Seals & Bearings

Bearing and Vibration Analysis Articles >> 

For most optical guidance applications, Barden provides bearings in 440C - a martensitic stainless steel that provides good corrosion resistance.

To reduce friction and adhesive wear, the bearings can also be designed with retainers that incorporate PTFE as a source of lubrication, particularly for applications in which oscillatory movement of the bearings is required.
Super-precision bearings are being used to improve optical guidance systems and stabilise camera platforms for military and commercial applications

Super-precision bearings are being used to improve optical guidance systems and stabilise camera platforms for military and commercial applications

Often the bearings are designed with special ball separators (toroids), positioned over every other ball in the bearing and manufactured from a self-lubricating material.

Six innovative products enhance multi-axial energy chain system for robots

Energy chain specialist igus has introduced six new product lines to its Triflex R system of third-generation 6-axis robot energy chains. The multi-axial energy supply system, developed specifically for sophisticated 6-axis robotic applications in harsh industrial environments, now comprises well over 200 components.

“Our primary goal is to provide our customers with technological advances in the robotics industry, while reducing process costs,” said Justin Leonard at igus UK. “With the introduction of these six new product lines to the Triflex R system, all the requirements of large welding robots to small palletizing robots can now be met.”

Highly wear resistant, easy to install and completely maintenance-free

25th November, 2009 – Plastic bearing expert igus has developed a range of innovative slewing bearings that use two self-lubricating, low friction polymer sliding elements in place of conventional ball bearings.

As a cost-effective, low noise alternative, the igus PRT polymer slew ring bearing modules are also highly wear resistant, easy to install and completely maintenance-free, while at the same time are robust and have a very high load capacity.

Low wear, low friction without lubrication

Linear technology expert igus has developed a completely new breed of hybrid linear bearing that both rolls and slides. Called DryLin® WJRM, this innovative bearing system reduces driving force significantly and is particularly well-suited to applications that combine sliding and rolling movements, such as manually adjustable doors, guards, partitions and locks, as well as for light handling tasks.

The lubricant-free plastic sliding plain bearings ensure the hybrid linear system is robust, insensitive to dirt and humidity, as well as being lightweight and cost-competitive. The polymer rollers, which are also maintenance-free, allow for easy manual adjustment of heavy machine doors and protective doors that can weigh up to 50kg. At a defined installation position, the roller bearing, which carries the main load, reduces the overall driving force by a factor of between four and five – this eases manual operation considerably.

* design features increase reliability of food and beverage processing automation

Baldor Electric has launched a new Dodge-brand mounted ball bearing incorporating sealing and lubrication innovations that can substantially extend equipment lifetimes in harsh, washdown-duty operating environments such as food and beverage processing.

Dodge ULTRA KLEEN ball bearings employ a 100% stainless steel bearing insert and feature a patented new sealing system and a ball retainer that retain lubrication and prevent washout in wet operating environments.

At TOTAL 2010, Baldor is showing for the first time in Europe two new innovations for automation and machine builders that improve reliability and reduce costs.

Baldor believes the first introduction to be the ultimate mounted ball bearing for washdown operating environments such as food and pharmaceutical processing.  Called ULTRA KLEEN, this new Dodge-brand bearing features a 100% stainless steel bearing insert plus a new sealing system and ball retainer that retain lubrication and prevent washout in wet operating environments.

Air Bearings Ltd (ABL) of Poole, Dorset, are Queen’s Award winners for Export and Innovation in the design and manufacture of high speed air bearing spindle motors. Their use of the Whitelegg Baker AWA 2.2 analyser enables rapid testing of each motor ensuring total quality control.

Non contact bearing systems offer significant advantages over other low friction devices. In an air bearing the surfaces in motion are separated by a thin film of pressurised air acting under the laws of physics.

Use of Wind Energy – Future Development The share of renewable energy sources in total energy consumption is to be increased to 20% in 2020.

Spares management is a complex issue for manufacturers, almost regardless of the sector in which they are operating. Rapid access to spares is of course vital to maintaining continuity of production and avoiding costly downtime.

However, not only are the required spares often of low value and required infrequently, but the sheer range of components to which a plant needs to have access can be daunting. And, for many, that range of products means dealing with a multitude of suppliers across different product areas – from bearings and mechanical power transmission to hydraulics, pneumatics, tools and personal protective equipment (PPE).