xiros flange ball bearing (R) remained unchanged even after 120 hours in the aggressive high temperature salt water unlike the metal bearing (L)

Plastic ball bearings won the corrosion resistance battle against metal bearings in a salt water test conducted at the igus test laboratory. The winner, xiros by motion plastics specialist igus, competed against metal ball bearings in one of the largest laboratories in the world for testing plastics in moving applications, and was found to be up to 60% lighter and 40% more cost-effective than the metallic version.

Available from Treotham , xiros flanged ball bearings are made using lubrication-free and maintenance-free tribo-plastics.

The plastic and metal bearings were tested at the igus laboratory where more than 12,000 tribological tests are conducted every year including tests that investigate the use of a wide variety of materials in the most varied environments.

To test xiros flanged ball bearings and metal bearings in salt water, the engineers at the igus laboratory filled a container with saltwater from the sea and heated it to +80 degrees Celsius. The two different bearings were placed inside for 120 hours; these included a classic 2-hole flange bearing made of metal and a xiros flange bearing made of xirodur B180, a high-performance plastic that has been optimised by igus for years in terms of wear and media resistance. Both bearings were not completely covered in the test, but exposed to air to trigger the corrosion effect.

After just a few hours, the metal bearing began to corrode with significant traces of rust visible on all bearing components at the end of the test. The xiros flange ball bearing remained unchanged even after 120 hours in the aggressive, high temperature salt water. There was no colour change or any trace of rust.

The test proved that xiros plastic ball bearings delivered a clear advantage, making them ideal for cleanroom as well as food and medical technology applications, where rust can pose a hygiene risk.

Key features and benefits of xiros ball bearings include four-component design consisting of the inner and outer rings as well as cages made of plastic and balls made of stainless steel or glass; wear-resistant, maintenance-free polymer bearings enabling a very smooth and hygienic dry operation without a single drop of lubricating oil unlike metal bearings; long service life easily calculated online; and non-magnetic, electrically insulating and temperature-resistant from -40 to +80 degrees Celsius.

xiros ball bearings are suitable for absorbing medium loads and are preferred by customers around the world for their reliability, especially in applications involving conveyor belts, labelling, handling and packaging machines as well as filling machines.