Knowing what causes bearing failures will help to prevent premature failures and improve your shop’s efficiency. Causes of bearing failure According to research in Bearing News, the main causes of bearing failure are “the inappropriate lubrication of the bearing rolling elements (approximately 80% of the cases), inadequate bearing selection (10%), improper mounting (5%), indirect failure (4%), and material defects and manufacturing errors (less than 1%). ” Lubrication: Not using enough lubricant is a frequent cause of bearing failures, but over-lubricating or using the wrong lubrication material can cause failures, too. Temperature: Bearings overheating due to high speeds or inadequate lubrication is another concern. Contamination from the environment, like dust or sand that comes into contact with rolling elements and rings, can damage bearing surfaces. Abrasion: Abrasive wear can accelerate failure. Contamination or improper maintenance can cause oxidation, which damages bearings’ surfaces. Fatigue can also lead to microcracks and surface damage. Preventing bearing failure Lubrication maintenance Proper lubrication is essential for bearing life. Bearings need the right type and quality of grease or oil, and they need it as often your machine’s manual indicates. Different lubricants have different service lives, depending on their consistency and the material they’re made from. Maintenance intervals should be frequent enough to keep machinery running smoothly, but not so often that... --- In the specialized world of machine tool spindle repair, downtime disrupts productivity and profit for machine shops. Optimizing precision and efficiency in your shop translates to improved machine running outcomes and more money. If time is money, then using the right bearings is golden. Schaeffler FAG HCM-series bearings are a great choice to help you improve efficiency. Key features Looking to increase your motor spindles' load-carrying capacity for speed, forces, and temperatures? Schaeffler FAG’s HCM-series spindle bearings deliver. The HCM-series bearings come with FAG’s “X-Life”, indicating ultra-high performance compared to other bearings with the same design envelope, even under challenging conditions. The precision structure delivers high operating and limiting speeds, combining robustness with performance. Schaeffler has combined the high-speed capacity of small ball bearings with the strength and load capacity of large ball bearings. You can increase the load-carrying capacity of your motor spindles with the HCM-series. A sturdy structure ensures the series can effectively withstand radial and axial loads. Quality materials mean a longer bearing life. Highest quality materials HCM-series bearings combine a larger ball than the predecessor HC-series. The HCM-series has a 17-degree contact angle compared to the HC series 15-degree contact angle. This allows the bearings to handle a larger load without sacrificing speed capability. Temperature The series offers temperature-resistant ceramic balls and races made from 100Cr6 rolling bearing steel with next-level X-life quality. These mean less friction and less thermal expansion with greater resistance to temperature gradients at high speeds. High performance Precision bearings translate into... --- Demanding applications and conditions require high-precision bearings made with top-quality materials. Do you stop your equipment frequently? Do your machines work at very high speeds? Do your machines run at high temperatures? Do you have a corrosive environment? If you answer yes to any of these, standard bearings will not suffice. You need the next generation of high-performance bearings featuring high-nitrogen alloy steel races. These bearings run faster, longer, and cooler than most on the market. What is high-nitrogen steel, anyway? High-nitrogen steel is harder and stronger than carbon steel. It is, as the name implies, high in nitrogen, which offers benefits in many fields including food, medical, dental, and aeronautics. Different names for high-nitrogen steel bearings by brand Many of our high-end manufacturers have their own version of high-nitrogen steel races to extend bearing life. FAG calls it Chronidur or Vacrodur GRW and HQW call it SV30 SKF calls it NitroMax Benefits of high-nitrogen alloy steel races High-quality materials Materials sensitive to corrosion create friction, movement and noise. Bearings with high-nitrogen races and ceramic rolling elements reduce friction, resist fractures more effectively and last longer. Combining ceramic rolling elements with the ultra-clean high-nitrogen steel races further reduces friction. Corrosion resistance These bearings are super corrosion-resistant in both lubricated and unlubricated applications. Corrosion resistance helps prevent overheating. Temperature Cooler running extends the service life of both lubricants and bearings. High-nitrogen alloy steel races resistant to temperature gradients at high speeds and offers better, more accurate preload. Fatigue High-nitrogen steel reduces... --- Turbomolecular pumps, or turbo pumps, are serious business. Their rotors spin at incredible speeds, sucking powerfully enough to create a high vacuum. Whether your turbomolecular pump generates vacuums to run an electron microscope or enable thin film deposition for computer chips or solar panels, you’ll need specialized, super-high-quality bearings to run it safely and consistently. Only the best will do. And when a bearing fails, you’ll need to replace it in a hurry before a stalled pump affects your research or your bottom line. Luckily, Alpine Bearing has teamed up with the world’s best bearing manufacturers to develop replacement bearings for both ball bearing and magnetic levitation (maglev) turbo molecular pumps. Ball bearings for turbomolecular pumps A good turbo pump ball bearing works quietly and quickly, letting your turbomolecular pump start almost the instant it’s turned on. Since turbomolecular pump rotors spin at between 24,000 and 90,000 RPM, their bearings must tolerate enormous physical forces and heat buildup from friction. They must be extremely stable in multiple directions, so their high speed doesn’t cause mechanical problems or tear them apart. They may also need to resist corrosive or hazardous gases. Some of these pumps, working in nuclear fusion research, even handle radioactive gases like tritium! Only the highest quality ball bearings can handle the rigors of a turbomolecular pump. Alpine has multiple options in stock. Check out our inventory of turbo pump ball bearings. If you don’t see your pump model or size listed, contact one of our sales engineers... --- Technical standards, like ASTM standards for bearings which specify which steel recipe to use, help manufacturers make a consistent product. (Photo by yasin hm on Unsplash) If you’ve searched for bearings online, you’ve likely come across product descriptions boasting about meeting ANSI, ISO, or ASTM standards. You know the standards are a sign of quality – but who came up with them, and what do they mean? Technical standards help both manufacturers and buyers. Manufacturers use them to make and test materials and products in the most consistent way possible. Buyers use them to ensure they’re getting the quality, specifications, and performance