Ball bearing product attributes

Ball bearings look well standardized because the base number, such as 6205, fixes bore, outside diameter and width across brands. The trouble is everything after the base number. Suffixes for seals, shields, clearance, cage, grease and precision are not shared between manufacturers, so two bearings with the same base number can behave very differently, and the same feature can be written three different ways.

Supplier data tends to arrive as a designation string plus a dimension table copied from a general catalog. Load ratings, speed limits and temperature ranges are often catalog values for the open bearing, even when the SKU is sealed and runs slower or cooler. A reliable record decodes the suffixes into separate controlled fields and ties each rating to the exact variant it describes.

Buyers usually replace like for like, so interchange is the main job. That requires the dimensions, closure type and clearance to be explicit, plus any grease, noise or precision requirement the original application depended on. Where an inch-series or special variant is involved, dimensions need to be stored in their native unit without rounding, so a cross-reference does not quietly pick a near miss.

The ball bearings attribute template

18 candidate fields in 4 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 7 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Basic Bearing Designation bearing_number_iso_base_number	Identifier	Core	6205
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) manufacturer_part_number_mpn	Identifier	Core	6205-2RS/C3
GTIN gtin_upc	Identifier	Channel / evidence	4812345620500

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Bore Diameter (d) bore_diameter_d	Number · mm	Core	25 mm
Outside Diameter (D) outside_diameter_d	Number · mm	Core	52 mm
Width (B) width_b	Number · mm	Core	15 mm
Basic Dynamic Load Rating (C) basic_dynamic_load_rating_c	Number · kN	Buyer decision	14.8 kN
Basic Static Load Rating (C0) basic_static_load_rating_c0	Number · kN	Buyer decision	7.8 kN
Limiting Speed limiting_speed	Number · rpm	Buyer decision	7,500 rpm
Operating Temperature Range operating_temperature_range	Text · °C	Buyer decision	-30 °C to +110 °C

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Bearing Type bearing_type	Controlled list	Core	Deep groove ball bearing, single row
Seal / Shield Type seal_shield_type	Controlled list	Core	Contact seal, both sides
Radial Internal Clearance radial_internal_clearance	Controlled list	Buyer decision	C3
Cage Type / Material cage_type_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Pressed steel
Ring & Ball Material ring_ball_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	52100 chrome steel
Tolerance Class (ISO 492 / ABMA) precision_class_iso_492_abec	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	Normal (ABEC 1)

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	Germany
HTS Code hts_code	Identifier	Channel / evidence	8482.10.50

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Cross-reference / interchange designations
• Grease type and fill
• Noise / vibration grade
• Fatigue load limit (Pu)
• Snap ring groove variant

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing ball bearings ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Is this the rubber-sealed version or the metal-shielded one?
• Does it have C3 clearance like the bearing that came out of my motor?
• Is this brand's 6205 a straight swap for the one I pulled, including the seals and grease?
• Is it rated for the speed my shaft runs at with the seals fitted?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