Either the lubrication characteristics of the materials themselves, or additional specialised sliding materials, minimise friction between the moving surfaces inside the bearing. Unlike rolling bearings, the load on a Plain Bearing is distributed over a large contact area resulting in low specific load and good sliding properties - making them the ideal solution for high load – slow speed applications.
A plain bearing, sometimes known as a sliding bearing, consists of only a bearing surface, with no rolling elements.
These bearings can handle more misalignment than a spherical bearing, and are suitable for oscillating or reciprocating movements.
The characteristics of Plain Bearings make them suitable for a wide variety of industrial machinery, such as, construction and agricultural equipment, as well as, fork lift trucks and industrial robots