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GGB Bearings for Dialysis Machines and Other Medical Equipment

GGB Bearings Eliminate Lubrication, Maintenance from Medical Equipment

May 12, 2020

Case Study

Medical

Dialysis machines clean toxins from the blood of patients suffering kidney and liver failure using semi-porous membranes, or filters.

GGB bearings for dialysis medical equipment

Dialysis machines clean toxins from the blood of patients suffering kidney and liver failure using semi-porous membranes, or filters. A global company that manufactures equipment for cleaning these filtration systems had been using grease-lubricated, porous sinter bearings for handling and positioning them, but the lubricant posed both aesthetic and functional concerns in the clean rooms where they are manufactured.

DEMANDING CONDITIONS

Cleaning these systems with hot water and steam made for an extremely humid operating environment. A constant ambient temperature in excess of 70°C was causing the lubricant to form a film on the surface of the mating shaft, reducing the clearance and eventually causing it to seize. And short linear strokes, low speeds and low loads produced stick-slip effects.

Engineers at GGB reviewed the application and recommended replacing the sinter bearings with its engineered plastics bearings. Made of modified, high-performance thermoplastic resins with solid lubricants and reinforcing fibers, these lightweight, corrosion-resistant bearings provide low friction and high wear resistance over a wide range of both dry and lubricated operating conditions.

ENGINEERED PLASTICS BEARINGS

GGB specifically recommended its EP®43​ engineered plastics bushing material. A reinforced and modified PPS-based compound, it contains homogeneously integrated PTFE lubricant which minimizes stick-slip and high-performance aramid fibers to reduce friction, increase wear resistance and provide noise-free performance. Because the bearings require no additional lubrication, the need for maintenance is eliminated and pollution of clean room environments is avoided.  

GGB developed a customized solution, providing prototypes for testing and technical support. The bearings underwent extensive testing under worst-case conditions, where they performed exceptionally well, and have been adopted for this application.

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