Skip to main content
Image

Glossary

Our vocabulary explained for you

  • AEROSPACE BEARINGS

    Aerospace bearings are used in a wide range of aerospace and aircraft applications from landing gear, flight controls and engines to passenger seating and others.

    GGB PTFE plain bearings help curiosity to explore Mars surface

    Learn more about:                                                           

  • AGRICULTURAL BEARINGS

    Agricultural bearings are used in a wide range of agricultural machinery including tractors, backhoes, mowers, cultivators, seeders, harvesters and others.

    Learn about the many applications GGB bearings have in agricultural equipement

  • AUTOMOTIVE BEARINGS

    GGB Car Bearings for Axle Bars

    Automotive bearings are used in a wide range of automotive applications including

    - steering systems
    - transmissions
    - brake and suspension systems
    - engine management, etc. 

    Discover the innovative solutions offered by GGB for automotive bearing applications.

  • CALIPER

    An instrument for an approximate measurement of bearing wall thicknesses and/or inside and outside diameters.

    To be noted that special measuring equipment and procedures are required for an accurate measurement of these dimensions.

  • CASE HARDENED BEARINGS

    GGB offers GGB-SHB® case hardened steel bearings, with plain or grooved sliding layer. 

    GGB-SHB case hardened steel bearing

    Appropriate for heavy equipment, hydraulic cushioning and rotational applications, GGB-SHB® plain bearings deliver greater wear resistance while the interior remains ductile and resistant to cracking.

    Additionally, the combination of the hardened outer layer and relatively softer inner core provides case-hardened bearings excellent crack and fracture resistance under shock loads.

    Watch GGB-SHB® bearings video to learn more about their competitive advantages.

  • CONSTRUCTION BEARINGS

    Heavy-duty bearings and shaft bearing assemblies used in a wide range of construction and off-highway equipment including heavy-duty earth-moving and digging equipment, graders, excavators, lifting equipment and others.

    In order to match manufacturers of construction and off-highway equipment expectations, GGB offers fiber reinforced composite bearings. These filament wound bearings are a greaseless, maintenance-free solution with an extended service life. They provide superior bearing performance and lower cost of ownership without the need for complex automated greasing systems.

    Learn about all benefits offered by GGB construction bearings.

  • CYLINDRICAL BEARINGS

    Cylindrical bearings are plain bearings that are cylindrical in shape and contain no moving parts.

    They are also referred to as bushes, bushings or sleeve bearings. These bearings may be solid (metal, plastic, or composite bearings) or wrapped (metal-polymer bearings). Cylindrical plain bearings accommodate heavy radial loads and operate at lower speeds than roller bearings.

    Cylindrical bearings could also refer to cylindrical roller bearings. These bearings feature moving roller rows and a metal or plastic cage. These cylindrical roller bearings accommodate heavy radial loads and can operate at high speeds.

    Learn how you can replace roller bearings by GGB cylindrical bearings.

    • GGB plain bearings can replace roller and needle bearings Replace Roller Bearings
  • DU BEARINGS

    GGB revolutionized the bearing industry 60 years ago with the introduction of DU® bearing, the world’s first self-lubricating, metal-polymer plain bearings.

    DU bearings made of this material combined the high load capacity and dimensional rigidity of lubricated metallic bearings with the performance and economic benefits of self-lubrication. Their success lies in the unique composite bearing structure comprised of a steel backing for mechanical strength and a porous sintered bronze interlayer impregnated with PTFE and lead for high wear resistance and extremely low friction properties.

    This structure provides the following benefits:

    • Improved energy efficiency due to low friction of PTFE-enriched overlay
    • Extended service life with a strong wear-resistant bronze layer
    • Zero maintenance as self-lubricating bearings can operate perfectly dry
    • Greater reliability with lubricant to avoid potential shaft/bearing seizure under boundary conditions
    • Compact, lightweight designs with a thin-wall bearing construction
    • Reduced noise due to no metal-to-metal contact
    • Quick, simple assembly without expensive mounting tools

     

    Learn more about DU® metal-polymer plain bearings advantages.

  • FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITE

    Plain bearings consisting of a Fiber-Reinforced Composite Structure.

    Filament Wound Bearings, also known as Filament Bearings, are plain bearings consisting of a Fiber-Reinforced Composite Structure with the radial and axial strength to support high loads. The sliding layer consists of continuously wound PTFE and high-strength fibers while the backing consists of continuous wound fiberglass.

    These Filament Wound Bearings have an inert nature making them ideal for applications in corrosive environments such as sea water and acidic environments. Additionally, the Filament Wound Materials are resistant to a much greater range of chemicals than metallic bearings.

    Learn more about GGB's wide range of Fiber Reinforced Composite Bearings.

  • FLANGED BEARINGS

    Flanged bearings are plain bearings with a flange at one end to facilitate installation and accommodate both radial and axial thrust loads.

    Flange bearings are generally made of Metal-Polymer or Engineered Plastics but can be made from Fiber Reinforced Composite as well.

    Plastic double-flanged bearings, such as GGB's FLASH-CLICK® Solid Polymer Double Flange Bearings are plain bearings with a flange at both ends. They are particularly well suited for applications where a two-sided flange is needed as a thrust surface.

