Method of manufacturing a bearing ring

A method of manufacturing a bearing ring for a rolling element bearing, the method comprising:

• producing a bearing race of the bearing ring from a bearing grade steel, the bearing race being of annular shape and having a raceway surface adapted to serve as a raceway for rolling elements of the rolling element bearing;
• providing an overmoulded part configured to be secured over the bearing race over a surface radially opposite from the raceway surface, the overmoulded part and the bearing race being configured to be axially aligned and configured to rotate relative to a second bearing raceway;
• hardening at least the raceway surface of the bearing race;
• after the hardening, providing a thermal barrier on a surface of the bearing race radially opposite from the raceway surface such that the thermal barrier lies between the bearing race and the overmoulded part;
• after providing the thermal barrier, joining the overmoulded part to the bearing race in a moulding process that includes one of a molten and semi-molten material being shaped around the bearing race, wherein a temperature of the molten or semi-molten material is greater than a predetermined value and the molten or semi-molten material contains a heat energy sufficient to cause the raceway surface to exceed the predetermined value during the moulding process, the predetermined value being a maximum temperature of the raceway surface which can be withstood by the raceway surface without adversely affecting raceway hardness;
• wherein the thermal barrier is configured such that heat energy transferred to the raceway surface by the molten or semi-molten material is insufficient to cause the temperature of the raceway surface to exceed the predetermined value;
• and wherein the thermal barrier consists of a material with a melting point lower than the temperature of the molten or semi-molten material such that the thermal barrier is configured to at least partially melt away during the moulding process.