East Providence, RI- Plain polymer bearing performance doesn't have to depend so much on the composition of the shaft. Instead, new Polymer-Encased-Polymer (PEP) bearings from igus inc. diminish the influence of the shaft material by combining concentric sleeves of self-lubricating polymers into a single closed bearing.
The PEP's stationary inner sleeve acts as the mating surface to the shaft, while the outer sleeve rotates.
By carefully matching different polymer compounds for the inner and outer sleeve, igus can tailor the bearing wear and coefficient of friction characteristics. At loads up to 725 psi, the bearings offer a coefficient of friction of 0.12 to 0.2-versus 0.08 to 0.3 for polymer and steel.
The company offers the bearings for a variety of rotary-movement applications, including ones served by closed ball bearings. ID sizes range from 6 to 20 mm and are designed for press-fit installation with a recommended tolerance of H7.