What Material is Used for Self-Lubricated Bearings?

作者MYWAY

What Material is Used for Self-Lubricated Bearings?

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Self-lubricated bearings are made to reduce friction, wear and need for external lubrication. This makes them perfect for situations where lubrication would be difficult, where lubrication is impractical, where maintenance is limited, and where space in the application doesn’t allow for a lubrication method. Why are they so awesome? What makes them work so well? The answer is in the material used to create the bearing.

“Let’s talk first in this article about the different materials used to make these self-lubricated bearings, where you would use them and why. What makes them a superior choice in your industrial application?”

1. Composite bushing (SF-1, SF-2)

There’s also something else called a composite bushing. It’s a liner made up of multiple liners, typically metal, plastic, and some other high-performance materials. It’s typically used in mechanical engineering and the car business to reduce friction and reduce wear and corrosion. Generally, composites take WAY more load, work in higher heat, and work in more abrasive environments giving better performance and much longer life.

Common materials for composites:
– Metal polymers, such as copper, aluminum, and other metals that are mixed in with polymers, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), POM (etc.), to achieve higher mechanical strength wear resistant lining.
– Polymer-based composites like PA, PTFE, glass fiber reinforced plastics, etc. They have great self-lubricating and wear-resistant qualities.
– Ceramic-based materials or actual ceramics are used in applications for high temperature and corrosion resistance.

2. Bimetallic Bushing

A Bimetallic self-lubricated Bushing is designed with two different metals typically two layers. Bushing made with a steel or tough material on the outside and often a softer metal like bronze or copper on the inside that gives it great durability as well as self-lubrication.

Benefits: It often includes embedded solid lubricants like graphite or MoS₂ (Molybdenum disulfide) to perform well under heavier loads and faster speeds.
Structure: The steel provides the strength and the soft inner layer provides the low friction and good wear resistance.
Applications: Heavy machinery, pumps, compressors, electric motors.

3. Graphite-Embedded Materials

Graphite is used the most frequently as a solid lubricant. It has very good anti-friction characteristics and a high-temperature tolerance. A favorite application is a bushing, which can be made with a matrix that contains embedded graphite particles, incredible combination to use in severe environments where extreme loads and temperatures are present.

Material Types: They make these bushings out of a certain steel, a certain bronze – it might also be a cast iron, and there is graphite embedded in them.
Performance: That graphite is a solid lubricant that combined with the base material does an excellent job of reducing friction and wear.
Applications: Industrial equipment, automotive parts, agriculture machinery, mining.

4. Copper-Based Alloys

For self-lubricating bearings, one good place to use copper or a copper-based alloy (copper tin or copper zinc) is because copper doesn’t corrode very well, and it has great thermal conductivity. These can also impregnate these same materials with a solid lubricant, graphite or PTFE or another type of solid lubricant.

Key Benefits: People often choose copper-based alloys because they resist corrosion, especially in places where the alloy will be exposed to water or harsh chemicals.
Applications: Marine applications, water pumps, food processing equipment.

5. Powder Metallurgy Bushing

Powdered metal technology is where metal powders are mixed with lubricants like graphite or MoS₂, then compressed into the shape of a bushing. By forming it this way, you end up with a porous structure that holds the liquid within the material to provide constant self-lubrication.

Benefits: Maximum flexibility in the selection of materials to create the bushing. You can tailor the bushingsto meet the specific load needs, wear resistance, and low friction or no friction needed for your specific application. ·
Applications: Agricultural machinery, automotive engines, conveyor systems.

Why Choose Self-Lubricated Bearings?

There are a couple of reasons. Number one is it works without outside lubrication. It reduces maintenance that you need to maintain it, reduce the chance of contamination, and increase the length of time the part lasts you. It’s also preferred in places where you cannot use outside lubrication.
Benefits of Self-Lubricated Bearings:
Reduced Maintenance: You don’t need to lubricate it regularly. This also helps keep your downtime and maintenance costs to a minimum.
Environmentally Friendly: You don’t need oil or grease at all, making them more sustainable.
Improved Efficiency: Reduced friction leads to smoother operation and higher efficiency.
Longevity: Self-lubricated bearings have longer lifespans due to reduced wear.

Conclusion

The reason to use self-lubricated bearings with different materials or different types of bearings such as bronze alloys, bimetallic composites, graphite, copper alloys, or PTFE filled bearings are what will make your self-lubricated bearings work for your application in your industry. Whether you’re working on cars, trucks, tractors, production equipment, or earth moving equipment, the material you use in your self-lubricated bearings is why they work for various applications.
Now, these have some serious benefits, of course. By reducing your need for lubrication you reduce maintenance costs. This makes these self-lubrication bearings the dream bearing for any heavy industrial application. Do some research, ask around, and I am positive you will be pleased.

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