Plain bearing technology
Compared to their rolling bearing counterparts, plain bearings are much more likely to be used in exotic locations. For example, their suitability for use in water makes them the perfect choice for boat lifts. Thanks to their grease and lubrication-free design, they can absorb and transfer forces between components that move in relation to one another - all in an environmentally friendly way, with almost zero service or maintenance required. They also generate very little noise, which makes them popular in mechanical engineering and packaging applications.
Bronze plain bearings: make an optical impression.
Bronze - with the exception of sinter bronze - is one of the whole hardnesses. But although it can withstand a lot as an alloy made of the main components copper and tin, it is not as tough as steel. But that does not matter, because it can easily cope with low rotational speeds but high loads and stresses. It is not for nothing that bronze plain bearings are often chosen in the machine room at iron and steel production, in food processing systems, in injection molding production and so on. Especially because bronze plain bearings are available in countless designs:
Whether sintered bronze bushings, bronze bushings with lubrication pockets or solid bronze bushings with solid lubricants - bronze plain bearings always make the eyes of service technicians light up.
By the way: Sintered bronze bushings are oil-impregnated bronze bushings produced using powder metallurgy. The oil used defines where such a plain bearing may be inserted. With bronze bushes, the insert is virtually predetermined - as copper, tin, aluminum and/or silicone combine all the positive properties, the result is corrosion-resistant at its finest: ideal for maritime inserts like the luxury yacht in question. And the fact that they cut an especially slim figure is almost incidental.
Application: Sinter bronze: Sinter bronze bushes are self lubricating and therefore maintenance-free. They have good friction behavior and are applicable at high operating speeds and in tight installation conditions.
Fiber composite plain bearings
Fiber composite plain bearings consist of an external load-bearing layer made of high-strength fibreglass and a sliding layer made of polyester fibres and PTFE. The bond between both layers is warranted by epoxy resin.
Application: Very suitable for extreme conditions with high loads and vibrations, also in corrosive environments. Lubrication is not necessary due to the low friction sliding surface.
Low-maintenance composite plain bearings
Low-maintenance multi-layer plain bearings are similar in construction to maintenance-free plain bearings. The difference to these is the running surface, which at the low-maintenance design contains lubrication pockets according to DIN ISO 3547 and one lubrication hole.
Application: Low-maintenance multi-layer plain bearings are used for grease- or liquid-lubricated applications. They have good damping behavior and are insensitive to shock loads and less sensitive against edge loads.
Maintenance-free composite plain bearings / dry plain bearings
Maintenance-free composite plain bearings consist of a bearing back made of steel or bronze, a sinter bronze inner layer and a PTFE running-in layer.
Application: Universally applicable, very low stickslip inclination. In the design with bronze back, insert is also possible at increased requirements regarding corrosion-resistant.
Plastic plain bearings (polymer plain bearings): can take a beating.
Plain bearings made of polymers are true all-rounders. Of course, this is also because their material - polymers - means that they have diversity by virtue of the "poly" alone. Even a small view of an individual polymer and its material properties gives a small impression of how much is "in it" for polymer plain bearings in terms of application types in addition to the material and design. For example, polymers are resistant against alcohols, hydrocarbons, greases, oils, fuels, diluted acids, strong acids or diluted or strong bases. This explains pretty quick why polymer plain bearings are inserted almost everywhere. They inspire the air and space technology, agricultural technology, the automotive industry, the construction machinery sector, mechanical engineering, but also the sports, fitness & rehab range and, not least, medical technology and pharmaceuticals for themselves. At all these great properties, even bronze plain bearings become envious: medium to high loads, medium sliding speeds and middle temperatures. So much popularity is understandable.
Application: Plastic plain bearings are generally maintenance-free and very thin-walled, making them ideal for narrow bearing positions. By using a large number of different materials, there is a suitable plastic plain bearing for almost all environmental conditions.
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