Metal Polymer Composite Plain Bearings

Schaeffler group industrial has brought a new metal-polymer composite plain bearing onto the market under its ina brand. It replaces the standard permaglide® plain bearing previously used. The new ina metal-polymer composite plain bearings enable economical solutions in many industrial and automotive applications. They are particularly effective with oscillating movements and achieve a rating life several times higher than that of bearings with conventional materials. In addition, all our new plain bearings are lead-free and, therefore, environmentally friendly. Different innovative materials ensure unprecedented variety. A selection of bearings with maintenance-free and low-maintenance materials are available under the designations e40 and e50. Their structures are basically identical: a porous bronze-sintered structure is applied to a steel or bronze backing and impregnated with a special plastic compound. The solid lubricants produce a lubricant film between the sliding surfaces, which provides low-noise operation with constantly low friction values throughout the entire service life. The bearings can also be used in water and other media due to the high moisture resistance of the material. The excellent material formability also enables customerspecific components to be designed for different rotary, linear and oscillating movements. The customer can thus select a product with optimal material characteristics for every application.