Tapered roller bearings

Tapered roller bearings are bearings that can support axial forces as well as radial forces. In many applications these are used in back-to-back pairs so that axial forces can be supported equally in either direction.

The roller bearings are displayed with a section removed from the outer ring (which is also referred to as the outer raceway). With a section of the outer ring removed the cage that retains and evenly spaces the rollers is visible.

Tapered bearings are based on the observation that cones that meet at a point can roll over each other without slipping.

Shown above is a 360° animated turntable around the whole model. Below you can interact with the bearings in realtime.

About this project

The technical objective of this project was to create an accurate digital twin of a set of bearings. The model had to be accurate enough to be used as a teaching reference and look correct in path-traced video animations. Additional care was taken to ensure engaging and immersive interactions were possible in augmented reality.

The 3D model was created entirely in Houdini using physical measurements. To create believable metal textures, extensive use of grunge and smudge maps were employed within Substance Painter. A combination of Cinema 4D and Octane Render was used to produce final renders. All of this comes together to build a training material that creates memorable learning experiences.

The bearings model is captured in augmented reality using the enhanced image-based lighting in iOS 16.