Characteristics and Advantages of Self-Lubricating Bearings

Unlike regular bearings, self-lubricating bearings, or sintered bearings, are manufactured from metals with a high porosity of between 20 and 25% of their volume. Simply put, the porous material used to manufacture these bearings is impregnated with lubricating oil, which reduces friction between the bearing and the shaft. This means that the bearing will not need to be externally lubricated. However it must still be maintained and checked regularly.

Self-lubricating bearings are typically used in the following applications:

• Automotive and mechanical equipment – in starter motors, radiators, fans, fuel pumps, brakes, steering transmissions, shock absorbers, wipers, and similar.
• Electric motors and gearboxes.
• Household appliances – in fans, washing machines, juicing machines, air-conditioners, coffee makers, vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers, and similar.
• Industrial equipment – in carpentry machinery, assembly line equipment, automation equipment, sewing machines, farm equipment, bottling equipment, and much more.
• Home comfort and convenience items – in garage doors, automated awnings and shutters, sliding windows, and similar.

There are many advantages to opting for self-lubricating sintered bearings over the other types available, and it is important to note these if you want to make the ideal bearing selection for your application. First and foremost, the presence of lubrication minimises the risk of seizure and thus makes these bearings more reliable than many other types. The minimal amount of maintenance required also makes them an economical choice. When it comes to performance, self-lubricated bearings outshine the rest. In fact, they can continue to work well under heavy loads at high speeds.

You will find that these bearings are typically available in several standard sizes or in solid or hollow cylinders that must be machined to the desired dimensions. We can manufacture custom bearings according to the client’s specifications as well. When self-lubricating bearings are custom designed, you can specify what material and oil should be used, as well as the shape, tolerance, and assembly method that you require.

At Technoslide, we pride ourselves on presenting the market with a range of professionally manufactured bearings. Self-lubricating bearings form part of our extensive range, which also includes metal polymer bearings, pot bearings, elastomeric bearings, pipeline bearings, bi-metallic bearings, and so on. We invite our customers to let us know what their needs and requirements are so that we can cater to them with an appropriate product.

For more information on our sintered self-lubricating bearings, and all our other types of bearings, take the time to get in touch with us at Technoslide. Simply drop us an email or give us a call at your earliest convenience.