As the core component of mechanical rotating systems, slewing bearings are undergoing technological advancements in high-end fields such as aerospace, deep-sea exploration, and precision manufacturing. Their structural design has evolved from traditional single-row four-point contact ball types to composite structures of three-row roller and cross-roller designs, enabling them to simultaneously withstand axial, radial, and overturning moments to meet the demands of multi-dimensional loads under extreme conditions.

In aerospace, slewing bearings are used in satellite attitude control systems, requiring rotational precision at the 0.001° level under temperature variations from -50℃ to 150℃. For example, a certain space station robotic arm adopts silicon nitride ceramic rolling elements combined with vacuum lubrication technology, achieving 100,000 hours of fault-free operation in zero gravity. Deep-sea exploration equipment relies on titanium alloy outer rings and corrosion-resistant sealing systems, maintaining stable operation to drive sampling robotic arms with precise gripping even under 4,000-meter water pressure.

In high-precision semiconductor manufacturing, micro-vibration control of slewing bearings has become a critical technology. A 12-inch wafer lithography machine uses a magnetic levitation-assisted bearing system, restricting vibration amplitude to within 0.1 microns—equivalent to 1/800th the diameter of a human hair. Additionally, miniature slewing bearings in medical surgical robots achieve torque-bearing capacity of 200 N·m with a diameter of only 15mm through micro-sized raceway design, ensuring sub-millimeter positioning precision for robotic arms.

Technical Challenges and Future Directions

Current high-end applications face three major challenges: material fatigue life, extreme environmental adaptability, and intelligent monitoring. A German laboratory has developed intelligent slewing bearings integrated with fiber-optic sensors, enabling real-time monitoring of load distribution and wear status, with predictive maintenance accuracy reaching 92%. With the maturity of carbon nanotube-reinforced composites and self-lubricating coating technologies, slewing bearings will demonstrate greater potential in cutting-edge fields such as quantum computer cooling systems and nuclear fusion devices.