What are plastic bearings used for?

There’s a whole plethora of low precision applications that plastic bearings are suited for, many of which involve exposure to corrosive environments such as pharmaceutical or food processing.

In these environments, traditional steel bearings would corrode due to the regular washdowns, cleaning equipment and solvent exposure. Plastic bearings don’t have this problem.

Plastic bearings also have their place in marine applications as they have very good resistance to seawater, as plastic absorbs little moisture. Plastic with very low moisture absorption, such as PE or PVDF, can be used for submerged applications.

Similarly, for applications where the bearings mustn’t be magnetic or conductive, plastic bearings are ideal. 

It should be noted however that plastic bearings do have limitations in load handling, precision and speed due to their softer material.

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Our determination to remain specialised gives us a high level of product knowledge, providing bearing and lubrication solutions to existing or potential customers, whether individuals or large corporations. We don’t just sell bearings, we help to solve your problems. - Chris Johnson, managing director of SMB Bearings.