they asked for. ANSI standards The American National Standards Institute, or ANSI, is headquartered in Washington, DC. Its members include international bodies, government agencies, organizations, and individuals. It was founded in 1918 as the American Engineering Standards Committee when members of the United Engineering Society and the U. S. government Departments of War, Navy, and Commerce came together to form a standards organization. In its first year, it had only one staff member and an annual budget of $7,500. Today it has more than 270,000 member organizations and 30 million individual members. ANSI does not create technical standards itself. Instead, it oversees American standards and coordinates them with international ones. It accredits other organizations’ standards, making sure that everyone in the industry agrees on how a standard affects their products and processes. ANSI only accredits standards which it deems fair and open enough. ANSI helped found the International... --- Martin Ruegemer of Schaeffler Global Brand Protection and Frank Ziegler of Riwald Recycling prepare to destroy 30,000 counterfeit bearings. (Schaeffler/Berny Meyer) If you unwittingly buy a fake Rolex, you’ll be disappointed, but you’ll probably be okay. But if your new bearings are counterfeit, your equipment and the people who operate it are at risk. Why should you care about counterfeit bearings? There’s a reason you choose a reputable brand when you buy bearings: you want to know what you’re getting. Whether you’re installing bearings in an industrial robot, a helicopter, or a Mars rover, you need them to be reliable. You need to trust the bearings to meet specifications, last for the duration you expect, and be strong enough to hold up to the forces of operation. Counterfeits break that trust. Manufacturers making counterfeits use inferior materials, machine them poorly and imprecisely, and don’t do quality control testing. Would you really want to drive a tank or a freight train rolling on counterfeit bearings? How to avoid counterfeit bearings Luckily, bearing companies work hard to keep counterfeit bearings off the market. They sell through authorized distributors, collaborate with law enforcement agencies, and send counterfeits to be destroyed and recycled. Schaeffler Group recently crushed 10 tons of fake Schaeffler bearings – around 30,000 of them – and had a steelworks melt them back into a useful raw material. Some fakes still make it through. SKF Group estimates that about 2. 5 percent of the global bearings market is counterfeit. To reduce... --- Photo by Samuel’s Photos on Unsplash As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. Next on the agenda are airframe control needle and roller bearings.   Regardless of the application, you always want a bearing to be sturdy and reliable. But when it comes to components for aircraft, the margin for error is almost nonexistent. Passengers, air freight customers, and pilots need to trust every piece of the plane or helicopter they use. For a Boeing 747, that’s six million components, many of which are airframe control needle and roller bearings. Although flying is one of the fastest ways to travel, airframe control bearings generally spin at medium or low RPMs. The greatest demand on needle and roller bearings in aircraft is load. A 747 can weigh up to 378 tons at maximum takeoff weight. Roller bearings in a plane’s landing gear bear its full weight across just a few wheels, so they need to be tough! Despite the high loads these bearings must carry, they must also be light enough to ease takeoff and conserve fuel. Finally, they need to function well at the frigid temperatures of cruising altitude.   There are two main types of bearings in aircraft.   Aircraft roller bearings typically have a cylindrical or tapered shape. They reduce friction in places like jet engine shafts and gear boxes, landing wheels, and helicopter transmissions. Aircraft needle bearings are roller bearings with long, skinny rollers. Their design... --- Photo by Benjamin Lehman on Unsplash As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. The latest subject of our attention is miniature and instrument bearings. What’s teeny tiny and goes really fast? It’s not the wasp dive-bombing your soda on a hot day... it’s miniature and instrument bearings! Miniature bearings are any bearing with an outside diameter of 10 mm or less. Instrument bearings are miniature bearings designed for high-speed, low-torque applications in vibration-sensitive equipment, especially medical, lab, and optical equipment. Even if you don’t use dental drills, microscopes, or Dremel tools at your job, you’ve probably used a device with an instrument bearing in it. They show up in disc drives, home appliances, and cameras. Ever turned the volume dial on a high-end stereo or the focus ring on a DSLR camera? That slow, smooth rotation might have come from a miniature bearing lubricated with damping grease. Thrust, radial, pivot... almost any type of bearing you can think of is available in miniature size. They often feature rubber seals. This makes them easier to handle without introducing contamination or causing lubricant leaks. Because miniature bearings are so small and accurately balanced, bearing manufacturers machine them with great precision. Some custom miniature bearings have bores smaller than a flea! For help choosing a type of miniature bearing, advice about your specific application of instrument bearings, or to order bearings, contact one of our sales engineers Have you seen our other... --- Photo by Vlad Zaytsev on Unsplash We deal with bearings all day long here at Alpine Bearing. You might not be as obsessed with bearings as we are, but we bet you interact with bearings in your home every day. Did you know these 10 things in your home have bearings in them? Microwave. Bearings are perfect for reducing friction on objects that rotate. Next time you’re watching a Hot Pocket heat up, know there’s a bearing in the mechanism that spins the plate under it. Swivel chairs and stools. Bearings under the seat let a chair swivel, whether it’s a barstool, a chair in your home office, or a highly optimized gaming chair. Casters on the bottom of furniture use bearings to roll smoothly too. Food processor. Bearings and spinning things go together like peanut butter and chocolate. There’s a bearing in the motor that spins a food processor’s blade! Drawers. Drawer slides often include bearings so you can easily pull the drawer open, even when it’s full of heavy items like pots and pans. Toys. If you have children, you’ve probably slipped on a toy car. The wheels in that car have tiny bearings inside. From high-tech drones to the humble yo-yo, many of your kids’ toys and gadgets have bearings inside. Exercise equipment. Treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes all have bearings to reduce friction during your home workout... whenever you finally get around to it. DVD player. A DVD must spin quickly and steadily for the player... --- Photo by thisisengineering on Unsplash. At Alpine Bearing, our world revolves around bearings. What you might not know is that your world does too. Whether you work in a skyscraping office building or the corner of your bedroom, you use bearings every day. Here are 10 places