New Lead-free Bimetal Bearings

GGB Bearing Technology, formerly Glacier Garlock Bearings, has expanded its line of lead-free, bimetal bearings with the addition of its GGB-SZ material. Developed in anticipation of future customer requirements, the material is a lead-free alternative to GGB´s well-known SY lead-bronze bimetal bearings.

The GGB-SZ plain bearings consist of a tin-bismuth-bronze sliding layer sintered onto a steel backing. This construction provides high load capacity, particularly high specific loads with low-frequency, and oscillating motion. The new bearings have a broad temperature range with very good fatigue resistance at higher temperatures, and good corrosion resistance. Potential applications include agricultural and construction equipment, textile machinery, pneumatic equipment, king pins, brake callipers, oil pumps and small end bearings.

The company introduced its lead-free GGB-CBM series of bimetallic bearings in 2013. The GGB-CBM series is based on a range of bronze alloys, with a choice of stainless, carbon, seawater-resistant steel and bronze backings. The bearings are manufactured using a powder metallurgy process to produce a metallic matrix with homogeneously distributed solid graphite lubricant, which forms a lubricating film with the bearings’ motion. Potential applications include steel works and civil engineering, turbines (water, steam and gas), pumps and compressors, food and beverage equipment, packaging and handling equipment, tire molds, agricultural and construction machinery, and general mechanical engineering, among others.

Both GGB-SZ bearings and the GGB-CBM series of bimetal bearings comply with the requirements of the EU directive on End-of-Life-Vehicles, 200/53/EC. They are available by special order to customer-supplied designs and drawings. For more information, contact germany@ggbearings.com.