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March - April 2020
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machinerylubrication.com
What do Boeing, John
Deere, General Motors
a n d t h e N a t i o n a l
Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) have
in common? Aside from being
industry leaders, they all use
self-lubricating plain bearings. You
may wonder how a self- lubricating
plain bearing can lubricate without
the addition of external lubricants.
e simple answer is that they work
by having solid lubricant impreg-
nated within the sliding layer of
the bearing.
Self-lubricating plain bearings
can provide comparable thermal
and mechanical performance to
externally lubricated needle and
roller bearings across many points
of measurement. By eliminating
the need for external lubricants,
they also offer versatility in a wide
range of industrial applications.
A notable example of their
versatility in the aerospace industry
is the use of three anti-friction bear-
ings in the drill spindle of NASA's
Curiosity rover. e spindle is one
of the four components that allows
the drill to operate in the harsh
environment on Mars and has kept
Curiosity exploring the red planet
since 2012.
The Plain Truth
About Plain Bearings
BEARING LUBRICATION
Chris Corneliussen and Kimberly Evans | GGB
"While self-
lubricating plain
bearings are
not a panacea
for every
application, they
can serve as
an alternative
to lubricated
bearings in
a variety of
applications."
Self-lubricating bearings can offer good wear and low-friction
performance in harsh conditions.
Three bearing segments serve as the primary suspension
components for the drill spindle on the Mars Curiosity rover.
