Save with Smart Bearing Choices
Bearings are pivotal for constraining relative motion between moving parts. They decrease friction, support loads and maintain correct positioning in rotating shafts.
Sliding bearings (also known as sliding bushes or plain bearings) are cylindrical or flanged bushes placed between a shaft and its housing to direct and ease the movement of the shaft. They are well known for their simplistic but purposeful design.
Choosing the right bearing material, however, can prove a challenge.
From varying materials to sizes and maintenance requirements, picking a suitable bearing is no simple task. The right choice provides optimal performance, longevity and safety. The wrong one, on the other hand, can result in rising wear and disastrous failures.
Ultimately, smart bearing choices can save you (time, energy, costs) – big time.
4 Tips to Make a Smart Bearing Choice
- Examine Your Environment
Examining your operating environment is important in determining which bearing material is required. Look out for contaminants (debris, dust), moisture and/or corrosive substances. The correct bearing material should be resistant and durable to your environment.
If you’re looking for good load capacity and insensibility to dirt, our POM-MET® might be the choice for you.
If you’re looking for good chemical resistance and no moisture absorption, then consider our GAP-MET®/M instead!
Whatever your environmental needs may be, SBS is equipped and ready to assist with a large range of offerings.
Discover our full updated bearing catalogue on the home page: https://sbs-bearings.com/
- Understand Maintenance
Other factors crucial to consideration are a bearing’s load, speed, operating environment and lubrication needs. All this play a part in maintenance.
A smart bearing choice establishes the type and magnitude of load the bearing will encounter (radial, axial, or combined). Ensuring the bearing has sufficient load capacity for its application is a core consideration that relates to maintenance.
It is essential to note that traditional bearings call for regular lubrication, cleaning and inspection.
Maintenance-free bearings, which are also known as self-lubricating bearings, have a design that doesn’t require regular lubrication or maintenance (hence, its name). These bearings come with appropriate solid lubricants for your application to form a thin film of sliding layers with the low friction of coefficient, which result in low heat generation, low wear rate, and hence longer life for the bearings.
In harsh environments, selecting maintenance-free bearing materials is always a valuable choice. These materials help ensure reliable performance even when scheduled maintenance is missed. In situations where bearings experience dry running due to lack of lubrication, solid lubricants embedded in the material can still provide smooth sliding and help prevent damage.
Comparing maintenance-bound and maintenance-free bearings, suitability is dependent on your machinery’s needs and its application, costs, temperature and more.
SBS’ LUB-MET®, for example, is a maintenance-free material.
It has load capacities of <150 N/mm2(static), <100 N/mm2 (dynamic) and high temperature resistance (up to 350°C). As it is maintenance-free, LUB-MET® is highly suited for environments where greasing is impractical such as underwater applications.
Our BRO-MAS®, on the other hand, is maintenance-bound.
Its load capacities are ≤ 150 N/mm² (static), ≤ 60 [ N/mm² ] (dynamic) and a temperature strain of -40 – +150 [ °C ]. Due to requiring maintenance, the BRO-MAS® is preferable for dirty environments as regular greasing will clean the bushing ID from foreign particles.
More materials available to view here: https://sbs-bearings.com/products
- Find a Trusted Supplier
A trusted supplier is vital for many reasons.
This includes reliable communication, customer service and dependable products.
Knowing a supplier can be trusted means knowing the bearings they provide are reliable, high-quality and up to the mark. This directly impacts your machinery’s performance, longevity and downtime! Overall, saving hassle.
SBS – Singa Bearings Solutions has over 20 years of experience with sliding bearing and bushing technology. We know how important being trustworthy is and consistently aim to build resilience for the future.
More on SBS’s practices here: https://sbs-bearings.com/blog/maintaining-your-bearings-for-the-best-performance
- Discuss with an Expert
In relation to the point 3, trusted suppliers often have an expert, knowledgeable team.
This team offers meaningful technical support. They are able to guide from start to finish – understanding your needs, recommending suitable solutions and providing guidance through installation and maintenance.
An expert team understands the complexities of bearing types and go far beyond the surface level. This leads to proper bearing installation, crucial for functioning and longevity. The knowledge from a bearing expert(s) is invaluable and can save you more than you’d think!
Curious on how the SBS team go above and beyond with their knowledge and expertise? Read further here: https://sbs-bearings.com/blog/above-and-beyond-sbs-bearings#more-9811
Here at SBS – Singa Bearings Solutions, we are keen to assist you in making a smart bearing choice!
Our highly certified team commits to providing the best service. With our head office in Singapore, we are trusted globally by customers. Alongside SBS’s deep-rooted technical knowledge and analytic capabilities, customers who have put their trust in the SBS team and our inventive products have noticed their machinery’s performance improve considerably.
SBS also operates under strict ISO 9001:2015 certification ensuring that we create with the same precision over and over again with impeccable detail.
Looking to make a smart bearing choice today and save time, money and hassle?
The SBS team is ready to assist.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to us! Email us at info@sbs-bearings.com.sg or
call at +65-6316 3850 today!
