Thanks for all the useful answers. I'm looking for examples of common products which are currently in production, and where a risk of sudden failure exists if the bearing fails to behave properly. Slow and lightly loaded applications aren't so interesting, as the design isn't critical and the price is going to be the main factor.

Car engines and jet engines are interesting. The last small engine I took apart (400 cc) had rolling element main bearings, whereas a similar older engine (600 cc) had huge plain bearings and hardly any signs of wear. I also saw a compressor with a ball bearing in the big end of the connecting rod recently. This got me thinking. I don't see so many plain bearings in modern products, or at least nothing so visible as the bronze sleeves in my 1960s power hacksaw and 1940s sewing machine. But maybe "see" is the important word.

Can anyone tell me what kinds of bearings are used in specific car engines from well-known manufacturers today? Volkswagen, Ford, Mercedes, etc.? An example or two would be useful

Thanks for the information.

Best wishes,

Chris