What is the purpose of thrust bearings?

Thrust bearing is a kind of rolling bearing. Although they allow rotation between parts similar to other bearings, thrust bearings are primarily designed to support axial loads.
Thrust bearings help reduce friction and cope with pressure, while enabling rotational or linear movement between the various parts of automobiles and other machinery.
Metal-to-metal contact generates a lot of friction and stress in the metal. This friction usually increases the premature wear of the metal while causing it to slowly degrade.
The main function of thrust bearings is to reduce this friction, so that metal parts can work smoothly, thereby extending their durability.
Types and uses of thrust bearings:
There are several types of thrust bearings. Thrust ball bearings are a variety in this regard. It consists of ball bearings supported in a ring. These bearings are used in low thrust applications with small axial loads.
Cylindrical thrust bearings are another type. This variety includes small cylindrical rollers arranged flat. In this type, the axis of the roller points to the axis of the bearing. They can provide excellent carrying capacity while being affordable.
The only problem with cylindrical thrust roller bearings is that they tend to wear faster due to differences in radial speed and friction (usually higher than ball bearings).
Tapered roller bearings are another type of thrust bearing. This type consists of small rollers, so that all roller shafts converge at a certain point on the bearing shaft. This type of bearing is widely used in automotive applications to support the wheels of specific vehicles.
Tapered roller thrust bearings are used in pairs so that they can accommodate axial thrust in any direction. The larger the contact area of ​​these bearings, the greater the thrust load they can withstand. The negative factor is that their production costs are quite high.
Spherical roller bearings are various other thrust bearings. They use spherical asymmetric rollers. The drum works in an indoor washing machine with a raceway. These bearings can withstand radial and axial loads and shaft misalignment. They provide the highest rated load density of all thrust bearings.