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What are DU® Bearings?

GGB DU® BEARING DESIGN & BENEFITS

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

The structure of the bearings consists of a rigid steel or corrosion-resistant bronze backing (DU-B), which provides mechanical strength, while a porous sintered bronze interlayer impregnated with a homogeneous mixture of PTFE and lead provides low friction and high wear resistance.

The low friction of the DU® bearings reduces power losses for improved energy efficiency, while the wear-resistant bronze layer provides extended service life. Being self-lubricating, the bearings require little to no maintenance. However they can also be used with lubricant to prevent potential shaft/bearing seizure under boundary conditions.

The compact, lightweight design and thin-wall construction of the DU® bearings provide space and weight savings, and because there are no moving parts or metal-to-metal contact the bearings are quieter. In addition, assembly can be done quickly and easily without costly mounting tools.

A VARIETY OF BEARING APPLICATIONS

Today we produce millions of DU® bearings for use in numerous applications in a wide range of industries. These include:

DU® bearings are available in standard dimensions as cylindrical and flanged bearings, thrust washers, flanged washers and sliding plates. Visit our DU® bearing product webpage to get more information. For a lead-free alternative material visit our DP4® bearings webpage. 

GGB retains the exclusive rights to market metal-polymer bearings designated DU® and DX®, which are protected under international trademark laws. Only GGB and its global network of distributors are authorized to market these products as such, so beware of counterfeits which are not produced to GGB's exacting standards of quality and performance.

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