Leading Slide Bearing Manufacturers

Types of Slide Bearings

Slide bearings can be categorized according to the bearing load direction. This categorization divides sliding bearings into two types: axial thrust sliding bearings and radial sliding bearings. The material of the shaft also determines how they are categorized. Bronze bearings, cast iron bearings, plastic bearings, jewel bearings, carbon bearings, etc., are several types of slide bearings.

Type Based on Bearing Load Direction

Radial or Journal Bearings

In radial bearings, the load operates perpendicular to the direction of motion of the moving member.

Axial or Thrust Bearings

A specific kind of rotary rolling-element bearing is a thrust bearing. Axial bearings permit rotation between parts like other bearings, but they are made to support mostly axial loads.

Type Based on Material

Carbon Insert Bearings

Graphite is employed as a shaft lubricant when the environment is too abrasive for rolling-element bearings. The cast bronze used in the conventional design is machined to the bearing's specifications, and holes are drilled through the casting's outer surface and into its inner surface. The holes are subsequently filled with graphite plugs. Sintered bronze with steel backings and graphite impregnation are some variations that allow for both dry and self-lubricated operation. In addition, high-temperature environments frequently employ graphite bearings.

Composite Slide Bearings

A material composed of various components, including material categories for bonding and strengthening, is used to make composite sliding bearings. Finely woven fibers impregnated with polymer resins make up composite material. The composite material's physical and chemical properties can be modified to suit specific requirements and applications. These maintenance-free composite materials' excellent load-bearing capacity, wear resistance, self-lubricating properties, and anti-corrosive behavior make them the perfect choice for slide bearings' most demanding movement-related applications.

Plastic Slide Bearings

Compared to metal, sliding bearings manufactured of resin are more versatile, lighter, and less expensive, making them suitable for various fields and machine parts. In addition, they feature a lower slip friction coefficient, produce less vibration and noise, and are lightweight. They are also resistant to chemicals and water, have great plastic workability, and have electrical insulation when heated.

Basic plastic, engineering plastic, and high-performance plastic are some of the numerous categories of plastic that are accessible. In addition, the designers can use the chemical and physical qualities specifically for certain applications, such as plastic sliding bearings. For example, slide bearings made of plastic resin can be used in applications where movement, support, or guidance is necessary.

Polymer Bearings

The newest method to slide bearings is polymer bearings, typically coiled with lubricating strands or injection molded with solid lubricants. A thin metal shell is frequently joined with the high slip material PTFE to create a slide bearing that may operate without cold flow. These bearings' effective range can be reduced by heat; metal shells are occasionally utilized to dissipate the heat generated during operation.

Molded polymer bearings often have lubricant dispersed throughout the whole bearing body. Any of these bearings could experience swelling due to dampness. Many manufacturers offer bearings constructed with low moisture-absorbing materials for usage in humid areas.

For polymer bearings to function properly, the shaft's smoothness is important. It shouldn't be too smooth or too rough. The compatibility of the shaft material and the bearing material is, in fact, a consideration for any fluid-film bearing.

Advantages of Slide Bearings

• They typically have a much longer lifespan than ball or roller bearings. This increased lifespan is even more true if the slide bearings are made of high-performance materials.
• Slide bearings are significantly quieter than alternative linear motion systems that offer comparable functions. This reduced noise is due to the absence of moving or rattling metal components within the rails, leaving only the barely perceptible sound of slides sliding against one another.
• Slide bearings are significantly more affordable than ball or roller bearings since they are built with fewer materials, last a lot longer, and are very adaptive and versatile.
• Keep in mind that all slide bearings eventually need to be serviced or replaced, just like any system subjected to weather conditions and normal wear and tear. But compared to their contemporaries, it takes much longer for this to happen.
• With liquid lubrication, the sliding surface is kept apart from one another by lubricating oil to prevent direct contact, significantly reducing friction loss and surface wear. The oil coating also has some vibration-absorbing properties.

Choosing the Proper Slide Bearing Manufacturer

To make sure you have the most positive outcome when purchasing a slide bearing from a slide bearing manufacturer, it is important to compare at least four manufacturers using our slide bearing directory. Each slide-bearing manufacturer has a business profile page that highlights their areas of experience and capabilities and a contact form to directly communicate with the manufacturer for more information or request a quote. Review each slide bearing company website using our patented website previewer to get an idea of what each business specializes in, and then use our simple RFQ form to contact multiple slide-bearing companies using the same message.