Needle bearings are a type of roller bearing that use long, thin cylindrical rollers resembling needles. They have a high load carrying capacity and a high stiffness, making them suitable for a wide range of applications, such as planetary gears, industrial machinery, and robot speed reducers. Needle bearings can be categorized into different types based on their design, such as drawn cup, solid, cage and roller assemblies, thrust, combined, alignment, universal joint, and support rollers. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the operating conditions and requirements.
Some of the benefits of needle bearings are:

• They have a small cross-sectional height, which helps reduce the size and weight of the equipment.
• They can be mounted axially with a press fit, which simplifies the installation process and saves costs.
• They can support high loads or high speeds depending on the cage or full complement design.
• They have a modified roller/raceway profile that prevents stress peaks and extends bearing service life.