The Art of Bearings
 

1500 AD – Leonardo DaVinci describes a bearing. See background sketch.

1600 – Galileo describes caged ball bearing to prevent friction.

1794 – First patent for ball race by Philip Vaughn of Carmarthen, Wales.

1866 – The Torrington Company is formed to make sewing machine needles.

1883 – FAG begins grinding balls of equal size and roundness. 

1898 – First patent issued for Timken Tapered roller bearings.

1907 – Sven Wingquist of SKF invents the modern self-aligning ball bearing

1912 – FAG originates single-row, barrel type, and spherical roller bearings

1913 – The Hoover Steel Ball Company is founded.

1916 – NSK is founded and produced the first ball bearings made in Japan.

1927 – NTN Mfg. Co., Ltd. established with a capital of 50,000 yen. 

1928 – Nachi is founded in Japan to manufacture cutting and machine tools.

1933 – AFBMA - Anti Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association is formed.

1960 – Elasto-hydrodynamic theory explains why bearings work.

2001 – The Schaeffler Group (INA) acquires FAG.

2002 – The Timken Company acquires the Torrington Company 

2006 – The World Bearing Association (WBA) is formed 

2010 – AeroBearings is founded as an aviation MRO with a single-focus on mission-critical high-value ultra-precision bearings. Founded by a team of veteran engineers and business professionals AeroBearings provides a high-value option to customers worldwide in the area of bearing inspection, repair, and overhaul.