iglidur Q2E: A lubrication-free world for heavy machines

By OEM Update Editorial September 16, 2019 3:50 pm IST

In construction machines, agricultural machines, utility vehicles and offshore installations, plain bearings often have to cope with extreme conditions such as heavy loads. igus has therefore further developed its lubrication-free two-component bearing iglidur Q2E. The material iglidur Q2 ensures a tested high degree of wear-resistance, and a hard polymer shell protects the heavy-duty bearing.

Dirt, impacts and high edge loads Bearings in construction equipment, agricultural machines and offshore installations often have a hard time and have to cope with extreme conditions. Durable materials and dirt-resistant components are therefore called for. igus has now upgraded its iglidur Q2E heavy-duty bearing for exactly such scenarios of use. igus is expanding its range of bearings for heavy-duty applications and closes the gap between existing bearings and solutions made of metal and composites. The bearing consists of high-performance plastics and is therefore completely lubrication and corrosion-free. The absence of lubrication allows maintenance-free operation of the bearing points and prevents machine failures due to lack of lubrication. Expensive central lubrication systems are no longer necessary.

Dirt and impurities can no longer adhere to the bearing points, and this minimises wear. In addition, less grease and oil escapes into the environment, a result of which the annual consumption of over 35 million metric tons of lubricant, as measured by RWTH Aachen University, is reduced. Another advantage: the injection-moulding method used to manufacture the plain bearings is especially cost-efficient.

The combination is the secret
Two materials in an encapsulated design ensure that the bearing can cope even with the most extreme edge loads. This is because the iglidur Q2E has a hard polymer shell and a tribologically optimised core composed of iglidur Q2 as the material. When used for a plain bearing with a diameter of 20 millimetres, this material is also very dimensionally stable and wear-resistant even under high loads of up to 7 metric tons. Functioning as a protective sheath, the shell makes the bearing very sturdy and ensures that it has a longer service life. igus has proven this in its own in-house test laboratory. In the swivel test, the material withstood a radial load of 130 MPa. iglidur Q2E is initially available for shaft diameters of 20, 25, 30 and 40mm.

For more information, visit: www.igus.com