bearings might be hiding in your office: Desk chair. That swiveling action lets you dispatch paperwork from every corner of your workstation with ease. A bearing in your desk chair’s central support is responsible for its effortless swivel. Just don’t go too fast or you might get dizzy. Printer. As paper spools through your printer, bearings smooth and control the movement of the rollers and print head. The precision of these bearings lets you print type so small you’ll need your reading glasses. Pens. When talking about ball bearings in pens, most people think of ballpoints. That’s not a bearing – just a ball. But, if you have a higher-end pen, the clicker mechanism to retract and extend the tip likely has a bearing in it. Filing cabinet. Stacks of paper can be heavy, but the right bearings can handle the strain. Heavy-duty filing cabinets have ball bearing suspensions so you can pull documents forward without friction. Fridge. If someone’s always stealing your lunch, you can blame the bearings in the office fridge. They keep the door’s operation quiet and fluid, so the culprit can slip away with your sandwich unnoticed. There are bearings in the microwave too! Hard drive. Though solid-state memory... --- As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. For this edition, we’re looking at roller bearings. Let the good times roll!    Despite the name, you won’t find roller bearings in roller skates. Instead, roller bearings show up in places like wind turbines, conveyor systems, and agricultural machines.   The thing that differentiates roller bearings from other types of bearings is, well, the rollers. Where a ball bearing has balls between its races, a roller bearing has rollers: cylindrical elements that roll to reduce friction. Because of their shape, rollers make more contact with a bearing’s raceway than balls. Wider contact surfaces make it easier for the bearing to handle a higher radial load. Roller bearings reduce friction in motors, axles, gear reductions, machine tools, and other machinery.   There are a few types of roller bearings, each with its strengths and weaknesses.   Cylindrical roller bearings, with simple cylindrical rollers, can support heavy radial and impact loads at high speeds. They have a wide variety of applications. Conical or tapered roller bearings have cone-shaped races with cylindrical rollers. They can handle radial and unidirectional axial loads. They most commonly appear in car and truck wheels. Spherical roller bearings have a spherical shape to the inside of their races. The rollers are shaped like barrels. They have higher friction than other roller bearings, but can safely tolerate more misalignment and heavier radial loads. Thrust roller bearings are designed for axial... --- As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. Today’s article is all about thin section bearings.   The elegant thin section bearing might look dainty, but don’t let its slender proportions fool you. The thin section bearing punches above its weight while fitting into tight spaces.   This bearing’s defining quality is its fixed cross-section. Thin section bearings in the same line all have the same thickness, regardless of bore diameter. At large diameters, these bearings are proportionally thin, hence their name.    Engineers often choose thin section bearings for aerospace, robotics, and medical systems. Their light weight and small footprint at all diameters make them ideal for jobs with space and weight limits. Thin section bearings also keep parts turning smoothly for food processing, machining, textile manufacturing, and more.   It takes great precision to make thin section bearings, so they often cost more than standard bearings – but the flexibility their thinness brings is worth the expense. Plus, they’re more resistant to moment load than similarly sized standard bearings.   There are three contact styles for thin section bearings.   Angular contact thin section bearings have the greatest thrust capacity of the thin section bearings. They have a 30-degree contact angle and two-thirds complement of balls, and need to be mounted opposing another bearing to establish the right contact angle. Four-point contact thin section bearings’ special gothic-arch-shaped raceway touches balls in four places. Four-point contact bearings can carry... --- The team at Alpine is always looking to share our unique experiences and relationships with the people and companies that supply us with high quality bearings. Not only are we proud of the working relationships we have built with industry experts, but of the friendships that have formed along the way. company History We reached out to Jay Smith, a District Manager with Schaeffler, to chat about his experience with Alpine and beyond. Schaeffler is a leading global supplier to the industrial and automotive sectors driving groundbreaking inventions and developments in the fields of motion and mobility for over 75 years. Jay credits the company's success to the fact that the Schaeffler family still owns it and the impressive size of the company. INA and FAG are among Schaeffler's companies. Jay says that “the industrial side of the business involved with Alpine is technology-driven, and because we are both highly technical, we work really well together” Jay is located in Bangor, Maine where he manages a group of sales professionals and has been directly handling business with Alpine for nearly 12 years. He originally got involved working with bearings when his father was a purchasing manager at a paper mill. A bearing distributor met Jay and hired him to manage his own father’s accounts. Now, with over 22 years with Schaeffler Jay enjoys the facing new challenges every day while building and maintaining relationships along the way. He says that “no matter what you have done in the past, there... --- At Alpine, we are always looking for ways to brag about the incredible people and companies that supply us with high quality bearings. We are proud to be able to build strong relationships with our counterparts and share a similar passion for creating and providing value to our customers. We reached out to Ted Gentile, The Distribution Sales Manager for NHBB and NMBTC Bearings (both MinebeaMitsumi Group companies). Ted lives and works in the Hudson River Valley Region of New York and was happy to share what his experience has looked like working with Alpine for many years. History of NMB Technologies Corporation (NMBTC) NMB Technologies Corporation is a MinebeaMitsumi Group company that began in 1984. It is the world’s largest manufacturer of miniature ball bearings and a leader in the design and manufacturing of precision electromechanical and semiconductor components. They provide advanced technology solutions for the medical, industrial, automotive, consumer and smart cities markets. Ted got his start in 1989 when he graduated college and began working at NHBB in Elmsford, NY. Within a year, he transitioned to outside sales for NMB Corporation (the import division of Minebea). In 2000 he became District Manager for NMB Corporation for Bearings, Fans, and Motors. Later, he held various management positions within NMBTC related to automotive accounts, precision mechanical assemblies and lastly as National Distribution Sales Manager. In 2013, Ted