BNL Standard Plastic Bearing Materials
Made of thermoplastic materials, BNL bearings are all lightweight, have low inertia, are water-resistant, non-magnetic and need no lubrication. We use a range of materials to meet a variety of application requirements, from room temperature operation and immersion in water, to high operating temperatures and significant chemical exposure. Our most commonly used materials are below.
Acetal / Polyoxymethylene (POM)
Most of our products are made from Acetal. This is a widely used engineering plastic that is dimensionally stable when subjected to a range of loads, temperature fluctuation and fluids. It has excellent abrasion and fatigue resistance and low moisture absorption. It has a low co-efficient of friction delivering good long-term wear performance.
Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene offers excellent chemical resistance, especially to acids, alkalis and alcohol. It has good fatigue and impact resistance. It is also lighter than water and has low moisture absorption.
View our plastic bearing materials chart
Ball Materials
Our radial bearings are made with SS316 stainless steel balls as standard but we can also supply them with glass balls..
Stainless steel balls offer excellent corrosion resistance. We offer two types of stainless steel ball. The SS316 ball has superior corrosion resistance, withstanding acidic environments including sulphuric and nitric acid, photographic chemicals, bleach and solvents. It is non-magnetic.
Glass (Borosilicate) is suitable for applications with highly corrosive environments or when excellent electrical insulation is needed. Borosilicate glass has a low co-efficient of thermal expansion (approx. 1/3 of ordinary glass) making it more resistant to stresses caused by temperature.
