Extreme Bearing Housings in AISI 316 Stainless Steel

Maximum corrosion resistance for extreme industrial environments.

Extreme Bearing housings are designed for applications where standard bearing solutions fall short. Made from AISI 316 stainless steel, these housings provide exceptional protection against corrosion, chemicals, saltwater, and intensive cleaning processes.

Thanks to the combination of marine-grade stainless steel, advanced sealing technology, and a submersible, washdown-resistant design, Extreme Bearing housings are ideally suited for the food industry, offshore applications, chemical processing, and other demanding industrial environments.

AISI 316 stainless steel (also known as 1.4401 or 1.4404 under European standards) is a molybdenum-alloyed austenitic stainless steel. The addition of 2–3% molybdenum significantly improves resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in aggressive industrial environments.

This composition makes AISI 316 particularly suitable for humid, chemical, and chloride-containing environments.

Resistant to continuous exposure to saltwater.

Grade 316 stainless steel withstands continuous seawater exposure without significant degradation. AISI 316 is globally recognized as “marine-grade stainless steel” due to its excellent performance in maritime applications. In environments with chlorides, sea air, or saltwater, this material provides long-term protection without structural degradation.

This makes Extreme Bearing housings highly suitable for:

The addition of 2–3% molybdenum is a key technical advantage of AISI 316.

Molybdenum helps form a stable passive protective layer on the steel surface. This reduces the ability of chloride ions to penetrate the material, effectively preventing pitting corrosion.

Corrosion resistance of stainless steel is often expressed using the PREN value (Pitting Resistance Equivalent Number).

AISI 316 typically has a PREN value of 24–26, making it well suited for aggressive industrial and marine environments. For chloride-containing applications, a PREN value above 24 is generally recommended.

Extreme Bearing housings combine a corrosion-resistant AISI 316 stainless steel housing with high-performance bearing technology for maximum reliability and service life.

It is important to note that no stainless steel bearing insert is intentionally used within the bearing assembly. Although stainless steel is an excellent material for the housing of the Extreme Bearing, it is less suitable as a material for bearing insert applications.

The advanced sealing system in the Extreme Bearing housings, combined with the bearing grease that completely fills the housing, prevents water and contamination from reaching the bearing insert. This allows a chrome steel 100Cr6 bearing insert with optimal bearing properties to be used even in highly corrosive environments.