What is igubal and what benefits do they offer?
Vishaka Upreti | 24 May 2021
Many industrial applications need 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 range of polymer spherical bearings from igus GmbH. Like all other products from igus, igubal bearings offer many advantages against metal spherical bearings.
Here are few benefits that design engineers can 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 ideal solution for application where dirt and dust can encounter the lubrication which could lead to performance issues.
On the other hand, applications in areas like packaging industry or laboratory equipment, contamination due to lubrication of bearings 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 and are resistant to most chemicals. They can be used in application which involve cleaning or applications with saltwater, caustic etc. Most metal rod ends, and spherical bearings are made of steel which will certainly corrode in such applications. There is an option of stainless steel but at a much higher cost.
- Lightweight
Polymer spherical bearings are up to 80% lightweight compared to metal spherical bearings which offer 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 medical industry, polymer bearings are ideal.
- Predictable lifetime and wear rates
With the igus expert system, which is an online tool, users can enter their maximum laods, speeds, temperatures, and other application related details which then prompts the system to calculate wear of igubal spherical bearing in that application. It provides lifetime in hours of bearing.
Apart from these benefits, igubal spherical bearings are low on 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 at
