Air Bearing Market (By Type: Aerostatic Bearings and Aerodynamic Bearings; By Speed Capacity: Below 1000 Rpm, 1000-60000 Rpm, Above 60000 Rpm; By Application: Precision Material Tools, Coordinate Measuring Machines, High Speed Machines, Others; By End User: Aviation/Space, Medical, Automotive, Semiconductor, Wastewater Management, and Others; Distribution Channel: Direct Sales and Indirect Sales) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Revenue, Regional Outlook and Forecast 2021-2030

The air bearings market growth is expanding at a CAGR of 7% over the forecast period 2020 to 2030 and is expected to reach over US$ 13.9 billion by 2030, the increasing demand for maximizing energy efficiency is expected to bolster the growth of the global air bearings market during the forecast period.

In air bearings, the balls are replaced by a cushion of air. The most common application of air bearings is the hovercraft. Large fans blow underneath the hovercraft and the air is trapped under a flexible rubber 'skirt'. This cushion not only supports the craft’s weight but also acts as a soft spring, which allows it to smoothly float over water or land. A similar principle is used by air bearings, where high pressure air is fed into the gap between stationary bearings and a rotational shaft. The gap is very small - around 1/100 of a millimetre, allowing the air pressure to be maintained within the bearing.

This bearing can also support its entire designed load at zero speed. Aerostatic bearings can be used with low heat with accurate rotation. Additionally, aerostatic bearings are less rigid and are easier to handle smaller load capacities. Aerostatic bearings are useful in multiple applications such as micro-positioning, machining, and grinding that require frictionless superior performance at zero speed.

Air bearings are commonly used to support linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) cores to improve reliability and reduce gauging forces. Aerostatic bearings do not suffer from friction-induced wear, and additionally, they have no starting and stopping friction. Aerostatic bearings are popularly used in grinding, machining, and micro positioning applications, where full performance at zero speed and the absence of friction is extremely vital.

Report Scope of the Air Bearings Market

Technological Advancements Improve Capabilities

Technological developments act as catalyst for innovations in the air bearings industry. While air bearings help greater throughput for a variety of machines, manufacturers continue to utilize technological advancements to improve the efficacy of air bearings. Air bearings used in various machinery need to be monitored and tested periodically, in an attempt to ensure reliability, consistency, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of the operations. With advancements in the technology of air bearings, future vehicles could be designed with an array of frictionless motion solutions to overcome the challenges in vehicle testing, which is expected to boost global automotive sales.

Growing Prevalence of Micromachining

Micromachining and nanotechnology play a majorly decisive role in the miniaturization of components, ranging from biomedical applications to sensors and chemical micro-reactors. High performance micromachining centers require extreme control of force and speed. Micromachining equipment manufacturers that require tight control of small incremental movements along with high speeds, low forces, and extreme level resolution and repeatability are recognizing the benefits of air bearing technology that is used to provide zero friction counterbalancing.

Emphasis on Energy and Operational Efficiency

The need for energy and operational efficiency in modern machines continues to be a priority for manufacturers. The low maintenance, silent operations, and low energy consumption of air bearings are garnering the attention of manufacturers. Their contribution towards reduced operational costs, optimum energy consumption, and accuracy allows manufacturers to achieve the desired sustainability.

Penetration of Precision Machining Tools Fuels Scope

Strides being made in Industrialization 4.0 have spurred the penetration of precision machining tools, which is a key demand dynamic for the expansion of opportunities in the air bearings market. Need for designing precise tools and instrumentation has propelled the market prospects of air bearing technologies. They are also used in micro-positioning and grinding. The growing popularity of aerostatic bearings in diverse applications is a key trend boosting sales in the air bearings market. With the strides in automation in production facilities, there is an ever-growing need for air bearings that can prolong the lifecycle of all machinery and tools used.

Automotive Industry Emerging as Lucrative End-use Application

A promising application area is in the automotive industry. Past few years have seen rise in sales of automobiles in the developing world. This has propelled the need for better automotive to enable automakers to capture more consumer value. European nations and numerous economies of Asia Pacific have been witnessing an overall thriving automotive sector. This is a key trend boosting the sales of air bearings.  The aviation industry is another key area of substantially growing uptake of air bearings.

Next-gen Consumer Need to Propel Market Growth

Emerging economies are witnessing a rise in use of micro-machining tools in fabricating next-gen electronics. As a result, there is a rapidly growing research and development of bearing technologies. Manufacturing of various consumer electronics need precision machining tools. This in turn has boosted the demand for air bearings. Growing use of such machining and tools in optical products in several parts of the developing world, most notably in Asia, is a key trend boosting the market. Use of energy-efficient machining technologies has also brought air bearing technologies to the fore.

