Will There Ever Be Such A Thing As A Truly "Green" Bearing?
Sustainability and the environment are of increasing concern in the industrial world with engineers, suppliers and manufacturers seeking to use, sell and create products which actively work to minimise negative effect on our natural world. By their very nature, industry and manufacturing can contribute significantly to our carbon footprint, which means it is both crucially important that these areas come up with green solutions, but also very challenging. This hasn't stop bearing manufacturers coming up with imaginative ways of achieving both functional and sustainable bearings. Although we're a way from creating a practise where every ball bearing is made from sustainable materials, there are significant signs within the industry which indicate that we're moving in the right direction.
The new Iglidur N54 plain bearing made by Igus is made of 54% sustainable and natural raw materials. The polymer used is made mainly of castor oil, rather than the conventional crude oil normally used for ball bearing material in plastic bearings. UK director of igus, Matt Aldridge says this is a first for the bearing industry,
"The introduction of our iglidur N54 biopolymer marks the first serious step towards 'green bearings'... The biopolymer is made from crop oil instead of crude oil – you can't eat it, and it's not biodegradable – but it is an industry first for a technical polymer." – drives.co.uk
The new material requires no maintenance or ball bearing lubricant and in-house tests have indicated the bearing has exceptional wear resistant properties for loads of up to 2MPa.
The SKF Energy Efficient BearingSKF have developed a new range of bearings designed to reduce frictional moment by 30% or more, thereby reducing overall energy consumption. The range of bearings named 'SKF Energy Efficient (E2) Bearings' are of the same dimensions as ISO standard bearings, and can therefore replace bearings in existing equipment; reducing cost and energy consumption for end users. The ultra-low friction bearings can run cooler than standard SKF bearings at equivalent loads and speeds, meaning they may reduce lubricant use and potentially extend life of equipment.
Although the bearings themselves are not made from sustainable materials then, they become sustainable when put to use.
Water LubricationAnother idea which has been introduced by MIKASA is manufacturing and supplying rubber bearings and friction free bearings which use water for ball bearing lubricant. These bearings achieve a 'green' status by reducing pollution, saving energy, improving equipment life and reducing friction and noise pollution.
Since the bearings use water instead of oil lubrication, the risk of oil leaks is completely eradicated. The bearings are designed with grooves on the inside of the rubber which automatically remove contamination from sand and grit as the bearing rotates, improving the shelf-life of the equipment. The bearings are designed to reduce friction to an absolute minimum and have the ability to suppress abnormal vibrations in the equipment, making the overall mechanisms as quiet as possible.
So Does the 'Green' Bearing Exist?Above are a few examples which certainly indicate we are getting closer to creating 'green' bearings for some applications. To really achieve sustainability though, we need to think about the overall picture. A 'green' bearing used in conjunction with equipment designed without sustainability in mind renders any benefit of the original bearing obsolete. Manufacturers can promote sustainability by making efforts to create and supply environmentally-friendly products, in the hope that end users will ensure their overall practises work with, rather than against, the environment.