BowMet range signals step change in plain bearings

New rolled bearings range from Bowman International offers greater capabilities and longer life

BOWMAN International have launched the BowMet range of rolled bearings, which, they say, represents the biggest advance in plain sliding bearings in more than 70 years.

According to Bowman, together with outstanding heat, speed and corrosion capabilities, the new BowMet range offers higher load capacities and longer life than comparable bearings for customers in the quarrying and construction sectors.

Manufactured from ToughMet alloy and offering a static load of 820N per square millimetre and a PV value of 9.6MPa x m/s, BowMet bearings are well suited to a wide range of harsh industrial applications, with an ability to withstand corrosion, such as hydrogen embrittlement and chloride stress corrosion cracking, particularly when compared with traditional copper-based alloys.

In addition, the rolling process is said to ensure virtually no wastage and unrivalled flexibility with no minimum quantity. The bearings are available in plain or flanged form in a variety of standard wall thicknesses from 0.75mm to 3mm or more, and are also available in imperial sizes.

Moreover, the BowMet range can be customized to include lubrication grooves, location slots, tabs, holes and pockets, while special and one-off runs can also be produced with minimal or no tooling costs.

Paul Mitchell, managing director of Bowman International, said: ‘BowMet is nothing short of a revolution in bearing design and capability, with the capacity to deliver increased reliability, reduced downtime, fewer warranty claims and lower maintenance costs. All this, of course, is in addition to outstanding bearing properties which allow greater loads and higher speeds, and combat corrosion.

‘If that’s not enough, the reduced wastage achieved by the rolling process generates real cost reductions with the BowMet range. Previously, bearings made from ToughMet had to be machined from solid bar or thick-walled tube, which could mean as much as 75% material wastage. We firmly believe this is the biggest advance in plain bearings in more than 70 years.’