SkateLog Forum
QuadSkating.com
Partner Sites 		SkateLog.com
Inline Skating and Quad Roller Skating 		KathieFry.com
Official Web Site
Articles - About Us - Calendar - Chat - Contacts - Forum - Search - Shop - Site Map - Translate
Skating Around the World: All Regions - All Countries - USA - Africa - America - Asia - Europe - Middle East - Pacific - Nordic
Travel Web Sites: Hawaii - Africa - Los Angeles - Arizona - Washington DC - Central America - More Travel Sites
Home --> Skate Bearings --> What Are ABEC Bearings?
Start Here
Beginners
Articles
Countries
Events
Skaters
Site Map
Skating Styles
Aggressive
Artistic
Fitness
Ice
Naked
Hockey
Recreation
Skateboard
Speed
- [View More]
Equipment
Skates
Wheels
Bearings
Protective Gear
Helmets
Maintenance
Accessories
- [ View More]
Community
Message Board
Chat Room
Newsletter
Regional
Countries
Local Clubs
Group Skates
Skate Tours
Media
Books
Magazines
Movies
Posters
Video Clips
Videos
Video Games
More Topics
Beginners
Deaths
Health Issues
History
How to Skate
Hydration
Injuries
Legal Issues
Lessons
Nutrition
Organizations
Police Skating
Safety
Sports Medicine
Travel
Web Sites
Where to Skate
- [View More]

Site Map
Quick Start
Search


What Are ABEC Bearings?

The ABEC scale is a system for rating the manufacturing tolerances of precision bearings. The system was developed by the Annular Bearing Engineering Committee or Council (ABEC) of the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA). The American Bearing Manufacturers Association was formerly known as the Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association.

What Does ABEC Mean?
The ABEC scale is a system for rating the manufacturing tolerances of precision bearings. The system was developed by the Annular Bearing Engineering Committee or Council (ABEC) of the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA). The American Bearing Manufacturers Association was formerly known as the Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association.

Bearings rated under the ABEC system are typically called "precision bearings", and they are rated with a number from 1 to 9, with the higher number assigned to bearings manufactured against a higher standard of precision (high number = tighter tolerances = more expensive bearing).

What Does Tolerance Mean?
Tolerance is the amount of variation from an absolute exact measurement that is permitted during the manufacturing process.

Other Bearing Rating Systems
ABEC is only one system for rating bearing tolerances. The International Standards Organization (ISO) and the German National Standards Organization (DIN) use similar scales to rate the precision of bearings. In the ISO and DIN systems, a smaller number means a tighter tolerance and a larger number means a looser tolerance. This is just the opposite of the ABEC system. See the following table for equivalents.

ABEC SYSTEM
ISO SYSTEM
DIN SYSTEM
ABEC 1
Normal
P0
ABEC 3
Class 6
P6
ABEC 5
Class 5
P5
ABEC 7
Class 4
P4
ABEC 9
Class 2
P2

Is ABEC Important for Skate Bearings?
Here are comments about ABEC bearings from bearing manufacturers and other experts, including NTN, Miniature Bearings, Zero Drag, the Southeastern Skate Supply, and others.

Standards Organizations
A directory of standards organizations in Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the United States.


Visit Our 12 Skating Forums
Forums for discussing aggressive, artistic, beginning, hockey, fitness, recreational, roller basketball, roller derby, roller dancing, rollersoccer, quad skating, slalom skating, and speed skating.


Related Links
Bearings - Main Menu
How to Rotate Your Skate Wheels
Skate Wheels
Skating Accessories
Skate Buying Guide



Official Skating Federations
International Roller Sports Federation (FIRS)
National Roller Skating Federations


SkateLog editor Kathie Fry
Kathie Fry, Editor

Join our friendly international skating community

Michael, Kathie, and Glenn in Venice Beach
SkateLog Forum


Venice Beach
What I Saw Skating in Venice Beach


2007 Skating Wall Calendars
2007 Skating Wall Calendars


SkateLog Business Cards
Free SkateLog Business Cards


Renate Groenewold
Renate Groenewold + Other Dutch Skaters

National Federations

FIRS

SKATERS
by Country
by Name
by Birthday

Photos
Artistic Worlds

Girl Skater
Photo Gallery
Katie Ketchum

SKATE
STOPPERS
Skate Stoppers
Are They Dangerous?

Bust Line
CONNY'S NEW BUST LINE

Lisa Suggitt
Photos of Lisa Suggitt
  • Portraits
  • Skating

    • El Patinador Solitario
    El Patinador Solitario of Havana makes his own skates.
    [ Read More ]

    Lieve's Broken Arm
    A Belgian skater talks about her broken arm.
    [Read More]

    Tony Hawk
    Tony Hawk

    Skating Cartoons from The New Yorker

    Skating Messenger Girls
    World War II Skating Messenger Girls

    FUN IN HOLLAND!
    Johan Barendrecht with Kathie Fry
    I got painted orange in Heerenveen and almost arrested in Groningen)...


    Kathie With Allen MacDonald
    My 92 year old
    skating buddy


    SkateLog Newsfeed Subscribe to our Atom formatted Newsfeed
    Here's How
    Contact Us - About Us - Site Map - Home
    Kathie Fry, Editor of SkateLog.com
    PO Box 12320, Venice Beach, California 90295 USA
    Email Address: See How to Contact Kathie Fry

    OTHER WEB SITES BY KATHIE FRY
    AskAboutSkating.com
    ScubaDoll.com
    GmailUsers.com
    CountriesAndCities.com