took on a new role as the General Manager for GRW. Throughout this time, Ted continued to work with the team at... --- James Calvagna, JC to just about everyone, started at Alpine in 1999. His first bearing-related position was in the shipping department of a competitor. He took the job in 1996 after returning from what started as a trip to Europe. It became more than a trip when JC decided to stay and work in Belgium for two years. When he came back to his family home in Anaheim, California, he took the shipping job and played bass in a band during off hours, never thinking he’d still be in the bearing business all these years later. JC learns fast. Like most of the Alpine sales engineers, he learned on the job. After spending 23 years speaking to mechanical engineers about prototypes, machine shop owners about lathes, and additive manufacturers about 3D printing, you learn to anticipate their bearing needs. That’s one of the things JC likes about working at Alpine — they encourage thinking. Jim Levin from Alpine was interested in hiring JC, so he flew him out to Boston to show him around. JC wasn’t sure about the move at first, but once he got used to the weather, he never looked back. One of the things JC has always liked about working at Alpine is Jim’s hiring philosophy. “Jim doesn’t require instant expertise. He hires intelligent people who want to learn. ” According to JC, that policy has led to some excellent hires, including Lenny Brookes and Derek Anderson, both of whom JC likes working with. Customer service... --- As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’re highlighting types of bearings or bearing components. In this article, we present Thinex and torque tube bearings. No, Thinex and Torque is not the name of The Three Stooges’ law firm. That was Dewey Cheatem & Howe. If deep groove bearings are the workhorses of the bearing world, Thinex and torque tube bearings are the stallions. Slim, sleek, and producing less friction than other bearing types, these bearings are at home in precision instruments, aircraft components, missile guidance equipment, computers, robotics, and medical devices. Precise, speedy, and trouble-free bearings for complex instruments When applications demand compact, lightweight bearings, Thinex and torque tube bearings fit the bill. They differ from other bearings because they distribute loads over a larger than usual number of small diameter balls decreasing both friction and torque. Speedy and smooth, these thoroughbreds are the first choice for engineers who need space-saving, low-friction, and fast-moving components. Whether you’re building a rocket, outfitting a dental drill, or designing the prototype for a robotic arm, consider using Thinex and torque tube bearings to keep the parts running smoothly. If you have questions about what type or size bearing to choose or the proper lubrication for your industry and application, contact one of the sales engineers at Alpine. They can steer you toward the perfect bearing for your business. Have you seen our other Bearings 101 articles? Here are our pieces on machine tool spindle bearings, deep groove bearings, a... --- An ornate carving atop a temple in Taipei City, Taiwan At Alpine, we’re always happy to talk about, or with, the people who supply us with high quality bearings. We understand. They’re as proud of their brand as we are of all the brands we stock. We reached out to Kevin Fang, sales manager at TPI (Tung Pei Industrial) Bearings. He lives and works in Taipei City, the capital of Taiwan. Despite the difference in time — they’re twelve hours ahead of us in Boston — Kevin was enthusiastic about talking to us. He started with TPI in 2010 and, prior to COVID, traveled to the United States about every two months. It didn’t take him long to warm to Jim Levin and the sales engineers at Alpine. “The sales team is very professional, and they know how to sell TPI bearings,” says Kevin. “It’s a good working atmosphere. They make jokes, but they also make sales. ” TPI’s history TPI Bearings began manufacturing bearings under their own name in 1983 and they have been selling high-quality bearings to the international machine tool, robotics, additive manufacturing, appliance, and electric motor industries ever since. They have four factories now and a strict quality control policy, ensuring that only the best components bear the TPI brand. They’re also proud of their customer service. Their efficient system enables them to trace each bearing to the batch of raw materials it’s made from. Customers can rely on that kind of accountability. Alpine and TPI... --- We’ve put together a series of informational articles to highlight bearing types, terminology, and components. In this segment of Bearings 101, we focus on machine tool spindle bearings. In this complex universe, there are profound questions with answers that elude us. Why do we exist? Are there other worlds beyond ours? What are machine tool spindle bearings and how do we use them? The first two questions require theoretical research, footnotes, and stuff like that. We can discuss the third question in this article. Early machine tool spindles Lathes and looms were two of the first machines. Early versions only produced one thing at a time. Every time the operator used the machine, the product came out a little bit differently. That worked when the products were not tools that had to fit into a larger tool. Later, the advent of interchangeable parts meant machine tools had to make multiple items that worked together seamlessly. That required a higher level of precision. These more modern machines had to make a large volume of products quickly and exactly. Today’s machine tool spindles work in large, robot-filled factories and small, family-owned machine shops. The places may seem different, but both types of businesses have at least one thing in common — bearings. Additive manufacturing, CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining, routers, lathes, mills, and various grinders and cutters rely on machine tool spindle bearings. More accurately, they rely on high quality machine tool spindle bearings. The spindles in these machines need to maintain... --- The sales engineers at Alpine Bearing are always on the lookout for new bearings to stock and distribute and new companies to work with. Recently, Alpine began carrying machine tool spindle bearings from SLF.  Spindel- und Lagerungstechnik Fraureuth GmbH (Spindle and Bearing Technology, Fraureuth, Germany, LLC) has been making spindles and spindle bearings since 1993.  True to their German heritage, they take great pride in the quality of their products and means of production.      SLF stresses their dedication to quality assurance in every department of the company, working continuously to improve production methods, processes, and products. They research and implement new technology regularly. They consider their ISO 9001 certification not as the end of their efforts, but as a part of their ongoing commitment to improve.    