GGB tribological solutions move the industrial world one step closer to the future. Our products are used in tens of thousands of critical applications every day—around the planet. Our goal is to provide reliable, maintenance-free surface solutions for almost any application—no matter where those demands take our products.

Simply using automation doesn’t guarantee success. The technology must be considered an instrument to achieve a goal. Basic decisions and activities must still be performed. The following are typical mistakes that can jeopardize the potential benefits of deploying automatic lubrication.

Radialandaxialdirection

Having an automatic lubrication device doesn’t mean that the system won’t require any inspection. Regular inspection will help ensure the best results from an automated system. Inspection also will help to identify installation issues (damaged fittings, leaking or blocked pipes, lubricators not dispensing at the right pace, etc.) and spot when it’s time to change or refill lubricants.

Lubrication is an essential part of machinery maintenance for nearly every production facility. On average, lubricant purchases amount to only 3 percent of a maintenance budget, but lubrication-related activities can influence an estimated 40 percent of total maintenance costs.

Automatic lubrication alone certainly is not the solution to all your lubrication issues. It must be properly understood to boost its potential benefits. However, there are solutions available in the market for virtually every application, so it is difficult to imagine that a critical application is not worth equipping with an automatic lubrication device.

Axial vs radialcapacitor

Radial ball bearings are designed to withstand forces that are perpendicular to the direction of the shaft, or radial loads. Radial bearings are the most common type.

Axialandradialload bearing

As a fundamental in any lubrication program, the lubricant selection must precede the lubrication system selection. After all, the lubricant that goes into the application is what lubricates, not the delivery system itself.

Keep in mind that while deploying automatic lubrication systems can free personnel from time-consuming basic activities to provide extra value, it cannot replace staff who can deliver value at this level.

Axial vs radialpump

In order to achieve optimum reliability and maximum benefits from a lubrication program, several factors need to be taken into account. These factors are summarized by the well-known five “R”s of lubrication:

Bimetal and metal bearings offer excellent corrosion resistance in industrial outdoor applications and in water, marine and offshore environments. GGB offers a broad range of sizes, forms and materials in monometallic and bimetallic bearings.

The fifth “R” can be defined once the application conditions, asset criticality and maintenance strategy are analyzed. This will help you make the decision on whether to automate each lubrication point. In order to make that decision, the pros and cons of automatic lubrication should also be understood and considered.

To illustrate this point, consider that on average, a human being requires about 2,000 calories per day. Would you rather consume your weekly total of 14,000 calories once a week or in nearly equal amounts over seven days?

GGB cylindrical bearings, with their high load capacity, are designed to support large radial loads. Our Fiber Reinforced Composite Bearings are especially apt for these applications with load capacities up to 415MPa.

The maturity level of a maintenance program (corrective, preventive, predictive, etc.) will dictate the skill and knowledge level required of personnel involved in lubrication-related activities.

GGB's Fiber Reinforced Composite products typically consists of a filament-wound, fiberglass-impregnated, epoxy backing with a variety of low-friction wear-resistant bearing linings. These self-lubricating fiber reinforced composite bearings are particularly effective in applications where the relative motion is not sufficient to promote circulation of the oil or grease used with more conventional bearings. GGB Fiber Reinforced Composite bearings are available as bushes, plates, bearing segments and special forms, depending on the particular material type.

Axial vs radialmovement

Of course, deploying an automatic lubrication system requires some level of investment. To maximize the return on that investment, the key is to choose the right solution based on the requirements and criticality of the application. Typical solutions range from inexpensive single-point automatic lubricators to very complex centralized systems with various options for online monitoring. Determining which option is best for your application depends to a great extent on your criticality analysis.

Axialandradialalignment

At GGB, we aren’t afraid to take risks for our customers. We are passionate about the work we do and believe that same passion contributes to the level of innovation that can enhance human potential. We take pride in working closely with customers in the early stage of a design to think broadly and boldly, and to expand beyond traditional surface engineered solutions. We offer reliable partnerships based on trust, compassion, determination, collaboration and respect.

