Los friction bearings are mechanical elements who are responsible for bear a load and allow movement sliding or rotating between two elements in a machine. Its primary use is avoid wear and tear on the support points of the machine, an effect that would be generated if the axes were to roll directly on the structure. Are you immersed in a project but it's causing you too much trouble to know what bearings and bearings do you need? Don't worry! In the next post we are going to delve into their uses and typology. Here we go! Los friction bearings they are made up of two parts, on the one hand there is the fixed part that supports the loads, known as holder and on the other hand, the area that suffers wear and tear, that is, the one that is in contact with the moving element: the socket.In order to minimize losses produced by friction in bearings, attempts are made to use pairs of materials with friction coefficient reduced or interpose between the pieces a lubricating: solid -graphite or teflon-, liquid -oil- or gaseous -pressurized air-.

Types of friction bearings

- According to the type of contact that exists between the pieces:

• Sliding or friction bearings:

The fixed and mobile surfaces friction by sliding, separated from a lubricant film. Also known as bushings, bushings, plain bearings or friction bearings, are generally cylindrical in shape and contain no moving parts.

• Rolling bearings or bearings:

In them the Tree Sparrow And the surface of Rolding From the support they are separated by rolling elements, so that the rotation of the cap or bearing generates a rolling movement and not a sliding movement. They consist of two rolling rings separated from each other by bodies, also rolling, interposed between them, whose shape varies according to their use.

- Depending on the lubrication system When used, three basic types of friction bearings are distinguished:

• Self-lubricating bearings: No external lubrication required:

They are made of porous materials that, when impregnated with oil, absorb it and distribute it slowly to the moving parts of the machine.

• Bearings with periodic lubrication:

They require a small supply of lubricant periodically.

• Bearings with permanent lubrication:
  • Hydrostatic bearings: The lubricant is introduced under pressure with a external pump. Sus handicaps The main ones are that the failure in the lubricant supply endangers the installation and its high cost.
  • Hydrodynamic bearings: They do not require external injection of lubricant, but are the moving parts that create a hydrodynamic effect which causes the oil to lubricate the parts in contact. These bearings work on their own and do not require an external supply of pressurized oil. Its use is critical in machines with high starting torque.

- According to the bearing position With regard to load, there are three types:

• Axiales: They accept loads in the direction of their axis.
• Radials: They accept loads in a direction perpendicular to their axis and none in a longitudinal direction.
• From Empuje: They accept loads both axially and radially.

Advantages and disadvantages of friction bearings

Los friction bearings include advantages and disadvantages compared to bearings, some of them are:Advantages:

• They are lighter.
• Lower cost
• Long lifespan without fatigue of your elements.
• Lower weight.
• Less noisy.
• They require less radial space, as they are built with thin walls.
• Its installation is easier.
• The use of lubrication procedures using self-lubricating bearings is excluded.
• They make it possible to achieve a higher speed of rotation.
• Increased shock tolerance

Disadvantages:

• Increased friction in transient processes (especially when starting up).
• They require more axial space.
• The use of anti-friction materials in their manufacture is indispensable.
• Higher wear than bearings since there is direct friction between the bushing and the shaft.

On many occasions the bearings They play the Same functions That the friction bearings, but the choice of one or the other in a project depends on the end use that will be given to it. El CLR team, in one of his success stories, decided to use friction bearings, since they exceeded mechanical needs of the equipment and they made it easier to rotate the shaft more economically, being the ideal and most beneficial solution for your customer. That's why when it comes to choosing your component supplier you must take into account many factors such as professionalism and quality of your team, without neglecting your trustworthiness and humility, two fundamental aspects to achieve the success of your projects.