SLF understands spindles and spindle bearings SLF knows spindle bearings. They manufacture both the bearings and the spindles that use them. That knowledge helps them produce bearings uniquely designed for use in machine tools. Many Alpine customers have machine shops or manufacturing houses and use CNC machining to run routers, mills, lathes, and grinders. They need machine tool spindle bearings to keep their equipment up and running. The precision and quality of SLF bearings enables machine shops to trust that their machines and shops will keep producing with no down time. And Alpine has SLF bearings in stock and ready to ship — same day, if necessary.     Alpine stocks the highest quality bearings. Both our customers and our team understand that. Carrying SLF means staff and clients are spoiled... --- A sheep You may look at a sheep and wonder what is has to do with CNC (computer numerical control) machining. The truth is, we might not have seen the creation and expansion of manufacturing and computing as it is now if not for fleece and a few creative thinkers in the 18th century. The textile industry began in cottages with families making cloth in their own homes. The men and boys operated the looms while the women and girls spun the yarn, which came from sheep (told ya! ). It was a long, laborious process and production was slow. Faster, loom, faster! A British man, John Kay, apprenticed to a weaver, was a quick study and instead of staying to become a weaver himself, he went home and invented the flying shuttle. They called it the flying shuttle because, in the hands of an experienced weaver, the canoe-shaped vessel seemed to fly. The invention made it possible for one person to run the loom, weaving larger cloths more quickly. Now that weavers worked faster, they needed more thread than spinners could create. Loom using a flying shuttle Speed up the spindle Along came James Hargreaves to create the spinning jenny, a machine enabling spinners to use up to 8 (and later 120) spindles at a time and create a lot more thread. Jacquard and punch card technology During that time in France, Basile Bouchard punched holes in paper tape to control a loom and Jacques de Vaucanson followed, building... --- William Pool in his Anaheim office William Pool, a thirteen-year veteran of Alpine Bearing, works in the Anaheim office as Quality Manager and Sales Engineer. You may have thought we had just the Boston location, but we also have a West Coast office. Originally hired as a sales engineer, William stepped up to learn about quality certifications and has become the company expert. He’s the go-to employee for information on ISO9001 and AS9100 standards. He’s also a sales engineer, answering customers’ questions and steering them toward the right bearings for each application. His focus is the aerospace industry, but he can help bearing customers from any field. anaheim employee was drawn to Alpine's business ethics William worked in the bearing industry and dealt with Alpine before working here. He was always impressed by the company’s reputation. “They have a strong sense of ethics,” he said. “If they tell you they’ll do something, they’ll do it. ” Naturally, when he got the chance to work for Jim Levin and Alpine, he went for it. William currently works in Alpine’s Anaheim office a couple days and from his home office the rest of the week. Although the change took place because of COVID-19, William likes the hybrid remote work schedule. He avoids commuting a few days, and still gets to see his coworkers. He notes the West Coast facility has a staff large enough to handle the workload and small enough to make it easy to work safely, maintaining social distancing guidelines... --- The "Mona Lisa" Do you know what connects the Pyramids, the “Mona Lisa”, and a healthy smile? Pssst, it's bearings. Leonardo da Vinci, the artist, cartographer, astronomer, and painter of “The Last Supper” and the “Mona Lisa”, was also an engineer. His research and discoveries predated the invention of helicopters, tanks, submarines, watch works, and even parachutes by centuries. It was in his design for an early helicopter, in 1500 (! ) where da Vinci first diagrammed a bearing. Egyptian pyramid and workers da Vinci wasn’t the first to use bearings. There’s evidence to show both ancient Egyptians and ancient Romans used bearings of one kind or another. The Egyptians used plain bearings to transport huge blocks of stone to build the pyramids. Drawings show workers riding on large sleds with runners and pouring water on the sand to decrease friction. The Romans used rolling ball bearings later. Researchers found a rotating table on a wooden ball bearing in Roman ruins dated 40 BC. We still use wooden ones in grist mills and water wheels. I’m getting to the healthy smile part. Water wheel Another famous Renaissance man, Galileo Galilei, conceptualized the caged bearing. In the 1700s, watchmakers began using caged roller bearings in their designs. These days, fine watches use sapphire bearings to lessen friction, creating a more precise timepiece. Still not smiling? Dentists work on a patient Today, manufacturers, engineers, and fabricators need ball bearings to keep their machines moving. They’re in so many different types of products,... --- Another kind of groove. As part of our Bearings 101 series of informational articles, we’ve decided to highlight types of bearings or bearing components. This time, we turn the spotlight on deep groove bearings. Contrary to popular belief, Deep Groove Bearings did not back up Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock. Deep groove bearings are the workhorses of the bearing world. Consisting of four parts — inner and outer rings, a cage, and ball bearings, deep groove bearings can handle radial and some axial loads. Their flat edges provide larger surface areas for higher load capacities. Many are built with shields or seals. Both types of closures help keep out contaminants and retain lubrication, extending the life of the bearing. They come in two types — single and double-row bearings. We use deep groove bearings in the machine tool, material handling, medical/pharmaceutical, agricultural, rail, wind energy, and food processing industries. Their versatility makes them one of the most commonly used types of bearing. Their design makes them run smoother, creating less friction. Less friction decreases operating temperature, noise, and vibration, extends bearing life, and reduces energy use and cost. They also need less lubrication and maintenance, keeping repair costs low. Deep groove bearings are relatively easy to install and can withstand high temperatures while maintaining high rotating speeds. Depending on the application and your location, choose deep groove bearings using either metric or imperial measurement systems. Are you interested in any of our other Bearings 101 articles? Here’s our glossary of bearing... --- We’ve started a feature on the Alpine Bearing site. We call it Bearings 101 and in it, we’ll post technical articles about, you guessed it, bearings. Some will be basic, others, more complex.   