Water, dust, dirt: plain bearings in farm loaders under extreme environmental conditions

• What was needed: iglidur G polymer plain bearings
• Requirements: Changing environmental conditions, constant contact with water, dust, dirt and various chemicals as well as heavy impact loads
• Industry: Agricultural industry, agricultural machinery manufacturing
• Success for the customer: The iglidur plain bearings are maintenance and lubrication-free, insensitive to dust and dirt and extremely robust; overall, the service life of the bearing points in the yard loaders was able to be significantly extended; unlike metal bushings, the polymer plain bearings do not need to be reground after painting, which saves the customer time and money

From simple articulated loaders to telescopic and lifting loaders, Thaler GmbH & Co. KG supplies the agricultural industry with useful equipment. Today, the company manufactures up to 500 yard loaders per year, with the portfolio currently comprising around 25 vehicles, divided into four product lines. Thaler's yard loaders are made for agriculture; they drive with ease through uneven terrain and wet fields or push heavy snow masses in front of them. The changing environmental conditions, constant contact with water, dust, dirt and a wide variety of chemicals as well as heavy impact loads pose a major challenge for the components installed inside the machine. The bearing points in agricultural vehicles are also subjected to heavy loads, while the yard loaders must always function perfectly in daily use. Experience with Thaler's agricultural machinery shows that metal components at the bearing points would find it difficult to withstand such conditions. Due to the constant contact with moisture, metallic plain bearings rust quickly, which means that the bearing points have to be serviced regularly and faulty metal bushes have to be replaced. This not only leads to frequent downtimes for maintenance, but also requires the regular availability of expensively manufactured spare parts. 
The installation of the metal bushes originally used was very time-consuming. In addition, the bearings in Thaler's yard loaders meant that the shafts quickly became worn. The search for a robust and more durable alternative was therefore obvious.

Having already installed igus e-chains in one of Thaler's telescopic loader models, the manufacturer is now also opting for plastic instead of metal when it comes to plain bearings. The iglidur G plain bearings are a maintenance- and lubrication-free solution that is insensitive to dust and dirt. The plain bearings do not require additional lubrication or sealing, which simplifies cleaning of the appliance. As they are extremely robust, they are ideally suited for diverse and changing environmental conditions. At the same time, the high loads are reduced by the vibration-damping properties of the bearings. As a result, the service life of the bearings in the yard loaders was able to be extended. 
The iglidur plain bearings are used in the bearing points of almost all models, with up to 18 plain bearings per loader. In addition to unfavourable environmental conditions, the bearings must be able to withstand high edge loads. iglidur plain bearings are particularly suitable here, as they are not only corrosion-free, but also resistant to dirt and chemicals. Another advantage: Almost all metal plain bearings can be easily replaced with igus plain bearings.
When it comes to shafts and bearings, it's all about the right interaction, so the two components should always be considered as a unit. iglidur plain bearings prove to be an ideal mating surface, as they adapt much better to the shaft than metal bushings. This minimises abrasion, which puts less stress on the shaft. Finally, the yard loader manufacturer also saves time and money right from the production stage. While the bushings still had to be individually reground after painting, this work step is completely eliminated with iglidur plain bearings.