Bearings and bushings, also known as plain bearings, are reinforced with metal for enhanced durability. They feature self-lubricating low-friction compound strips, crucial for reducing friction and enabling movement. Engineers typically choose between rolling bearings and plain bearings; while rolling bearings like ball bearings are familiar, understanding the various types of plain bearings is more complex.

Plain bearings can be classified as sliding or sleeve bearings. They can be upgraded with metal interlayers made from materials such as bronze, stainless steel, or aluminum-clad steel, depending on requirements. Composite bearings, which consist of a metal backing, a PTFE layer, and a metal interlayer, provide tailored performance characteristics based on material choices.

Available in various designs, from simple metal or plastic shapes to more complex configurations with a metal carrier and polymer layer, plain bearings are widely used in industries for radial, thrust, and linear bearings depending on the movement type.

Typically, a plain bearing has a metal-reinforced structure and a low-friction PTFE layer, making it suitable for applications where conventional rolling bearings are used. Bushings, the simplest plain bearings, come in cylindrical sleeve forms for radial loads and flanged designs for added axial loads.

The selection of metal backing and PTFE layers is based on specific performance requirements, such as torque reduction, tolerance compensation, sizing improvement, damping, and corrosion protection. Engineers collaborate to choose the optimal metal and sliding layer based on performance, environmental factors, and operational conditions.

Bearing designs vary in shapes and geometries, with customization options like flanges, spherical shapes, and holes to optimize performance across different applications.

Types of bearing designs include cylindrical bearings, flanged/sleeve bearings, thrust washers, sliding plates, and half-shells.

Self-lubricating bushings are custom plain bearings reinforced with metal for enhanced durability. Select from a wide range of metallic bushings, plain bushes, flange bushes, oilless washers, wear-resistant plates, thrust washers, and bespoke bronze components.

Let’s start with the plain bearing and Glide bushing!

Composite bearings vary by materials and construction:

PTFE Composite Bearings: Featuring a metal backing and a PTFE layer, sometimes with an additional metal interlayer, these bearings are known for their self-lubricating properties, low friction, and high wear resistance.

POM (Polyoxymethylene) Composite Bearings: Similar to PTFE bearings, these have a metal backing and a POM layer, offering enhanced resistance to misalignment and edge loading.

Fiber Reinforced Composite Bearings: Made from fiberglass-impregnated epoxy with low-friction, wear-resistant linings, these bearings provide high load capacity, corrosion resistance, and excellent shock and edge loading capabilities.

Composite Bearings: Composed of a blend of base polymers, a PTFE lining, and a metal backing, these are designed for specific load and speed requirements, performing well in dry or lubricated applications.

Steel Backed Composite Bushings: These bushings combine a steel backing with a sintered bronze layer and a polymer lining, typically PTFE, delivering structural strength and ease of installation.

Polymer Resin with Glass Fiber Composite Bushings: Reinforced with glass fibers, these bushings are commonly used in automotive applications due to their outstanding mechanical properties and self-lubrication.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites: Utilizing carbon fibers, these bushings offer superior strength-to-weight ratios, excellent stiffness, and resistance to fatigue and creep under high loads.

Each type of composite bearing has distinct properties suited to specific applications, factoring in load capacity, friction, wear resistance, and environmental conditions.