We hope you learn something you didn’t know or can use this column as a resource. Think of us when describing a component or application to a coworker or client. Yes, we know there's more to bearings than knowing the terminology, but every little bit helps. Bearing Glossary (in case you forgot) Angular contact bearings Angular contact bearings have inner and outer ring races and can bear combined (radial and axial) loads simultaneously. Ball bearings Ball bearings are components with two round, channeled races containing steel balls. The balls roll in the groove to distribute loads and reduce friction between two surfaces. Ball separators Ball separators remove bearings, gears and pulleys for replacement, lubrication, or repair. Bearing cages Bearing cages keep the balls in the races symmetrical and correctly spaced, holding the bearings together. We can also call them ball bearing retainers or ball separators. Bearing housings Bearing housings are modular assemblies which make it easy to install bearings and shafts, while protecting bearings, extending their operating life, and simplifying maintenance. Brinelling Brinelling is a permanent indentation caused by excessive loads, repeated impacts, and excessive force. Bore A bearing's bore is the diameter of its inner race. Burring Burring occurs during machining when sharp edges or burrs appear. Use a deburring tool to smooth edges. Bushings Bushings... --- In 2004, Lenny Brookes saw a note on the Boston University job board for part-time work in a bearing warehouse. At the time, he figured it was a short-term situation, something to help him pay his way through school. Now, sixteen years later, Lenny is one of the most knowledgeable sales engineers at Alpine Bearing. Lenny grew up in Saint Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands and came to Boston to attend BU. Originally, a film and TV production major, he became less enchanted with his major and by graduation, decided he wanted something else. Jim Levin saw his intelligence and work ethic and offered Lenny a full-time job as a sales engineer. Alpine sales engineers get to know their customers The Alpine sales engineers learn by doing. They talk to customers about their needs and challenges. They read about bearings and their applications. They spend time with senior staff members, fulfilling orders and asking questions. They get to know the brands and the huge stock Alpine carries, so they can pass that knowledge onto customers and new employees. They learn how to solve problems. For Lenny, that’s the best part. He says, “I studied film and TV because I like being creative. Ball bearings may not seem creative but thinking of new ways to meet customers’ challenges is. When someone calls saying they’ve had to replace the same bearing over and over, I ask them a few questions about the bearing, the machine, and their industry. Based on that information... --- Courtesy NTN Bearing Partnership Gives Alpine Priority Access to NTN OEM Bearings, Providing Customers With Immediate Access to Highly Specialized Ball and Roller Bearings BOSTON- October 21, 2020- BOSTON Alpine Bearing, New England’s largest ball bearing distributor, has entered an agreement as a U. S. -based channel partner for NTN Bearing Corporation for High Precision Bearings used in the Machine Tool Market. NTN is one of the world's largest producers of premium quality ball and roller bearings. Through the partnership, an extension of Alpine’s longstanding status as an NTN authorized distributor, Alpine will have priority access to specialized lines of NTN precision parts. These components can be difficult to procure and may require waits of up to a year. “Many of NTN’s parts are so specialized and difficult to access that rebuilders often resort to retrofitting standard bearings when repairing broken machines,” said Jim Levin, president of Alpine Bearing. “While this approach is common, it is far from ideal, as it nullifies warranties and results in suboptimal machine performance. Through our extended partnership with NTN, we’ll have access to NTN products and information that others do not have. We now carry many of these hard-to-find parts in our regular inventory. Our customers will have immediate access to parts that would otherwise take months to arrive, if they could find them at all. ” As New England’s largest ball bearing distributor, the company regularly stocks thousands of products, with same day shipping available for most products. “We know how important it... --- From time to time, we’ll be posting educational articles on bearings, bearing attributes, and their applications. It's called, Bearings 101. Some will touch on basic facts; others will dive more deeply. Most people know what a bearing is, but fewer recognize a bushing. In this piece, we'll compare bearings and bushings and point out the differences between the two types of components. What is a bearing? Bearings are made up of components that allow two surfaces to roll over each other while also reducing friction. Balls or rollers act as rolling elements between races of the bearing assembly. Because of their round shape, bearings support radial (forces from above and below), axial (lateral), combined (radial and axial), and moment (tilting) forces. What is a bushing? A bushing or plain bearing is a cylindrical part used to reduce friction between components. Unlike a bearing, a bushing, often referred to as a sleeve, is a single piece. Though bushings and bearings are in similar categories, they’re not interchangeable and they don’t move in the same way. Bushings slide while bearings roll. Bushings are ideal for distributing the weight of heavy or high load-bearing tolerances. They act as shock absorbers and decrease noise and wear. Many are self-lubricating, saving labor and time. Reservoirs on the surface hold grease or oil and spread it automatically with use. In the food and textile industries, factories use non-lubricating or dry bushings. Do you need a bearing or a bushing for your machine? A bushing is a... --- Boston Bearing Distributor Earns ISO 9001 Alpine Bearing, the distributor with the largest inventory of bearings in the U. S. , has earned its ISO 9001: 2015 certification. Recently, the NSF, the international accreditation body, audited Alpine Bearing to gauge the efficiency of its systems and processes, continuous improvement practices, and customer satisfaction efforts and found the company is successfully instituting systems and consistently improving them. Auditors measured product conformance, customer satisfaction, adherence to established standards, and strategic planning. The accreditation body noted that Alpine shows employee accountability, ownership, and empowerment leading to increased customer satisfaction. “This certification validates our long-held belief that providing our customers with bearings from trusted brands and charging reasonable prices is the only way to go,” said Jim Levin, president of Alpine Bearing. “It’s how my father, who founded the company, did business and we still work that way. ” ISO 9001: 2015 certification denotes a company’s ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer, statutory, and regulatory requirements, while enhancing customer satisfaction. It also evaluates processes for system improvement and assures product conformity. What does this mean to you, the Alpine customer? It means you can trust that Alpine Bearing has systems in place to ensure quality products and robust and attentive customer service. In other words, when you need to find the right bearings for your application, you can be confident that Alpine has the inventory, the knowledge, and the procedures to get them to you quickly and correctly. The Alpine... --- When Gabrielle graduated