tech talk
Learn more at www.igus.com/info/plain-plastic-bearings
To make life a bit easier, some manufacturers of plastic plain bearings will provide recommendations
for how much surface load a bearing can take, as well as the appropriate temperature range to ensure
bearings stay in place.
What to do besides selecting the right material?
The wrap-up:
Careful material selection and strategic design are vital for securing bearings against moving out of
housing bores. Different design choices for securing bearings are covered in part two of this series.
The consequence
Bearings that move in the housing bore do not
automatically fall out of it completely. If they cannot
move axially, they can still rotate. This can lead
to squeaking and decreased overall running
performance. The worst case is, of course, a bearing
that exits the housing completely, as it leaves the
shaft unprotected and results in significant wear.
High temperatures or loads will not always lead to
system failures of epic proportions. The specific
load-to-surface ratios and temperatures requiring
specific materials or additional axial securing vary
based on the plastic material and compound.
High speed rotation caused overheating, which led to lost press
fit and the bearing rotating in the housing instead of the shaft.
Dust originates from the housing and bearing material.
