Slide Bearing Made Of Plastic In Comparison

2023 Author : Hannah Pearcy | [email protected] . Last modified: 2023-06-05 00:21

The two greatest advantages of plastic plain bearings are probably their freedom from lubricants and their corrosion resistance. But they are also lighter and quieter than their metallic counterparts, and new materials and material combinations also expand their properties in terms of temperature and load. So it's no wonder that Lemken, a manufacturer of agricultural equipment, changes hands.

A business area at Lemken is occupied by devices for preservative tillage and stubble cultivation, so-called cultivators and compact disc harrows. The Karat 9 is an intensive cultivator that penetrates between 5 and 30 cm deep into the soil and incorporates organic matter. During operation, there may be larger stones in the path of the tractor and its cultivator. So that they do not hinder the workflow, the Karat 9 avoids them. To do this, it has overload elements with which the tines, which work in the ground during normal operation, automatically move backwards and then return to the working position independently.

Supplementary information on the subject of user perspective Three questions for the user

Lars Heier, Head of Marketing at Lemken, explains why his company and its customers are happy about the plastic plain bearings.

Was there a good reason that you tested the plastic plain bearings?

"The working time saved alone is a strong argument for plastic plain bearings", says Lars Heier.

Yes. Lack of lubrication used to be a real problem with cultivators. The bearing points would have to be lubricated once a day with metallic solutions so that the bearings can perform their duties properly. Depending on the working width of the cultivator, this means up to one hour of work per day.

With the saved working hours, your customers have surely jumped in joy.

At the Karat cultivator, everyone smiled at us at the beginning because we wanted to use plastic at the deposit.

Has that changed in the meantime?

The working time alone, which users save through maintenance-free plain bearings, is a very strong argument for plastic plain bearings for us today. We will continue to rely on Igus plain bearings in the future. Because what has proven itself will be retained by us, that is certain.

Plastic withstands high forces

Standard components for the overload element are DU bushings made of a metal-polymer connection, because in agriculture, high forces often act on the components. However, in 2008 Lemken agreed to a pioneering project with Igus and its plastic plain bearings. For the Karat 9 cultivator, the decision was made to use plain bearings made of Iglidur G, which withstand a compressive strength of 80 MPa. In addition, they free the overload element and thus the user from maintenance work, because with Iglidur there is no need for subsequent lubrication, since the bearings contain self-lubricating solid lubricants. Metallic bearings have problems when the cultivator swivels. They have a rather short lifespan,because lubricants cannot be distributed evenly and the same places on the bearing are always used. This is where plastic plain bearings play their advantages, since no lubricant can be displaced. Another advantage is the dry running of the plastic bearings, where no dirt can stick to them.

EPB plain bearings harmonize with steel

The plain bearings from the Swiss company GGT Gleit-Technik are made of EPB. In the standard material, these plain bearings are suitable for loads up to 35 MPa and a maximum speed of 1 m / s. If they are in use, the operating temperature should not exceed 80 ° C, but can drop to –40 ° C. As for the shaft material, EPB is compatible with most. However, measurements by GGT have shown that it can best exploit its properties with hardened chrome steel, hardened steel and hardened aluminum.

The refractory plain bearings

GGB's EP63 passed flammability and toxicity testing for aircraft interiors according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They withstood a flame from a Bunsen burner for over 60 s. The polymer plain bearings demonstrate excellent wear resistance and low friction in various applications, both under dry and lubricated operating conditions, the manufacturer says. The EP series consists of nine different materials and is based on the combination of different resins with reinforcing fibers and solid lubricants. At 90 MPa, their compressive and creep resistance exceeds that of Iglidur G.

The plastic plain bearings presented here consist of a thermoplastic material and are manufactured by injection molding. If you want a different manufacturing process for your plain bearings, you can also get 3D printed products from Igus.