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Figure 1
igubal® Low-Cost Pillow Block Bearing |
igus® spherical bearing with high-performance polymer material makes metal pillow block bearing more economical. Despite the advantage, many operators hesitate to convert to igubal® bearing as it appears to be too cumbersome for them. However, the bearing made by igus® motion plastic is actually easy to install and can be inserted into metallic pillow block within seconds. Continue reading to find out why igubal® and metallic pillow block are a cost-effective and high-performance hybrid.
Why Metal Pillow Block with igubal®
Metal pillow block is an indispensable part in plant and mechanical engineering and it is used in many different applications and environments. However, metal pillow block requires constant lubrication in environments with high level of contaminant. This will result in higher cost and more time wasted in conducting the maintenance and lubrication. Therefore, igubal® spherical bearing with lubrication-free property is a perfect fit for metal pillow block in highly-contaminated environment. Igubal® self-lubricating bearing can reduce the overall bearing cost. Moreover, igubal® bearing is also durable, wear-resistant, chemical resistant and corrosion resistant. Its low moisture absorption also makes igubal® is suitable for outdoor use in wind and weather.
Secret of igubal®
The secret of igubal® lies on its high-performance polymer. It consists of thermoplastic base material enriched with embedded solid lubricants. The solid lubricant is released during rotation to make smooth rotation or movement. Additional lubricant can cost 30 euros per year. And despite the lubrication, they usually have to replace the bearing's wear-resistant parts annually and invest another 30 euros per bearing on an average. "Spherical insert bearings made of high-performance polymer, on the other hand, are injection moulded and cost only about three euros and do without external lubricants. Thus, the hybrid solution is 20 times more cost-effective.". igubal® JEM-SP series spherical ball even can operate for more than a year in many cases. This is mainly because of fibers and fillers that are added to the material matrix that make the spherical balls exceptionally robust and wear resistant.
Quick Assembly with Zero Conversion Cost
Furthermore, igubal® is also easy to install into a metal pillow block housing. Thomas Igus expert, Product Manager for igubal® spherical bearings said "Our JEM-SP spherical balls made of high-performance polymer can be connected to metallic pillow blocks in just a few seconds. This creates a powerful hybrid that totally dispenses with lubricating oil." He also added on that "Thanks to uniform sizes, the spherical insert bearings made of high-performance polymer can be installed regardless of the manufacturer and can be used, for example, in 2-hole and 4-hole fixed flange bearings as well as pillow block bearings". This has lead to many plant operators to switch to igubal® bearing
Igubal® Helps Companies Improve Their Eco-Efficiency
Replacing lubricated metal bearing with igubal® polymer bearing can help reduce lubricant usage hence improving company’s eco-efficiency. In addition, this improvement can also be experienced by other types of bearing. A good example is PTFE composite bearing which consists of metal shell and a thin coating of Polytetrafluoroethylene. The PTFE layer will experience wear and if the technicians do not replace the bearing in time, expensive consequential damage is inevitable. Once the PTFE composite has run out, the metal-to-metal contact will be inevitable, resulting in shaft damage or bearing seizure. Polymer bearing is free from this risk due to its homogeneous structure. Its structure makes its entire wall thickness is theoretically available as a wear zone.
Alternative for needle roller bearings and sintered bearings with igubal® bearing
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Figure 2
igubal® to Replace Metal Bearing |
Users of needle roller bearings can also benefit from igubal®. Common problem for a typical needle roller bearing is that rolling bearings have a high point contact due to the line contact between needle rollers and raceways and are sensitive to vibrations and shocks. Moreover, rollers bearing requires hardened shafts, as soft ones run the risk of shrinkage due to high edge pressure. Polymer plain bearings, on the other hand, have a lower risk with of shaft run-in than with needle roller bearings, even with high edge loads, so that users can use soft shafts. Furthermore, polymer plain bearings are able to absorb vibration and shock compared to metal bearing. Last but not least, they are corrosion-free and are resistant to inorganic media as well as acids, alkalis and salt solutions due to their organic nature.
Polymer plain bearings also do away with the disadvantages of sintered bearings. Sintered bearing absorbs oil impregnation in their porous body, which provides a lubricating effect at high rotation speeds. However, the problem arises with slow or pivoting movements as the lubricating wedge often cannot build up optimally. "In this case, the homogeneous structure of the polymer plain bearings with solid lubricants ensures that lubricant is always available - regardless of the type of movement and speed", Igus expert concludes. "Excellent coefficient of friction and wear is given over the entire product life cycle."
If strength is less important, but absolute freedom from corrosion, the lowest possible weight or maximum vibration dampening are, the customer can of course continue to rely on the all-polymer solutions from igus®. The spherical ball made of a self-lubricating iglidur material is located in a plastic housing made of a fibre-reinforced polymer.
Test laboratory enables risk-free changeover
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Figure 3
igubal® Pillow Block Bearing in Use |
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