GGB has been putting the world in motion for over 120 years with industry-leading tribological bearings, coatings and assemblies. From Polymer Coatings and Metal-Polymer bearings to Fiber Reinforced Composite bearings and self-aligning shaft bearing assemblies, our solutions are specifically designed to reduce friction and optimize performance and durability.

The simple task of pushing a lever on a grease gun to provide manual lubrication can be easily replaced by a machine. However, the real issue is whether you are getting the maximum value from your skilled maintenance technicians. Such personnel can manage a lubrication program through:

If we assume the technician is satisfied with two strokes (if he doesn’t see any grease coming out of the seals), then after a year the bearing will receive 156 grams (52 weeks times 3 grams per week) instead of 104 grams (52 weeks times 2 grams per week). This means that up to 52 grams (50 percent) of grease will be wasted.

Moreover, lubrication routes must be updated, and manual lubrication tasks must be replaced with inspection tasks at an adequate interval. The frequency of inspection is less than that required for manual relubrication, but it still must be planned.

GGB thrust washers and flanged thrust washers are offered for applications with heavy axial loads. These washers are available as a special form of our popular plain bearings including DP4® and DU® self-lubricating bearing materials.

Lubricant contamination will also affect bearing life and increase the risk of failure. In manual lubrication programs, avoiding grease contamination can be a challenge.

This example shows the benefit of accurately delivering the right quantity of lubricant (the second “R”), but what about the frequency of lubrication (the third “R”)?

Engineered as a solution to conquer misalignment reduction when high demands are placed on bearings, GGB's UNI, MINI and EXALIGN® self-aligning shaft bearing assemblies offer improved equipment performance under standard bearing assemblies by reducing stress and friction. Offering superior performance in a wide variety of applications, GGB's self-aligning assemblies are available in both standard and custom configurations.

Improper relubrication activities can have a significant impact on the environment. Consider again the grease waste calculations in the previous example. Now try to estimate the impact of this waste on the environment. Naturally, it depends on the disposal practices you implement at your facilities, but in basic environmental terms, the less waste the better.

For applications with high radial loads and the possibility of light axial loads, GGB Metal-Polymer Flanged Bearings are recommended.

GGB's Engineered Plastic Polymer bearings provide excellent wear resistance and low friction in both dry and lubricated operating conditions over a wide range of applications. Engineered plastic bearings are made from thermoplastic bearing material processed by injection moulding. This production method enables us to produce unlimited dimensions in accordance to our standard, and also parts with special designs and features.

Tribology is the science of wear, friction and lubrication, and encompasses how interacting surfaces and other tribo-elements behave in relative motion in natural and artificial systems. This includes bearing design and lubrication.

There are many advantages in using automatic lubrication systems. These include reduced waste and risk of bearing failure, cleanliness, less labor, and improved environmental health and safety.

By comparison, a properly installed single-point automatic lubricator can supply a continuous and accurate flow of fresh and clean lubricant, keeping the application in proper condition while at the same time preventing contaminant ingress.

GGB's diverse polymer coating solutions encompass some of the most state-of-the-art coating technologies available. Our TriboShield®  product line includes seven standard formulations that cover the full spectrum of mechanical, thermal and chemical capabilities offered by today's coating materials. They can also be applied to nearly any surface, regardless of shape or material, making their potential almost endless. And when it comes to working with and enhancing the performance of your existing bearing and polymer coatings solutions, our TriboMate product line is specifically designed to be paired up— all leading to enhanced performance.

... some high precision bearings are specially manufactured to withstand support loads, or bearing loads, in various directions. Two examples are radial loads and axial loads, or thrust loads.GGB offers a range of plain bearing solutions that are able to support radial loads, axial loads, or both types of loads.

For example, consider a bearing that needs to be relubricated with 2 grams of grease every week. With a standard grease gun, this would mean that the bearing should receive about 1.3 “strokes.” However, manually delivering 0.3 strokes is difficult. In reality, two strokes would likely be given. In other words, the bearing would receive 3 grams instead of 2 grams of lubricant each time.

In some applications, ceramic bearings, a type of radial bearing, are used to withstand high rotational speeds. The rolling elements are ceramic, which is significantly lighter than steel. This reduces the centrifugal force within ceramic bearings at high speeds.

