Which type of bearing allows for angular misalignment?

Spherical roller bearings are designed specifically to accommodate angular misalignment between the shaft and housing. This is made possible due to their spherical rolling elements, which allow for a self-aligning capability. The outer raceway of a spherical roller bearing has a spherical shape, matching the curvature of the rollers, enabling the bearing to adjust its position relative to the load direction. This unique feature allows it to handle misalignments, ensuring smooth operation even when there is a slight deviation in alignment.

In contrast, the other types of bearings do not have this capability. Deep groove ball bearings are limited to handling radial loads and minor axial loads but are not designed to deal with angular misalignment effectively. Tapered roller bearings can handle axial loads in one direction better than others, but they also require precise alignment to function correctly. Thrust ball bearings are primarily designed to handle axial loads and have no mechanism to compensate for misalignment. Thus, the spherical roller bearing stands out as the best choice for applications where angular misalignment may occur.