10 reasons to change your metal bearings

In this week’s video René Achnitz, head of the iglidur bearings business unit at igus, gives 10 reasons why engineers should consider changing their metal bearings with iglidur tribopolymer bearings.

The homogenous structure of iglidur tribopolymer bearings consists of thermoplastic polymers that ensure the bearings have good basic resistance to wear. Fibres and filling materials increase the bearings load-carrying capacity. Solid lubricants make the bearing self-lubricating and therefore maintenance free, as well as insensitive to dust and dirt.

The absence of lubrication also plays an important role in the food and packaging industry where strict hygiene standards apply.In contrast to metals, iglidur bearings are non-corrosive due to the organic structure of the material.

Problems with bearing wear and corrosion should, like dinosaurs, be extinct now.Changing to plastic bearings is a technical step forward; igus iglidur is tested thousands of times, every year igus engineers develop more than 100 new plastic compounds and conduct more than 3500 tests on maintenance-free plain bearings.

By replacing metal bearings with iglidur bearings, an estimated cost reduction of up to 40% can be achieved in addition to the 90% reduction in weight. More than 3,000 dimensions are available from stock with no minimum order quantities and delivered with no additional packaging costs.