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GGB Solutions for Railway Applications and pantographs

Pantographs

Railway Bearing Solution

GGB's Fiber Reinforced Composite Bearings for Railway

MLG

Bearing Application Requirements
GGB MLG railroad bearings for pantographs on electric trains, tramways and metros

Given the tight constraints – regulatory, engineering, and cost-related – surrounding electrified train and streetcar projects, finding even minute ways to reduce weight can pay big dividends in the long run.

For example, a pantograph is a jointed framework that conveys current to a train or streetcar.

Plain bearings are employed in the hinge points of pantographs to ensure constant contact with electric lines, and GGB’s MLG self-lubricating fiber reinforced composite bearing offers a lightweight solution with myriad ancillary benefits.

GGB Railroad Bearing Solution
GGB's MLG Fiber Reinforced Composite Bushing for Railway applications

MLG is a value-engineered, filament-wound bearing for lighter-duty applications (like trains and streetcars) that still require the shock, misalignment, and chemical resistance of fiber-reinforced composite bearings.

MLG self-lubricating plain bearings have the same operating temperature range (-195°C to 160°C) as our high-end fiber-reinforced composite solutions, and feature similar low-friction and high-load capacity.

GGB Plain Bearings for Railway Applications - Benefits

Using MLG filament wound plain bearing for your pantograph offers the following benefits:

  • Reduced application weight through lightweight, compact bearing design
  • Electrical insulator stopping unwanted noise and static
  • Good resistance to shock loads, shaft misalignment, and abrasion
  • Lubricant free, low-friction operation
  • Resistance to corrosive environments
  • Reduced ownership cost through both maintenance-free operation and long-lasting bearing design
  • Made in the USA

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