INA metal-polymer composite plain bearings replace Permaglide

The new INA metal-polymer composite plain bearings are said to be economical for many industrial, automotive and product applications. They are particularly effective with oscillating movements and achieve a rating life several times higher than that of bearings manufactured from conventional materials. In addition, the new INA plain bearings are lead-free and, therefore, environmentally friendly.

Furthermore, a choice of innovative materials enables designers to match the bearings' performance characteristics to the application requirements. A selection of bearings featuring maintenance-free and low-maintenance materials are available under the designations E40 and E50.

For these two INA ranges, the structures are basically identical: a porous bronze-sintered structure is applied to a steel or bronze backing and impregnated with a special plastic compound. Solid lubricants within the plastic compound produce a lubricant film between the sliding surfaces, which provides low-noise operation with constantly low friction values throughout the bearing's service life. Resistance to moisture means the metal-polymer composite plain bearings can even operate while immersed in water and other media. The excellent material formability also enables customised components to be manufactured for different rotary, linear, combined motion and oscillating movements.

A new brochure is available to download from the Schaeffler website. Follow the link for more information about INA metal-polymer composite plain bearings and to download the brochure.