What is igubal and what benefits do they offer in the Automotive Industry?

Shery George | 17 August 2022

Several industrial applications require bearings with self-aligning features and this is generally achieved by using spherical bearings. A spherical plain bearing is a bearing that permits angular movement around a central point.

igubal is a range of polymer spherical bearings from igus GmbH. Like all the other products from igus, igubal bearings offer many advantages over metal spherical bearings.

Here are some of the benefits that design engineers consider while using igubal polymer spherical bearings.

• Self-Lubricating

igubal polymer spherical bearings do not require external lubrication, making them completely maintenance free. Self-lubricating bearings are an ideal solution for applications where dirt and dust can encounter the lubrication which could lead to performance issues.

On the other hand, applications in areas in the Automotive industry may be affected by the contamination of dirt and dust due to lubrication of bearings which could make things worse. With igubal you do not need to worry about it at all.

• Corrosion and Chemical resistance

Unlike metal bearings, polymer bearings will never corrode even in contact with water and mud. They can be used in applications which involve Most metal rod ends and spherical bearings made of steel which will certainly corrode in applications such as gear shift linkages, shifter cable ends etc. There is an option of stainless steel but at a much higher cost.

• Lightweight

Polymer spherical bearings are up to 80% lighter compared to metal spherical bearings which offer a number of advantages in applications where weight reduction can offer benefits like increased fuel efficiency.

• Vibration Dampening

Polymer spherical bearings eliminate the excess noise and chattering associated with metal bearings. For applications where noise is an issue such as in electrical vehicles, polymer bearings are ideal.

•  Predictable lifetime and wear rates

With the igus expert system, which is an online tool, users can enter their maximum loads, speeds, temperatures, and other application related details which then prompts the system to calculate the wear of igubal spherical bearing in that particular application. It provides a lifetime in hours of bearing.

Apart from these benefits, igubal spherical bearings are low of cost. Polymer spherical bearings can replace metal bearings in most of the applications. They can reduce maintenance and installation costs and reduce the threat of bearing failure.

For more information about igubal spherical bearings visit the product page https://www.igus.in/info/spherical-bearings-spherical-bearings or contact me directly:

For any queries, please feel free to contact

Mr. Nitin Prakash Vibhandik

Product Manager igubal Spheric Bearings
E-mail: nprakash@igus.net
Mobile : +91 7760368383