Felt seals designed to protect iglidur plain bearings

The company says that its new felt seals have been developed as an additional method of protection for plain bearings and shafts of the type frequently used in outdoor machine applications such  agricultural and construction equipment. Robert Dumayne, director of igus UK's dry-tech department, explains: “The combination of harsh weather conditions coupled with an outdoor environment often result  in a significant build-up of dirt. This presents real challenges to bearings, especially to those made of metal which must be greased regularly, as they can easily break, fail, or corrode. Our new seals, made of felt, are simple but effective. Placed on the rim of the bearing, when dirt does try to enter it is compressed into the felt structure.”

Clearly the  prevention of the ingress of contaminants brings extended service life to bearings, with users also saving on maintenance and lubricant costs too. An added advantage is that the new seals also ensure that no polluting lubricant is released into the environment. Igus says that its new felt seal has been rigorously tested in the company’s state-of-the art laboratory. The tests have revealed that this new seal gives an iglidur plain bearing a service life of around 50 times more than a bearing without a seal when running in in replicated conditions. Tests also revealed the shaft had considerably fewer signs of wear when a felt seal was used.