from Elizabethtown College with a degree in business, she never thought she’d launch a career in the ball bearing industry. Now, more than twenty years later, Gabrielle thinks she might just stick around. Alpine’s newest sales engineer won’t be commuting in to Alpine’s Boston office though. She’ll be working from her Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania home. Gabrielle is no stranger to telecommuting. She’s been working remotely for years and has it down pat. “You need a system to make it work,” says Gabrielle. You might say bearings run in the Pritchett family. Gabrielle met her husband, Howard, at a different ball bearing company years ago. Howard has remained in the bearing industry as well. The couple have more than bearings in common. They have three children; Dean, who’s married with three kids, Genevieve, who’s also married and expecting her first child, and Reagan, who attends Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Working remotely has allowed the Pritchetts to visit their children, who live all over the country. “It’s been great for us as a family,” says Gabrielle. “The ability to work from anywhere enabled us to be there when our grandchildren were born. It also gives us the flexibility to visit our kids and be present in their lives, which is important to us both. ” During the season, a lot of the couple’s travel plans are dictated by the Liberty University men’s lacrosse team. Their son, Reagan plays for the team and the Pritchetts try to make every game.... --- This employee spotlight deals, not with a new Alpine Bearing team member, but one of the oldest. October of 2018 will mark Derek Anderson’s 20th anniversary at Alpine Bearing. Twenty years ago, Derek answered an ad in the Boston Globe and interviewed with Alpine’s founder, Robert Levin. His son and Alpine’s president, Jim Levin, hired Derek and he’s been working at the Allston bearing distributor ever since. “When I was hired, I didn’t know a bearing from a donut,” says Derek. “I started in the warehouse with Don, our QC Manager, by sorting bearings and gathering them for orders. I noticed which companies ordered what and asked lots of questions. I began to learn about the applications of the different types of bearings and why each company needed them. It was a great way to learn the business. ” Derek says he was surprised, at first, at the sheer number of applications there are for ball bearings. Spurred on by curiosity and his desire to learn all he could about the industry, Derek says he discovers new applications and new businesses that use bearings daily. “That keeps it fresh,” he says. “I’m never bored. There’s always something new. ” There’s also always something to talk about with his coworkers. “Our company is different. I see the owner every day. I see my sales manager every day. We sit in the same office and talk about how the Red Sox are doing or my daughter’s softball game or a movie someone... --- Photo courtesy Alpine Bearing We’ve discussed preventive maintenance and how taking the right steps ahead of time can save you time and money. While that’s true, sometimes, even in companies with the best maintenance programs, a piece of equipment breaks. When that happens, and your line stops, you need a new part ASAP. For some parts, especially those that need frequent replacement, it makes sense to keep a stock of spares. For others, the price, size, or infrequency of replacement make keeping extras on hand impractical. And sometimes, you just run out. This was the case for a local milling shop. They had an important customer with a short deadline. Filling the order on time was essential to keeping the customer happy and paving the way for future business. About halfway through the milling process, the mill shut down. The machinist examined it and discovered a spent bearing. With no spares in the shop and the deadline looming, the shop supervisor was nervous. He knew they couldn’t afford a total shutdown. Fortunately, the mill is an Alpine Bearing customer. He called us and we sent out the part—that day. It arrived at the start of business the next morning. Sure, they lost a few hours of production time, but thanks to Alpine’s massive inventory and speedy service, the mill lost hours instead of days or weeks. Because Alpine stocks the largest inventory in New England, the production hours lost were closer to 4 than 40. How big is our inventory?... --- Photo courtesy Pixabay Anyone who uses equipment with moving parts or cooks a meal understands the value of lubrication. You change the oil on your car every three to five thousand miles. You wax your skis to make them glide better on the slopes. You even grease the frying pan before adding the food so it doesn’t burn. Bearings are no different. They need that thin film of grease or oil to prevent excessive heat and wear. Proper lubrication prevents overheating, corrosion, and equipment breakdown. The correct amount of lubricant is important too. Too little doesn’t provide enough coverage and too much can leak and short out electrical components. We’ve found a couple of articles about preventive maintenance and lubrication and included a couple of links to them here. These pieces are great resources. https://www. skf. com/group/services/services-and-solutions/index. html://www. maintenancebits. com/2015/03/17/lubrication-2/ https://www. plantengineering. com/articles/five-lubrication-warning-signs-to-look-for/eaa3a9ac8d1. html At Alpine Bearing, we have another great resource—our staff. If you have questions about maintenance, lubrication, or bearings in general, contact us. We have a crew of seasoned experts ready to help you. --- On three days in May, Alpine Bearing and hundreds of manufacturing, distribution, and technology firms descended on the Big E (Eastern States Exposition) in West Springfield, Massachusetts for EASTEC, the premier manufacturing event in New England. Hosted by the SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) and the AMT (Association for Manufacturing Technology), EASTEC hosted over twelve thousand attendees. Speakers presented topics on the robotic exploration of Mars, the Industrial Internet of Things, and the production of jet engines. Attendees participated in workshops on subjects as diverse as Lean manufacturing, starting an automation project, and metal additives. It was a terrific opportunity to see how vital and adaptive manufacturing is in the Northeast. Alpine was happy to be a part of the extravaganza. We got a chance to meet people from other industries and place a few faces with names. It was an educational program and we look forward to coming back in 2019. --- By Jim Levin, President, Alpine Bearing My dad, Robert, had some definite ideas about how to run a business. The customer is always right may sound like a cliché, but that’s how he operated. It was important to him for his customers to get a quality product for a good price. He said, "I'd rather sell someone the best bearings at a reasonable price than make a huge profit off one sale and never see them again. " He knew building a satisfied clientele and a solid reputation was essential to Alpine’s future and the future of his employees. Dad also saw the value of maintaining trusted sources. He knew his customers depended on him to stock established