By Mary C. Gannon, Senior Editor
igus Inc. exhibited at MinExpo this past September for the first time, using the event to promote its newer lines of heavy-duty bearings, for use in heavy equipment like excavators, cranes, and other machinery used in rugged environments.
For example, the iglide TX1 heavy-duty bearing is rated for up to 29,008 psi static and 20,305 psi dynamic, for pivoting applications under extreme loads. This bearing offers high rigidity and durability especially under high radial loads during pivoting operations. Thanks to its closed-loop wound structure, it provides dimensional stability even when there are major jolts and impacts.
igus showcased its heavy-duty bearing offerings at MinExpo in September, including its iglide TX1.
For example, Sebastian Bloechl, head of product management, dry-tech bearing technology, said that these durable bearings can take up to 2 million lb of load. “If you talk about the bucket of the big excavators, that’s a huge load. They ram it in the ground, and that’s a big shock load,” he said. “Anywhere there’s a hinge point, these can be used.”
Earlier this year, igus launched its fiber composite bearings from the igutex series. Designed for on-shore cranes, they offer a robust and wear-resistant alternative that is corrosion-free and resistant to dirt. Key here is that these plain bearings, made of high-performance plastic, eliminate the need for lubrication, resulting in significant cost savings. With the annual cost of lubrication alone across all industries reaching $ 240 billion, and associated maintenance costs exceeding $200 billion, the benefits of this technology are clear. Self-lubricating plain bearing technology not only reduces maintenance costs but also conserves personnel resources amidst a shortage of skilled labor, and enhances the service life of cranes, thereby increasing port productivity.
The igutex series plain bearings offer a robust and wear-resistant alternative that is corrosion-free and resistant to dirt.
To demonstrate this, igus also demonstrated its lubrication-free technology, showing how lubrication can cause serious contamination and messes.
“This is one of the biggest highlights this year. We worked with the university to better understand lubrication, and what the costs mean in the world. Everybody is used to lubrication,” Bloechl said.
When you apply the grease, you use a grease gun to push the grease in and it’s a huge mess. “Every eight hours, somebody’s coming in to grease it, so another $200 billion in the world is being spent on just applying the grease. Then a huge amount, like $750 billion is being spent on insufficient application,” Bloechl said. “If you miss a greasing cycle, the bearing is not protected by the grease anymore, so the metal bearing would eat into the shaft, which leads to downtime.”
To promote its zero lubrication technologies, igus demonstrated how costly and messy frequent lubrication can be.
The lubricant also attracts dirt and dust, which also can damage the bearing shaft. Zero-lubrication just makes sense in these dirty environments, Bloechl said.
The igutex composite plain bearings are produced using a two-stage winding process. Initially, an inner layer of filament fabric with integrated solid lubricants is created. These microscopic lubricant particles are gradually released during movement, enabling dry operation with low friction coefficients. The second winding process creates a protective outer shell from a resin-impregnated and highly durable fiberglass fabric. Thanks to this two-stage winding process, the polymer bearings in the igutex series achieve a maximum permissible surface pressure of up to 29,000 Psi.
Sebastian Bloechl shows off just one section of what igus says is the world’s largest bearing, with a minimum diameter of 30-in.
Finally, Bloechl highlighted a section of a bearing that he said builds up the world’s largest bearing. “It starts with 30 in., that’s the smallest one, and it can be manufactured to unlimited sizes,” he said.
igus Inc.
igus.com
Filed Under: Bushings • plain (sleeve) bearings