Plain bearings for underwater applications
An
Igus UK product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Oct 29, 2004
New polymer materials promise to outperform graphite bearings in underwater applications.
According to extensive tests performed approximately 2 years ago by an independent pump manufacturer, at that time there was no serious alternative to the large-scale use of graphite bearings.
In a direct comparison in terms of wear, all plastic plain bearings achieved poorer results.
Even when the advantages of polymer bearings were taken into account, replacing graphite bearings was not an option.
Igus has now introduced a completely new bearing that is clearly superior to the wear resistance of graphite bearings.
The new bearing has a minimal wall thickness, with easy assembly and is very robust.
It is also cost efficient, resistant to chemicals and has a good thermal stability compared to graphite bearings.
Its test results were good enough for Igus to launch an extensive development programme with an ambitious aim: find a material that is clearly superior to graphite bearings in terms of resistance to wear under water.
Determining a suitable location was the first step.
But several preparations had to be carried out in advance: a test bench had to be developed that could be used to test several bearings under water, while simultaneously subjecting the bearings to different loads.
For the duration of the test, which could amount to several months, it was necessary to ensure a constant flow of water around the bearings at all times.
The bearings had to be accessible and easy to replace.
It also had to be easy to check and top up the water level.
All known materials with a good chance of success were then tested.
The results were then used to draw initial conclusions about the structure of the planned, water resistant bearings.
The development of new materials then began: various basic polymers were combined with suitable fillers.
Initially, all new materials had to compete against one another in a long-term endurance test, run over a period of 100 hours, to establish their wear resistance.
Igus discovered a material that reduced the degree of wear found with graphite bearings by a factor of 10.
It was also proven to be extremely abrasion resistant.
The tests had an interesting side effect: in the course of developing this underwater bearing, two types of material performed equally well.
The material Iglidur UW is characterised not only by excellent wear resistance, but also the fact it is very inexpensive.
A cost advantage of more than 50% versus graphite bearings can be achieved for applications in which bearings are required in large quantities.
However, the second material can also be an interesting option for some applications: with this material, the thermal stability is significantly higher, which means that it is appropriate for use on automotive applications, close to an engine.
This material continues to be tested at Igus.
Iglidur UW plain bearings are manufactured as ready-to-install bushes, in almost any size, and comply with pump manufacturer requirements.
However, the test trials still have some way to run.
Now that the endurance tests have been successfully completed, the next step involves researching special features, such as the performance of the plain bearings in saltwater and waste water.
According to Dr Ralf Selzer, Materials Developing Engineer at Igus in Germany: "Trial tests in conjunction with a customer are just as much a part of the test programme as standard tests".
"What the new material can actually achieve can only be proved in practical applications".
"This includes tests in saltwater and in contaminated environments".
"Our customers support us by providing their concrete data, which we can then reproduce in our laboratory".
The material properties of Iglidur UW were tested to analyse the following: thickness, colour, maximum absorption of water at 23C and 50% relative humidity, weight, thermal properties, upper long-term application temperature, upper short-term application temperature, lower application temperature, electrical properties, volume resistance, surface resistance.
The test results available on request from Igus.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact Igus UK
Tel +44 1604 677240
Other Igus UK stories
-
Polymer bearings are ideal for pump applications
A new technical report explains how Iglidur UW (underwater) plastic plain bearings can directly replace standard graphite or carbon. -
Igus launches wear-resistant Iglidur compounds
Igus has launched the Iglidur J3 and Iglidur X6 compounds. -
P4 energy chain system has two sizes
Igus has introduced a range of products for port cranes at the TOC Europe in Bremen. -
Plastic bearings versus other alternatives
Some engineers hesitate to use plastic bearings because they have trusted metal and bronze bearings for years or they simply don't think plastics can handle tough applications, according to Igus UK. -
Igus continuous-flex cables use bundling technique
In nearly all Igus Chainflex cables, the conductors are bundled to eliminate problems associated with cables constructed in layers.
Browse by category
-
Capital Equipment (3,423)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (519)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,106)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (468)
- Production line blowers and fans (65)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (941)
- Consultancy and Services (909)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,068)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (807)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (187)
- Control and Instrumentation (2)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (295)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (202)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,185)
- Plantwide control (1,337)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (569)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (388)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,398)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (1)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,285)
- Industrial Motors (500)
- Linear Drives and Motors (115)
- Precision Motors and Gears (420)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,075)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,212)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (558)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (695)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (636)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (1)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (371)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (713)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (426)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (812)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,236)
- 2D CAD software (201)
- 3D CAD software (1,162)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (572)
- Data, document management software (313)
- Electrical design software (165)
- Engineering Design Software (15)
- FEA and structural analysis software (374)
- File conversion software, data capture (355)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (334)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (319)
- PLM and collaboration software (652)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (261)
- Publishing and documentation software (232)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (201)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (928)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,145)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Conferences (433)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (845)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (568)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (357)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (636)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Seminars (405)
- Engineering Training Courses (443)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (176)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (280)
- Health and Safety Legislation (402)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (114)
- Machine Building (4,568)
-
Materials and Processing (2,994)
- Materials and components (2,237)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials processing and testing (288)
- Rapid Prototyping (464)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,543)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (479)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (498)
- Data loggers (423)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (636)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (736)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (445)
- Materials testing equipment (420)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (156)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (510)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,239)
-
Powertrain Design (3,652)
- Bearings (960)
- Chains and belts (329)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,456)
- Hydraulic Components (473)
- Lubricants (431)
- Powertrain Design (2)
-
Sensors (7,150)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (434)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (622)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (286)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (155)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (529)
- Linear Position Sensors (408)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (712)
- Pressure sensors (625)
- Proximity Sensors (708)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (551)
- Sensors (8)
- Temperature sensors (613)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,396)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,989)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,661)