brands with proven records. Quality was essential. To him, knowing where the bearings came from meant he could sleep at night. And knowing he had them in stock meant he could deliver a part to a client immediately. That speed of response prevents a company’s momentary equipment breakdown from becoming a real crisis. We worked together for a long time and my dad taught me a lot about business and bearings, but the most important things he taught me were about people. When you spend so much of your time at a job, the folks you work with become an extension of your family. Decisions Dad made about what brands to carry and how much inventory to maintain affected his customers, his business, and his employees and their families. He understood that... --- Does Quality Matter in Bearings? We hear about quality every day, but what does it mean? What's the point in having the newest and shiniest products available aside from the fact that they're the newest and shiniest? The best coffee maker might brew the smoothest Colombian Supremo, but will it change our lives? Probably not. Bearings are another story. Bearings have to fit properly and they also have to be the ones we think we're buying. We choose certain brands for a reason. The companies that make and distribute them have reputations to uphold and extensive quality control programs. We know when we install one of their bearings in a robotic arm, a front-end loader, or the family minivan, that the bearings we use were made using the proper specifications, went through rigorous testing, and are proven for the uses for which they are made. They were balanced correctly and polished to cut down on friction and metal burrs. When we start the tractor, space shuttle, or wind turbine, we know it will run efficiently and keep the operators safe. Photo courtesy of SKF That's why companies like SKF work with law enforcement agencies all over the world to find and confiscate counterfeit bearings. They want to protect your safety and their name. They're busy. In February of 2017, they destroyed fifteen tons of fake bearings in phony SKF packaging. Unfortunately, counterfeit bearings have become a big business with dire consequences and authentic bearing manufacturers are taking it seriously. They're... --- Once again the team at Alpine Bearing will be attending and participating in EASTEC! Stop by our booth, #5669, to chat with Jim, Lenny, JC, or the rest of the team to learn the latest in bearings, new product lines we're carrying, what's going on in our clean room and more! The show, New England's premier manufacturing exposition, runs May 16 - 18, 2017 and takes place at the Eastern States Exposition (yes, also home of the Big E! ) in Springfield, Mass. People attending EASTEC will learn about innovative technologies to advance manufacturing, have a chance to explore solutions for the top floor down to the shop floor, get the latest on hot topics in manufacturing, and investigate new trends and ideas. If you stop by our booth, we'll have a few small giveaway items, as well as a fun contest at the booth. See you in Springfield! --- We had a great time the other night displaying and discussing various bearings for robotics at the monthly Mass Innovation Nights "product launch party" and innovation showcase. MIN#97, which took place at the Innovation and Design Building in Boston's Seaport District, was sponsored by MassTLC, MassRobotics, and Amazon Robotics. The theme, as you may have guessed, was robotics. One might be surprised to see a ball bearing distributor at an innovation event, but many of our customers are in the robotics business. We carry a wide range of bearings that address very specific needs of robotics--they are small, durable, and of extremely high-quality. It was a busy event, and gave us an opportunity to speak with several of our current clients, meet some businesses that might become new clients, and speak with a number of engineering students. And of course, we educated a great many attendees on why the robotics industry needs to use high quality bearings. Thanks to the team at Mass Inno for including us in this fun, informative, and worthwhile event! --- Colin Griffin, the newest sales engineer at Boston’s Alpine Bearing, is a long way from his first home in California, but he’s happy to be here. A tall, friendly guy, Colin has a genial smile and talks easily. It’s not hard to see that he’d fit in wonderfully in this close-knit company. Colin lives in the Boston area now, but that wasn’t always the case. Both of Colin’s parents were in the military so he started out in San Diego before moving to New Hampshire for high school. After graduation, Colin moved to the Boston area to attend Mount Ida College in Newton where he played baseball and football. He started working part-time for Alpine in 2011 as a student and moved up to full-time after graduating with a degree in Business Administration. Colin started his full-time Alpine career as an assistant quality control manager before his promotion to the sales team. While his focus is miniature, machine tool, and ball screw bearings, he deals in other types as well. “I don’t specialize in a specific type of bearing or have a dedicated sales territory,” Colin says. “If someone needs bearings, I’m happy to help them—regardless of what they need, or where they are. ” Colin has great things to say about the Alpine team. When asked about what it’s like to work for owner, Jim Levin, Colin says, “It’s great to work for a guy who stands behind his employees without looking over their shoulders all the time. He... --- Dave Coffer lives over three-thousand miles from Alpine Bearing's headquarters in Boston. He has either the world’s worst commute or the best. Dave maintains it’s the best. After 23 years in the bearing business, he’s in an ideal situation. He works as a sales engineer for Alpine Bearing, from his home in Covington, Washington. We spoke on the phone recently about his new role with the leading bearing distributor. “At Alpine, I’m concentrating on following web-based sales leads,” says the Seattle native. “I want to help expand our reach. ” Dave comes to the bearing distribution giant from National Precision Bearing, where he managed client accounts across an 11-state territory, including key contracts for large firms. He also worked with numerous small to mid-sized companies, where he developed tight customer relationships. He’s thrilled with Alpine and his new position. “I’ve run across Jim Levin and Alpine many times throughout my career and I’ve always liked how he does business. He buys high quality bearings at good prices. That allows the sales team to pass those deals on to our customers. ” Though Dave is attached to Alpine’s Anaheim, California office, he works primarily out of his home in Washington. That allows him to stay close to his wife, Leah and son, Turner. Dave, a Seattle Seahawks fan (we forgive you), also enjoys watching the Cougars from his alma mater, Washington State, and, of course, Turner’s high school baseball team. Dave is happy about this new opportunity. When asked about Alpine,... --- Boston Globe Correspondent Cindy Atoji Keene recently sat down with Jim Levin of Alpine Bearing, for a chat about the business of distributing ball bearings. Read the full story here. --- ---