Lubrication-free plastic bearings for maintenance-free lifting mechanism in forklifts

Profile

• What was needed: Plain bearing made of iglidur G
• Requirements: Lubrication-free and maintenance-free bearings that work reliably over the long term and enable cost-efficient operation. The bearings must also be resistant to dust and dirt.
• Industry: material handling
• Success for the customer: Replacing the bronze bearings with plastic bearings eliminates the need for lubrication. The low-wear new bearings operate without failure and are resistant to dirt and dust. This saves the operator the equivalent of several €100,000 a year in operating costs.

Plain bearings made of iglidur G work completely maintenance-free and lubrication-free in the lifting mechanism of this forklift.

Problem

In these forklifts from the Indian manufacturer Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., a more cost-efficient bearing solution was also sought for the lifting mechanism in other points. Previously, phosphor bronze bearings were used at several bearing points, which led to increased maintenance costs for the forklifts as they had to be lubricated at regular intervals. Due to the lubrication, dust also clogged the bearing points over time. Overall, this resulted in increased wear and tear on the bearings, which was associated with high material costs for the procurement of spare parts.
A new maintenance-free solution therefore had to be found that not only saves the user regular lubrication, but also has low coefficients of friction and can remain in use for a long time.

Solution

The engineers at Godrej & Boyce found the solution in our plastic bearings made of the material iglidur G. In the lifting mechanism and in various operating levers, they successfully replace the phosphor bronze bearings, whereby even high loads such as shocks and impacts on the lifting system pose no problem for the high-performance bearings. Thanks to the self-lubricating specifications, maintenance work is a thing of the past for the operator. This also solved the problem of adhering dust. In general, the iglidur bearings are particularly resistant to dirt and dust and are suitable for use outdoors as well as indoors. The low coefficients of friction also ensure a long service life for the bearing points. The customer saves several €100,000 a year in operating costs due to the lack of maintenance and the longer service life.