TECHNICAL NOTES

TheScienceofSelfLubrication
DebunkingtheMythofLubedforLife

Introduction

Bearingandlinearguidemanufacturersmisuseofperformancebuzzwordssuchasselflubrication,
maintenancefree,andlubedforlifehasledtoabroadmisunderstandingofwhatthesetermsactually
mean.Thisconfusioncanleadtomisapplicationofproductsresultinginfailures,downtime,andbottom
linelossesinproductivityanddollars.

feltwicksmayextendthelifeofabearingsystem,theycannotbeclassifiedasselflubricating.They
requiremaintenanceattentiontooillevelsthatdissipate,age,andbecomeineffectiveovertime.

Truelubeforliferequiresthatthelubricationbeanintegralelementoftheoriginalbearingmaterial.To
betrulyselflubricating,thelubricationcannotbeanaddon,doesnotbreakdown,andremainsapartof
thebearingsmakeupforitsentirelifewithouttheneedforoutsidemaintenance.

WhatisSelfLubricating?

Selflubricationischaracterizedbythebearingsabilitytotransfermicroscopicamountsofmaterialtothe
matingsurface.Thistransferprocesscreatesafilmthatprovideslubricationandreducesfrictionoverthe
lengthoftherailorshaft.

TransferProcess

Thetransferprocessisanongoingdynamicfunctionoftheselflubricating
bearingthatwillcontinuethroughoutitsoperationallife.

Thefirstandmostcriticalstepintheprocessisthebreakinperiod.Thisis
whentheinitialtransferofmaterialtothematingsurfacetakesplace.The
amountofbearingmaterialaffectedduringthetransferisdependentupon
multiplefactorsincludingthespeed,load,andlengthofstroke,etc.forthe
application.Typicallytheinitialtransferprocesswillbeaccomplishedin
50100strokesofcontinuousoperation.

Thesecondaryandongoingphaseofthetransferiswheretheself
lubricationismosteffective.

Thetransferprocessdepositsamicroscopic
filmontheshaftandinthevalleysofthe
matingsurfacecreatingatrueself
lubricatingcondition.


CommonMisconceptions

Cleveradvertisinggimmicksandinaccuratetrainingmaterialsareclaimingselflubricatingorlubedfor
lifecapabilitiesforsystemsorcomponentsthatdonotfitthedefinitionofthelubricationbeinganintegral
elementofthebearingmaterial.Belowisadescriptionofsomeofthesetypesofsystems.

TypesofNonSelfLubricatingSystems

RollingElementSystems
Theseincluderotary(ballandroller)bearings,roundwaylinearball
bearings,androllingelementprofiletypemonoraildesigns.Allof
thesesystemsrequiresomekindofexternallubricationtooperate.
Themetaltometalcontactoftherollingelementagainstthe
racewaynecessitatesthattherebegreaseoroilpresentatalltimes.
Ifthisexternallubricantisnotpresent,theballorrollerwillbeginto
makedirectcontactwiththeshaftorrailmaterialresultingingalling
andbrinellingdamage.Manymanufacturersattempttoovercome
thisweaknessinthedesignbyaddingoilimpregnatedsealstothe
endsofthebearingorhousing.Thisapproachcanresultinsome
benefittothelifearolling

Oilimpregnatedbronze
Thesebronzebearingsareveryporousandhavelightweightoil
soakedintothematerial.Undertheoptimumconditions,thisoilis
drawntothebearingsurfacecreatingalubricatedlayerbetweenthe
bearingandtheshaft.

Graphitepluggedbronze
Graphiteisagoodsolidlubricantthatisnormallyaddedtoabronzetypebearing.Solidplugsofgraphite
areusuallyinsertedintoholesinthebasebronze.

Tefloncoatedmaterials
PTFEcanbeusedtocoatbearingsurfacesinseveralways.Itcanbeappliedaseitherapartofapowder
simplydustingthebearing.Itcanbeasprayedmixturethatadherestothebearingsurface.Oritcanbe
partofaliquidorgreasecompoundappliedtothebearing.Anyofthesemethodsresultsinaverythin
layerofactuallubricantthatisquicklywornawayandbecomesineffective.

Oilimpregnatedplastic
Hereagain,lightweightoilisaddedtothebasematerialtoaidinbearinglubrication.Theresultis
decreasedfrictioninitially,butlubricantaginganddissipationquicklyreduceitseffectiveness.


Whatmakesasystemselflubricating?

1.Thelubricationisanintegralcomponentofthebearingmaterial.
2. TheoilorgreaseisNOTaddedtotheoriginalbearingdesign.
3. TheoilorgreasewillNOTbreakdownandbeineffectiveovertime(lubricantageingoraging).
4. Theoilorgreaseisconsistentlyappliedtotheshaftsurface.
5. Additionalcomponentsdonotaddcosttotheoverallsystem.
shaftorbearingdamageandreducesystemlife.(Doubleedgeswordofrollingelementbearings)

Totrulybeselflubricating,abearingsystemmustdoexactly
whatthenameimplies.Itmustprovideitsownlubrication
throughoutthelifeofthesystemandnothavesomeexternal
sourcefacilitatinglubricationforaperiodoftime.Itmustbe
designedandmanufacturedintothebearingmaterialfromthe
beginning.OneexampleofthisisPBCLinearsSimplicityself
lubricatingliner.

TheAdvantagesofSimplicityFrelonLiner

Nometaltometalcontact

Nogallingorbrinelling

Noaddedlubricantstoattractadditionalcontaminants

Dampensvibrationforsmoothandquietoperation

Actualmaintenancefreeoperation

ProvenSuccessinPBCLinearProducts

SimplicityLinearPlaneBearings

UniGuideModularGuides&System

MiniRailMiniatureLinearguide

Summary

Thetermselflubricatingshouldnotevokeageneralizedmeaningthatpassivelyrepresentsabroadrange
ofdifferenttechnologiesstrivingforthesameoutcome.Selflubricatingreferstoaspecificlinearmotion
performanceadvantagemadepossiblebyauniqueproductdesignthatsatisfiesallaforementioned
criteria:internallubricationsystem,noaddedgreaseoroils,nolubricationbreakdownandnoaddedcost.
Inotherwords,selflubricatingmustensurethecleanandmaintenancefreeoperationinthemost
challengingenvironments.Designersneedtolearntorecognizethedifferencebetweenthevarioustypesof
lubricationoptions.Failuretodosowillresultincostlymisapplicationsandredesigns.

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