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Polymer Bushings Taking a Beating: Two Important Concepts behind the Wear and Tear

Polymer Bushing Mechanisms of WearPolymer_Bushings_on_Black-Shelf

Bushings have two mechanisms of wear: adhesion and abrasive.  Adhesion, as discussed in a previous post, occurs when two surfaces come into direct contact and the atoms from one surface adhere to the other surface.  Abrasion occurs when a harder surface contacts a softer surface and removes material from the softer surface.  For polymer bushings, the primary mode of wear is adhesion.  The key to understanding wear by adhesion is a proper understanding of how polymers respond to friction.

 

Here are some other articles relating to polymer bushings and bearings from Advanced EMC Technologies:

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Bearing Basics: Facts Your Boss Hopes You Know about “Plain Polymer Bearings”

Plain Polymer Bearings

In this article, we are going to look at the different types of “plain” (or “plane”) polymer bearings.  Both spellings are correct, it’s only a matter of blogger preference.   “Plain polymer bearings” is preferred for this article.  Recall that the purpose of bearings in general is to:

  • support shafts,
  • reduce the friction between contacting surfaces,
  • and to constrain motion along one or more axes. 

There are different ways to classify plain bearings, and in this article we will look at one possible means of classification:  sleeved, flanged, and thrust bearings.   

plastic-bearing-chart

Want even more Bearing Basics? Check out these articles from the Advanced EMC Technologies blog:

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