Self-lubricating bushings are used where the bearing must operate without lubricant or with marginal lubricant.
The goal of AST is to ensure that the bearing offers the best performance and longest service life under a variety of conditions. The working principle of self-lubricating bearings is that during the initial running-in period of the bearing, there will be a solid lubricating film created by transferring a small amount of material from the bearing layer. This film comes into direct contact with moving parts, protecting and lubricating the corresponding components and extending the bearing's useful life.
The use of plain bearings can offer a number of benefits that end users should be aware of. These include:
- Elimination of lubrication holes and grooves: The costs of machining lubrication holes and grooves are not necessary. Self-lubrication eliminates the need for an additional lubrication system.
- Reduced machine operating costs – thanks to maintenance-free features, lubricating oil consumption is drastically reduced; Machine management costs will also decrease.
- Maintenance-free operation: Self-lubricating bearings solve the problem of operation and lubricating devices, also saving bearing maintenance costs.
- Simplified mechanical design and manufacturing: With the above advantages of thin wall thickness, higher load and excellent wear resistance, mechanical designs can be simplified and made more economical.
- Environmentally friendly: Self-lubricating bearing materials operate without oil and meet the ROHS directive.