  • HALF BEARINGS

    Half-bearings are essentially regular cylindrical bearings split into two halves.

    GGB's Metal-Polymer Antifriction Bearing

    These bearings are used in engines found in automobiles, boats, construction machinery, pumps and even power plants.

    Several GGB bearing materials can be made to order as half bearings, among which :

    • GGB-CBM® thin walled bimetal bearings
    • HI-EX® metal-polymer antifriction bearings
    • EP®79 self-lubricating plastic bearings
    • Multilube thermoplastic bearings
  • METAL POLYMER BEARINGS

    Plain bearings consisting of a metal backing onto which is bonded a bearing layer of PTFE or similarly lubricious material.

    This structure results in these bearings having low friction and wear performance while also having high load capacity due to the metal backing. Metal-polymer bearings are available in self-lubricating and pre-lubricated varieties.

    Find out more about GGB's line of Metal-Polymer Bearing Solutions.

  • NEEDLE BEARINGS

    Alternative term for roller bearings.

    Needle bearings have cylindrical rollers that are much larger than the bearing diameter. This provides a larger surface area in contact with the race than regular roller bearings, giving needle bearings a high radial load capacity. Needle bearings generate a higher amount of friction than other roller bearings and are used in low speed applications as a result.

    Learn more about the advantages offered by GGB plain bearings over the roller or needle bearings.

  • PLASTIC BEARINGS

    Plain bearings injection molded from a variety of thermoplastic resins compounded with reinforcing fibers and solid lubricants.

    Plastic plain bearings are lighter and more affordable than their metal counterparts while still offering low wear and long service life.

    Plastic bearings and bushings are often found in applications requiring lightweight bearings such as aircraft interiors and vehicle side steps. Plastic bearings are also known as polymer or solid polymer bearings.

    Learn more about GGB's wide range of innovative engineered plastic bushings and bearings.

  • PRE-LUBRICATED BEARINGS

    Plain bearings with indents serving as reservoirs for containing oil or grease in the sliding layer.

    An example of a pre-lubricated bearing is GGB DX® metal-polymer plain bearing which is suitable for grease or oil lubricated applications.

  • PUMPS BEARINGS

    Bearings, bushing blocks and thrust plates used in hydraulic gear, vane, centrifugal and radial and axial piston pumps.

    Find out why manufacturers use GGB's DTS10® precision plain bearings in their internal gear pumps.

  • SBC

    Sealed Bearing Cartridges with Fiber Reinforced Composite Bearings in a steel shell.

    GGB sealed bearing cartridges are designed for use in Heavy-Duty Construction and Agricultural Equipment applications. The metal outer shell prevents contaminants from affecting the performance of the fiber reinforced composite bearing, making sealed bearing cartridges ideal for applications in harsh, dirty environments.

    Find out about how SBC with HSG helped eliminate corrosion in the rubber track systems of tractors and harvesters.

  • SINTERED BRONZE BEARINGS

    Sintered bronze bearings are mono-metallic bearings produced by a powder metallurgy process and impregnated with oil.

    The metallic structure supports and transfers the mechanical loads while the lubricant reduces friction. The impregnated oil can be substituted for other lubricants, depending on the requirements of the application.

    GGB's sinter bronze bearings include GGB-BP25 METAFRAM oil impregnated plain bearing.

  • SLIDING PLATES

    Linear bearings that feature a low-friction PTFE surface and a sturdy plate backing of either metal or fiber reinforced composite.

    Sliding plates are usually found in applications attached to strong structural elements that have unfavorably high coefficients of friction. When the structural element slides against another element, the low-friction PTFE serves as the contact between surfaces. Multiple sliding plates can be used between sliding elements to have PTFE on PTFE contact, resulting in even lower friction performance.

    GGB offers sliding plates as a form of our popular bearing solutions, such as the DP4-B Metal-Polymer Bronze backed PTFE Bearing.

  • THRUST BEARINGS

    Rolling-element bearings designed to support primarily axial loads that generally consist of two outer grooved plates and an inner caged rolling element.

    Some rolling-element bearings are designed to exclusively support axial loads and cannot be subjected to radial loads at all.

    These thrust bearings are found in the gear sets of car transmissions where they support the high thrust loads produced by the gears.

  • THRUST WASHERS

    Thrust washers are used to prevent axial movement along a shaft in rotating applications.

    Find out about the benefits GGB DP4® low friction thrust washers provide over needle roller bearings in rear parking break systems.

  • TRANSMISSION BEARINGS

    Transmission bearings are used in power transmission systems, including rear output shafts, main shafts, reverse idlers, clutches, pumps, solenoids, planetary gear sets and gear shifting forks.

    Learn more about how GGB is shifting into the future in transmission bearings.

  • TRIBOLOGY

    The science of interacting surfaces in relative motion including the study of friction, wear, lubrication and bearing design.

    Learn more about Tribology and GGB's achievements in the field of Tribology as they apply to Bearing Solutions.

Need advice?

Our experts are ready to help you find the right solution for your specific application.