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What are the differences between plain bearings and roller bearings?

Plain bearings, also referred to as...  bushings, sleeve bearings, solid bearings, shaft bearings, or journal bearings, are differentiated from roller bearings by the fact that plain bearings have no rolling elements.

... bushings, sleeve bearings, solid bearings, shaft bearings, or journal bearings, are differentiated from roller bearings by the fact that plain bearings have no rolling elements.

Plain bearings reduce friction by using highly-specialized bearing materials, such as PTFE or graphite, to facilitate movement between two surfaces. Plain bearings can be either self-lubricating or externally lubricated.

High quality plain bearings are defined by the bearing material used, which includes Metal-PolymerFiber Reinforced Composite, Metal or Bi-Metal and Engineered Plastic. Plain bearings are commonly used in static oscillatory applications such as hinges, pivots and linkages. One special subtype of plain bearing is a spherical plain bearing, which can accommodate moderate misalignment.

GGB offers a variety of plain bearings that may replace roller bearings.

Plain bearings offer several advantages:

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