Overall reliability of earthmoving machines can be dramatically improved by replacing steel bearings and bushings that need constant greasing with lon
Overall reliability of earthmoving machines can be dramatically improved by replacing steel bearings and bushings that need constant greasing with longer lasting lubrication-free polymer equivalents at a fraction of the cost.
Juan-Eric Davidtz of polymer producer, igus South Africa, says not only are polymer bearings and bushings usually cheaper than traditional ones, they also outlast them many times over. “Our biggest obstacle in this industry is to convince owners and fleet managers that polymers are tough enough for back-breaking earthmoving work. Once we show them and prove the worth of these components they never look back and we have a customer for life – it’s just about setting up the first meeting and proving what we already know,” says Juan-Eric.
He explains that igus polymers not only improve reliability but also reduces lubrication, extends service intervals and keeps machines working longer between scheduled stop times. Its high-performance igutex fibre composite plain bearings and iglidur Q3E heavy-duty plain bearings are designed with solid lubricants built in.
They are corrosion and dirt resistance for harsh environments typical of construction, mining and earthmoving. The advantages include:
• igutex bearings are made via a two-layer winding process with an inner gliding layer imbued with solid lubricants, as well as outer layers of robust, wear-resistant fibreglass filaments. That means no grease or oil is required nor is central lubrication, necessary and eliminates messy over-greasing.
• iglidur Q3E is a newly developed polymer with injection-moulded two-component technology that combines a load-bearing shell with an inner low-friction surface. The result is a cost-effective option for high-load applications with excellent surface pressure capability.
Juan-Eric says there are many examples of tracked vehicles used in rough mud, dust, even salt and corrosive environments. In these instances the swing-axle and tension-axle bearing points traditionally need regular maintenance and replacement. This is simply not the case with igus bearings that easily survive these types of conditions without lubrication.
“Our bearings easily outlast other bearing materials including metallic and plastic types. Our polymers, like iglidur Q3E have been shown to dramatically outperform the rest. In these types of applications it is not uncommon to eliminate 20 to 30 lubrication points per machine per day simply by switching to dry-running iglide and igutex plain bearings.
Polymer bearings offer the following advantages:
1. Reduced Service Intervals: With no need for regular re-greasing or oil changes at bearing points, machines have fewer scheduled stops.
2. Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Savings as a result of less lubricants, labour, downtime, vibration damage and shaft-wear all add up.
3. Better Reliability in Harsh Environments: Dirty environments kill metallic and poorly sealed bearings fast while solid-lubricant plastics resist these challenges as well as reduce corrosion and dirt ingress.
4. Simpler to use: Fewer greases to buy, store and dispose. Less risk of environmental contamination from grease run-off. Reduced health risks to staff from handling lubricants.
“It is important to owners and fleet managers to realise that every minute machines are idle costs money. That is why we are reaching out to encourage them to look at incorporating igutex and Q3E bearings in their machines. We want to show them how they will be able to shift maintenance from constant vigilance to scheduled intervals by making the simple switch to our advanced engineered polymer solutions,” concludes Juan-Eric.