Technological Advancements to Drive the Demand for Air Bearings

• Air bearings used in various machinery need to be monitored and tested continuously in order to ensure reliability, consistency, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of the operations. With extensive R&D and technological advancements, the demand for hovercrafts, electronic products, aeronautics, and high-end audio is expected to surge, and consequently, will offer lucrative opportunities to the manufacturers of air bearings.
• With advancements in the technology of air bearings, future vehicles can be designed with an array of frictionless motion solutions to overcome the challenges in vehicle testing, which is expected to increase automotive sales across the globe.  

Prominent Regions

North America held the second-largest share in the air bearings market, accounting for 30% of the overall industry in 2019. Technological advancements and the flourishing automotive industry in this region are primarily driving the air bearings market. The industry competition for air bearings is high, and investment and technology thresholds in this industry are relatively high. The demand for air bearings for industrial machinery is also expected to be highly stimulated by rising global manufacturing activity, which helps increase associated fixed investment expenditures. The dominance of the automotive industry over the years in the U.S has resulted in a rise in the demand for air bearings. Moreover, investments in research and development have also led to the strong growth of the automotive and space aviation industry in the U.S.

Asia Pacific dominates the air bearings market, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8%. The region accounted for a 34.2% share of the overall air bearings market in 2019. Growth in the Asia Pacific market is attributed to expansion of the aviation industry and rapid industrialization in the region. Manufacturers of air bearings that are required for the steel industry are concentrated in Japan, Europe, China, and North America. China is the largest manufacturer of bearings for the steel industry, followed by Europe and North America.

Key Players

Key players operating in the global air bearing market are Celera Motion, SKF, Professional Instruments Co., Air Bearings Ltd., Hovair Systems Inc., IBS Precision Engineering, Seagull Solutions Inc., Mohawk Innovative Technology Inc., ABTech Inc., Specialty Components Inc., PI Nelson Air Corp, OAV Air Bearings, and Leuven Air Bearings NV.

Market Segmentation

By Type

• Aerostatic Bearings
• Aerodynamic Bearings 

By Speed Capacity

• < 1,000 rpm
• 1,000 – 60,000 rpm
• > 60,000 rpm 

By Application

• Precision Material Tools
• Coordinate Measuring Machines
• High Speed Machines
• Others 

By End User

• Aviation/Space
• Medical
• Automotive
• Semiconductor
• Wastewater Management
• Others 

By Region

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • France
  • U.K.
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia & CIS
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • ASEAN
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Rest of Latin America
• Middle East & Africa
  • GCC
  • South Africa
  • Rest of Middle East & Africa

The Air Bearings market research report covers definition, classification, product classification, product application, development trend, product technology, competitive landscape, industrial chain structure, industry overview, national policy and planning analysis of the industry, the latest dynamic analysis, etc., and also includes major. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global market. It covers the impact of these drivers and restraints on the demand during the forecast period. The report also highlights opportunities in the market at the global level.

The report provides size (in terms of volume and value) of Air Bearings market for the base year 2021 and the forecast between 2021 and 2030. Market numbers have been estimated based on form and application. Market size and forecast for each application segment have been provided for the global and regional market.

This report focuses on the global Air Bearings market status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Air Bearings market development in United States, Europe and China.

It is pertinent to consider that in a volatile global economy, we haven’t just conducted Air Bearings market forecasts in terms of CAGR, but also studied the market based on key parameters, including Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) growth, to comprehend the certainty of the market and to find and present the lucrative opportunities in market.

In terms of production side, this report researches the Air Bearings capacity, production, value, ex-factory price, growth rate, market share for major manufacturers, regions (or countries) and type.

In terms of consumption side, this report focuses on the consumption of Air Bearings by regions (countries) and application.

Buyers of the report will have access to verified market figures, including global market size in terms of revenue and volume. As part of production analysis, the authors of the report have provided reliable estimations and calculations for global revenue and volume by Type segment of the global Air Bearings market. These figures have been provided in terms of both revenue and volume for the period 2019 to 2030. Additionally, the report provides accurate figures for production by region in terms of revenue as well as volume for the same period. The report also includes production capacity statistics for the same period.

With regard to production bases and technologies, the research in this report covers the production time, base distribution, technical parameters, research and development trends, technology sources, and sources of raw materials of major Air Bearings market companies.

Regarding the analysis of the industry chain, the research of this report covers the raw materials and equipment of Air Bearings market upstream, downstream customers, marketing channels, industry development trends and investment strategy recommendations. The more specific analysis also includes the main application areas of market and consumption, major regions and Consumption, major Chinese producers, distributors, raw material suppliers, equipment providers and their contact information, industry chain relationship analysis.

The research in this report also includes product parameters, production process, cost structure, and data information classified by region, technology and application. Finally, the paper model new project SWOT analysis and investment feasibility study of the case model.

