Linear Bearings › Special Series
LMES Series — Small Metric Linear Bearing Sealed and Open Type
8 bore sizes · Sealed (UU) and Open (OP) configurations · High load capacity
🆕 Series Overview
The LMES series is a heavy-duty small metric linear ball bearing that provides significantly higher dynamic and static load ratings than the standard LM...UU series for equivalent bore sizes. The larger outer diameter of the LMES housing wall delivers greater fatigue resistance, making this series the preferred choice wherever the standard LM series load rating is marginal and a larger housing bore can be accommodated.
Two seal configurations are available: the standard type (without seal) provides the lowest friction and is suitable for clean, well-lubricated environments; the UU sealed type adds dual rubber lip seals on both end faces, retaining grease and excluding contamination for general industrial use. Open-type (OP and UUOP) variants feature a lateral slot for shaft insertion from the side, enabling installation in split housings or retrofit applications.

⚙ Key Design Features
Higher Load Ratings
Dynamic and static load ratings exceed the equivalent LM...UU for the same bore diameter, enabling higher loads without increasing bore size.
Dual Lip Seals (UU)
NBR rubber lip seals retain NLGI-2 grease and exclude dust and contamination. Rated −20°C to +80°C continuous service.
Open Slot Option
OP and UUOP variants feature a lateral slot for shaft insertion from the side — essential for split-housing installations.
GCr15 Chrome Steel
Through-hardened to HRC 58–64. Ball tracks ground to Ra 0.2 µm for optimal lubrication film formation.
PA66-GF30 Retainer
Glass-filled nylon cage maintains precise ball spacing around the full 360° circuit, preventing ball-to-ball contact noise.
Metric Bore Sizes
Available in 10, 12, 16, 20, 25, 30, 40, and 50 mm bore sizes to cover a wide range of shaft diameters.
📋 Complete Specification Table
ⓘ Dynamic load rating C based on 50 km nominal life (L10). Shaft tolerance h6/h7. Housing bore H7. Dimensions in mm, load ratings in N, weight in g.
Standard Type
| Model (No Seal) | Model (UU Seal) | Shaft dr (mm) | OD D1 (mm) | Length L (mm) | Ball Circuits | Dynamic C (N) | Static Co (N) | Weight (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMES 10 | LMES 10 UU | 10 | 19 | 29 | 5 | 550 | 750 | 17 |
| LMES 12 | LMES 12 UU | 12 | 22 | 32 | 5 | 1100 | 1230 | 23 |
| LMES 16 | LMES 16 UU | 16 | 26 | 36 | 5 | 1250 | 1550 | 28 |
| LMES 20 | LMES 20 UU | 20 | 32 | 45 | 6 | 1670 | 2580 | 61 |
| LMES 25 | LMES 25 UU | 25 | 40 | 58 | 6 | 2750 | 3800 | 122 |
| LMES 30 | LMES 30 UU | 30 | 47 | 68 | 6 | 2800 | 4710 | 185 |
| LMES 40 | LMES 40 UU | 40 | 62 | 80 | 6 | 5720 | 6500 | 360 |
| LMES 50 | LMES 50 UU | 50 | 75 | 100 | 6 | 7940 | 11460 | 580 |
Open Type (OP / UUOP)
| Model (OP) | Model (UUOP) | Shaft dr (mm) | OD D1 (mm) | Length L (mm) | Ball Circuits | Dynamic C (N) | Static Co (N) | Weight (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMES 12 OP | LMES 12 UUOP | 12 | 22 | 32 | 4 | 1260 | 1290 | 18 |
| LMES 16 OP | LMES 16 UUOP | 16 | 26 | 36 | 4 | 1320 | 1640 | 22 |
| LMES 20 OP | LMES 20 UUOP | 20 | 32 | 45 | 5 | 1720 | 2630 | 32 |
| LMES 25 OP | LMES 25 UUOP | 25 | 40 | 58 | 5 | 2850 | 3910 | 102 |
| LMES 30 OP | LMES 30 UUOP | 30 | 47 | 68 | 5 | 2900 | 4850 | 155 |
| LMES 40 OP | LMES 40 UUOP | 40 | 62 | 80 | 5 | 5900 | 6700 | 300 |
| LMES 50 OP | LMES 50 UUOP | 50 | 75 | 100 | 5 | 8100 | 11700 | 480 |


🔭 Materials & Construction
All LMES bearings are manufactured from GCr15 chrome-bearing steel (AISI 52100 / DIN 100Cr6), through-hardened to HRC 58–64 and precision-ground on all ball-track surfaces to Ra 0.2 µm. The larger outer diameter compared with the standard LM series provides a thicker race wall with greater structural rigidity under combined radial and moment loads. The glass-fibre-reinforced nylon (PA66-GF30) ball retainer maintains uniform ball spacing. UU variants include NBR dual lip seals rated for −20°C to +80°C with standard NLGI-2 lithium-complex grease.
🏭 Typical Applications
CNC Machine Tool Axes
Provides higher load capacity than LM series in spindle carriage and cross-slide applications where increased rigidity is required without enlarging the housing envelope significantly.
Industrial Automation
Suitable for pick-and-place heads, conveyor guidance, and actuator slides where moderate to heavy radial loads demand a higher-rated bearing in a compact housing.
Packaging Machinery
The sealed UU variant withstands the intermittent wash-down and lubricant-splash conditions found in food and pharmaceutical packaging lines.
Medical Equipment
Used in syringe pump drives and diagnostic instrument stages where consistent smooth travel and low particulate generation are required.

🔧 Installation & Maintenance
🔎 Shaft Specification
Ground to h6/h7 tolerance, HRC 60+ hardness, Ra 0.4 µm surface finish. Refer to the bore tolerance column in the specification table for the exact tolerance band per size.
🔧 Housing Bore
H7 tolerance. Press bearing using a tool bearing only on the outer race end face — never apply force through the bore.
📈 Lubrication
Factory NLGI-2 grease fill. Re-lubricate every 500 km or 6 months. For OP (no-seal) variants, re-lubricate more frequently in contaminated environments.
⚙ Alignment
Traverse shaft manually after installation. Uniform resistance confirms correct alignment. Stiff spots indicate misalignment exceeding 0.03 mm/100 mm — correct housing position before powering the drive.
🔎 Selection Guide
Select LMES when the standard LM...UU dynamic load rating C is insufficient for the target L10 service life, and the housing bore can be increased to accommodate the larger LMES outer diameter. Confirm bore size against shaft diameter, then check dynamic load rating C against the equivalent load P using L10 = (C/P)³ × 50 km.
①
Identify Application Type
Confirm whether sealed (UU), open-slot (OP), or sealed-open (UUOP) configuration is required based on housing design and contamination level.
②
Select Bore & Model
Match the bore size to the shaft nominal diameter. Verify the LMES outer diameter fits the available housing bore.
③
Verify Load & Life
Calculate L10 = (C/P)³ × 50 km where P is the equivalent radial load. If life is insufficient, increase bore size to the next LMES size.
④
Contact Us
MOQ 100 units. Contact our team with engineering drawings specifying bore, housing, load case, stroke, and target life.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions
📞 Ready to Order?
MOQ is 100 units per model. Provide engineering drawings with bore, housing bore tolerance, load case, stroke, speed, and target service life. All catalogue data is for reference only.
LMES — 8 bore sizes · Sealed (UU) and Open (OP) configurations · High load capacity.
MOQ: 50 pcs. Minimum order value USD 1,500; mixed orders and trial quantities welcome.