In the previous example, the technician will relubricate the given point 52 times a year. As a result, the bearing will be exposed 52 times to external contamination as well as to over- and under-lubrication.

GGB seeks out collaborative, long-term relationships with each one of our customers. Our diverse expertise gives us a deep understanding of the challenges you face.  When you partner with us early, our GGB engineering team is able to review your assemblies and make sure both the bearing and surrounding components are optimized for performance and cost-effectiveness.

The excellent low friction and high wear resistance performance of GGB metal-polymer bearings make them ideal for hundreds of applications in numerous and diverse industries. Depending upon application requirements, metal-polymer composite bearings can be produced in many shapes and sizes.

Relubrication quantities are dictated by the physical space available in the bearing, while relubrication intervals are dictated by the working conditions that determine the degradation rate of the lubricant (speed, load, temperature, type of bearing, etc.).

The fourth “R” refers to best practices, such as tagging and color-coding (or other methodology) of both lubrication points and tools in order to avoid cross-contamination.

Axial vs radialplay

The lubricant and the automatic lubrication device must complement each other to ensure a better overall performance. Needless to say, not all lubricants are suitable for all automatic lubrication systems, and the impact of a lubrication system on the structure of the lubricant depends on the technology of that given lubrication system.

As the maturity of maintenance and associated lubrication programs increases, so does the complexity of tasks that lubrication technicians must be capable of completing. These include activities such as:

A single-point automatic lubrication system can deliver the right amount of grease at the right time to each lubrication point. This reduces both grease waste and the risk of bearing failure.

Axial vs radialmeasurement

In addition, GGB-MEGALIFE® XT Thrust Washer with PTFE tape liner is offered as a fiber reinforced composite PTFE thrust washer for heavy axial load applications that also require a solution with good chemical resistance.

Extending relubrication intervals beyond the calculated limits will expose the lubricant to excessive degradation and the bearing to lubricant starvation conditions. On the contrary, shortened relubrication intervals with adjusted quantities would renew the lubricant’s properties.

Processes must be clean to ensure no external contamination ingress to the grease, and each lubrication point should have a cap on its grease fitting. In addition, the utmost clean relubrication process for each point must be followed every time.

Therefore, as more mature maintenance programs are adopted, the areas where skilled maintenance technicians can add value to your operations need to be carefully considered. For example, are they best utilized performing manual relubrication, which can easily be automated, or by using their skills and knowledge to perform more analytical tasks, lubricant analysis and making improvements to the lubrication program?

Some ball bearings are able to withstand a radial and axial load applied on the shaft, these combined axial/radial load bearings are achieved by axial angular contact. The angle of these axial radial bearings allows the axial load and the radial load to be distributed more evenly along the axial angular contact ball bearing.

Consequently, parameters like pumpability and oil separation must be taken into account when an automatic lubrication system is to be installed. Furthermore, relubrication intervals must be defined in a way that prevents the lubricant from being stationary inside the lubrication ducts, especially when exposed to extreme temperatures that could promote premature degradation. Failure to understand and act on these issues can affect the performance and associated benefits of deploying an automatic lubrication system.

The starting point of an effective lubrication program is the detailed mapping of all lubrication points, including their working conditions, lubrication requirements and criticality. This information is needed to select the most suitable lubricant and the quantity of lubricant needed, as well as to calculate the adequate relubrication intervals. These are the first three “R”s.

Next, consider points that are difficult or even hazardous to access and the potential impact to your personnel. This is another area where automatic lubrication systems offer real benefits.

GGB’s TriboU is intended to provide the ​working engineer, who may or may not be a ​user of GGB’s surface engineered solutions, to ​understand and implement basic tribological ​concepts in the design, manufacture and ​use of industrial equipment.

Axial bearings, or thrust bearings, are designed to withstand force in the same direction as the shaft. This is called an axial load, or thrust load.

Besides lubricant costs, half of acquired components require relubrication. Overtime labor is mostly a result of machine failures typically caused by inadequate lubrication. In addition, approximately 5 percent of labor costs can be attributed to lubrication activities.