Overall, this is an in-depth research report specifically for the Air Bearings industry. The research center uses an objective and fair way to conduct an in-depth analysis of the development trend of the industry, providing support and evidence for customer competition analysis, development planning, and investment decision-making. In the course of operation, the project has received support and assistance from technicians and marketing personnel in various links of the industry chain.

Air Bearings market competitive landscape provides details by competitor. Details included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, application dominance. The above data points provided are only related to the companies’ focus related to Air Bearings market.

Prominent players in the market are predicted to face tough competition from the new entrants. However, some of the key players are targeting to acquire the startup companies in order to maintain their dominance in the global market. For a detailed analysis of key companies, their strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities are measured in the report by using industry-standard tools such as the SWOT analysis. Regional coverage of key companies is covered in the report to measure their dominance. Key manufacturers of Air Bearings market are focusing on introducing new products to meet the needs of the patrons. The feasibility of new products is also measured by using industry-standard tools.

Key companies are increasing their investments in research and development activities for the discovery of new products. There has also been a rise in the government funding for the introduction of new Air Bearings market. These factors have benefited the growth of the global market for Air Bearings. Going forward, key companies are predicted to benefit from the new product launches and the adoption of technological advancements. Technical advancements have benefited many industries and the global industry is not an exception.

New product launches and the expansion of already existing business are predicted to benefit the key players in maintaining their dominance in the global market for Air Bearings. The global market is segmented on the basis of region, application, en-users and product type. Based on region, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa (MEA).

Reasons to Purchase this Report:

- Market segmentation analysis including qualitative and quantitative research incorporating the impact of economic and policy aspects
- Regional and country level analysis integrating the demand and supply forces that are influencing the growth of the market.
- Market value USD Million and volume Units Million data for each segment and sub-segment
- Competitive landscape involving the market share of major players, along with the new projects and strategies adopted by players in the past five years
- Comprehensive company profiles covering the product offerings, key financial information, recent developments, SWOT analysis, and strategies employed by the major market players

Research Methodology:

In-depth interviews and discussions were conducted with several key market participants and opinion leaders to compile the research report.

This research study involved the extensive usage of both primary and secondary data sources. The research process involved the study of various factors affecting the industry, including the government policy, market environment, competitive landscape, historical data, present trends in the market, technological innovation, upcoming technologies and the technical progress in related industry, and market risks, opportunities, market barriers and challenges. The following illustrative figure shows the market research methodology applied in this report.

Market Size Estimation

Top-down and bottom-up approaches are used to estimate and validate the global market size for company, regional division, product type and application (end users).

The market estimations in this report are based on the selling price (excluding any discounts provided by the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler or traders). Market share analysis, assigned to each of the segments and regions are achieved through product utilization rate and average selling price.

Major manufacturers & their revenues, percentage splits, market shares, growth rates and breakdowns of the product markets are determined through secondary sources and verified through the primary sources.

All possible factors that influence the markets included in this research study have been accounted for, viewed in extensive detail, verified through primary research, and analyzed to get the final quantitative and qualitative data. The market size for top-level markets and sub-segments is normalized, and the effect of inflation, economic downturns, and regulatory & policy changes or others factors are accounted for in the market forecast. This data is combined and added with detailed inputs and analysis from Vision Research Reports and presented in this report.

Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation

After complete market engineering with calculations for market statistics; market size estimations; market forecasting; market breakdown; and data triangulation. Extensive primary research was conducted to gather information and verify and validate the critical numbers arrived at. In the complete market engineering process, both top-down and bottom-up approaches were extensively used, along with several data triangulation methods, to perform market estimation and market forecasting for the overall market segments and sub-segments listed in this report.

Secondary Sources

Secondary Sources occupies approximately 25% of data sources, such as press releases, annual reports, Non-Profit organizations, industry associations, governmental agencies and customs data, and so on. This research study includes secondary sources; directories; databases such as Bloomberg Business, Wind Info, Hoovers, Factiva (Dow Jones & Company), TRADING ECONOMICS, and avention; Investing News Network; statista; Federal Reserve Economic Data; annual reports; investor presentations; and SEC filings of companies.

Primary Sources

 In the primary research process, various sources from both the supply and demand sides were interviewed to obtain qualitative and quantitative information for this report. The primary sources from the supply side include product manufacturers (and their competitors), opinion leaders, industry experts, research institutions, distributors, dealer and traders, as well as the raw materials suppliers and producers, etc.

The primary sources from the demand side include industry experts such as business leaders, marketing and sales directors, technology and innovation directors, supply chain executive, end users (product buyers), and related key executives from various key companies and organizations operating in the global market.

The study objectives of this report are:

• To analyze and study the global market capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2019-2020) and forecast (2021-2030);
• Focuses on the key manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future.
• Comprehensive company profiles covering the product offerings, key financial information, recent developments, SWOT analysis, and strategies employed by the major market players
• To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region.
• To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.
• To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth.
• To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments.
• To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market
• To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market
• To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.