Lubricated Bearings Bring Solid Benefits

An innovation in lubrication, developed and manufactured by SKF has been introduced to protect bearings that are used in particularly demanding applications, in areas where they cannot easily be relubricated, or where high levels of contamination can otherwise affect their operation. Called Solid Oil, the technology is contained within the normal bearing envelope and has no negative impact on performance or functionality, yet depending on the application it can significantly prolong operating life. Solid Oil bearings are essentially sealed for life, using a conventional cage and rolling element arrangement that incorporates a specially developed oil-impregnated polymer material, which completely fills the internal voids within each bearing, leaving a narrow gap between rolling elements and raceways.

The microporous structure of the polymer material holds up to four times more oil than a conventional grease-filled bearing, and allows oil to be released gradually around the moving internal surfaces, ensuring uniform and consistent lubrication for the operating life of each bearing.

This construction offers a number of important benefits over conventional bearings.

In particular, it enables oil to be dispersed evenly over the bearing surfaces regardless of operating temperature.

For example, at low temperatures a Solid Oil bearing has extremely low startup torque, compared with competing grease-filled bearings; similarly, as operating temperatures rise, increasing the viscosity of the oil, so the lubricant expands and is pushed outwards from the polymer layer to match the increased requirement for lubrication of the moving surfaces.

Once the bearing stops rotating, any excess oil is reabsorbed by the polymer matrix.

In addition, Solid Oil bearings are ideal for use both in areas with high levels of contaminants, as the polymer layer prevents dust, moisture and solvents from attacking the moving bearing parts, and in applications with high g-forces, as the polymer layer also prevents oil being spun from the bearing under centrifugal force.

The technology can be supplied as an option with most standard SKF bearings.

Applications for Solid Oil bearings are many and varied but include printing and paper making, food processing and electronics manufacture, as well as in overhead cranes, chemical mixers and pneumatic couplings.

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