Why is that? PEEK is a real problem solver when it comes to high temperatures above 200☌. But in order not to go beyond the scope of this article, we will stay with PEEK for the time being, since this material is used quite often in plain bearings. There are also a lot of other “higher-end” materials like PPS, PPS-U, PAI and so on. PEEK – Sounds like “peak” not without reason Applications range from office chairs to the mounting of brake levers in mountain bikes. The addition of various fillers and reinforcing materials results in many different specifications and applications. However, PA66 shows all its strengths in terms of wear resistance, friction behaviour and mechanical strength, is therefore used frequently, and is available in a wide range of variants, especially in heavily stressed plain bearing applications. PA66 is also quite cost-effective and is often used because of this and other advantages. Production of large-volume parts and machining are more difficult here. PA66 (polyamide, consisting of 2 monomers with 6 carbon atoms each, pronounced PA-six-six) is even more stable than POM and somewhat more temperature-resistant, especially with the widespread additional reinforcement with carbon or glass fibres. Here, emissions in confined spaces due to heat caused by solar radiation can become a problem – or at least lead to unpleasant odours. However, POM is not used in vehicle interiors, for example. In most applications this is not a problem. In addition, POM-based materials tend to emit small amounts of harmful formaldehyde. Users come up against the limits of the material for bearings with high loads or high temperatures. From a bearing in hand mixers to a packaging line. Plain bearings made of POM are used in many different applications. In addition, it is very wear-resistant, dimensionally stable, reasonably temperature-resistant, quite creep-resistant and, in addition, relatively cost-effective. It is easy to process and work with and is therefore versatile and can be used for various types of bearings. ![]() POM (polyoxymethylene) enjoys great popularity among plain bearing manufacturers and users alike. … or to stick to the potato example: the chips and boiled potatoes. PA66 and POM – the most common representatives Nevertheless, to get an idea of the differences within the most commonly encountered plastics for plain bearings, let’s take a closer look at some of them. (Despite all the drama required for an exciting intro, the majority of these questions in bearing technology might, of course, be answered probably via an early squeaking somewhere in the machine) In case of doubt, the wrong plastic will be responsible for tens of thousands of customer complaints and ruined companies or even human lives. Both potato salad and potato soup fill you up. ![]() This makes the decision all the more difficult. The characteristics according to which the various options must be selected are of decisive technical and economic importance. Of course, in practice it is more complex and serious. But then I still have to weigh things up: fried potatoes? Potato soup? Potato dumplings? Potato casserole? Potato salad? Which plastic to use for plain bearings? PEEK? Or POM? PA66 with 30% fibreglass? Or without? The agreement on “potatoes” limits the possibilities by about 50%. It would be great if the question could be broken down to “potatoes or noodles”. As an apt comparison, my daily favourite question comes to mind: “What do we want to cook today?”. ![]() Once the first question “plastic or metal” has been answered in favour of plastics, one is often just as smart as before. Plain Bearings Which plastic for plain bearings? POM, PA66 and PEEK in comparison Lars Butenschön | 20.
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