What Are the Best Machined Bushings Materials?
Dec 13, 2021
The performance and function of a bushing can vary greatly depending on its material.
Bronze bushings
Bronze bushings have exceptional durability and a long service life. They don’t corrode and are not easily deformed. However, bronze bushings do need plenty of lubrication during operation, making them higher maintenance than plastic.
Plastic Bushings
Plastic bushings are popular, being a low-cost, low friction and low maintenance option. They are self-lubricating so are good for hard-to-reach parts, and as there’s no risk of corrosion, they can be used in wet environments.
We take a look at the pros and cons to plastic as a bearing material.
Advantages of plastic bushings
Plastic bushings have a lot of operational advantages. They are self-lubricating, thus they are maintenance free and have a low coefficient of friction. Plastic lends itself best to simple plain bearings, because it reduces both weight and maintenance, and you won’t see any brinelling.
Limitations of plastic bearings
Plastic is not the recommended bushing material for heavy loads. Plastic bushings can crack under a high load, which as well as damaging the bearing itself can harm the mating parts and increase the friction. Another issue can be a tendency to misalign if the manufacture or assembly is not absolutely precise – a real issue with off-the-shelf bushings.
In addition, in high-temperature environments can cause plastic materials to soften, resulting in permanent thinning.
If plastic is specified, the engineering plastic material of choice is usually PTFE.
Etone Technology Co., Ltd. is a one-stop machined bushings manufacturer. Our engineers will work with your prototype to large volume production.
Are you looking for high quality bushings and do you want to contact a technical advisor? Send an email to [email protected]. We are happy to help.
Bronze bushings
Bronze bushings have exceptional durability and a long service life. They don’t corrode and are not easily deformed. However, bronze bushings do need plenty of lubrication during operation, making them higher maintenance than plastic.
Plastic Bushings
Plastic bushings are popular, being a low-cost, low friction and low maintenance option. They are self-lubricating so are good for hard-to-reach parts, and as there’s no risk of corrosion, they can be used in wet environments.
We take a look at the pros and cons to plastic as a bearing material.
Advantages of plastic bushings
Plastic bushings have a lot of operational advantages. They are self-lubricating, thus they are maintenance free and have a low coefficient of friction. Plastic lends itself best to simple plain bearings, because it reduces both weight and maintenance, and you won’t see any brinelling.
Limitations of plastic bearings
Plastic is not the recommended bushing material for heavy loads. Plastic bushings can crack under a high load, which as well as damaging the bearing itself can harm the mating parts and increase the friction. Another issue can be a tendency to misalign if the manufacture or assembly is not absolutely precise – a real issue with off-the-shelf bushings.
In addition, in high-temperature environments can cause plastic materials to soften, resulting in permanent thinning.
If plastic is specified, the engineering plastic material of choice is usually PTFE.
Etone Technology Co., Ltd. is a one-stop machined bushings manufacturer. Our engineers will work with your prototype to large volume production.
Are you looking for high quality bushings and do you want to contact a technical advisor? Send an email to [email protected]. We are happy to help.
