Designation system
The designations of most SKF rolling bearings follow a system that may consist of a basic designation with or without one or more prefixes and/or suffixes (→ Basic bearing designation system).
An example and the applicable options for spherical roller thrust bearings are given below.
Example
| 29480 EM
| where | 29480 = |  |
| E = |  |
||
| M = |  |
Applicable options for spherical roller thrust bearings
 | Prefixes (n.a.) |
|
| Basic Designation |
| Listed in table 1
|
|
|
| Suffixes - Internal design |
| E | Optimized internal design |
 | Suffixes - External design (seals, snap ring groove etc.) |
| N1 | One locating slot in the housing washer |
| N2 | Two locating slots in the housing washer, 180° apart |
|
| Suffixes - Cage design |
| – | Stamped steel cage, roller centred, for E design bearings size ≤ 68 or machined brass cage, shaft washer centred, for bearings without any designation suffix |
| F | Machined steel cage, shaft washer centred |
| F3 | Machined cage of spheroidal cast iron, shaft washer centred |
| M | Machined brass cage, shaft washer centred |
| Suffixes - Materials, heat treatment (n.a.) |
| Suffixes - Accuracy, clearance, preload, quiet running (n.a.) |
| Suffixes - Bearing sets, matched bearings (n.a.) |
 | Suffixes - Stabilization (n.a.) |
 | Suffixes - Lubrication (n.a.) |
| Suffixes - Other variants |
| VE447(E) | Shaft washer with three equally-spaced threaded holes in one side face to accommodate hoisting tackle. The E indicates that appropriate eye bolts are supplied with the bearing. |
| VE632 | Housing washer with three equally-spaced threaded holes in one side face to accommodate hoisting tackle |
| VU029 | Shaft washer modified for applications with small axial clearance |
