Sintered bearings by design
AMES is a world recognized manufacturer of self-lubricating sintered bearings by design according to OEM drawigs, especifically designed for a given equipment.
Most of AMES Solsona plant production corresponds to this OEM range, a plant specialised in manufacturing bearings. This plant is equipped with a R&D laboratory specialized in bearings, able to provide customized solutions to their customers, in terms of material choice, oil, shapes, tolerances, and assembly method.
MATERIALS
AMES manufactures according to all sintered material standards in the market.
Materials offered by AMES are:
- Bronze: This material has very low friction coefficient, typically around 0.02 at the usual working PVs. Bronce 90/10 is the most commonly used in the market.
AMES has developed Ames-A4® bronze, which has lower friction coefficient than bronze 90/10, i.e., 0.02. - Bronze Ames-E47®. This bronze with special alloying has high corrosion resistance against impure fuels. Its use is for fuel pumps.
- Iron: This is the lowest cost material, but its friction coefficient is much higher than that of bronze, approximately 0.08. Typical compositions are plain Fe, Fe-C, Fe-Cu, and Fe-Cu-C.
- Iron-Based composite materials: Materials IBC-S® and IBC-H®, developed by AMES, have lower friction coefficient than any other iron in the market, approximately 0.04-0.06, at an equivalent cost. Fe-Bronze mixes have similar friction coefficient, but at a higher cost. IBC-Plus® is a material specially developed to provide a low friction coefficient in linear movements.
- Ames-LFC®: It is an iron-based material with double layer. Its behaviour at start-stop is better than bronze, although the performance at rated conditions is the same. Applications where the friction coefficient or the noise level are critical, are ideal for this material. Its price is between bronze and iron.
- Aluminium Ames-U4®: It is suited to resist environment corrosion in applications where bronze and iron present corrosion. This material presents a friction behaviour value in-between bronze and iron, with a lower price than bronze designed version.
Several types of solid lubricants can be added to all these materials, in order to improve the performance under specific conditions.
OILS
The choice of the impregnating oil is critical for the bearing functionality.
AMES has oils of several characteristics (minerals and synthetics), capable of working under temperatures from -60ºC to +230ºC.
The oil viscosity, another important parameter, is specifically selected depending on the working lead and speed, in order for the the bearing to work under hydrodynamic conditions, therefore minimising the friction coefficient.
AMES also offers specific solutions when oil is in contact with certain types of seals, or for food applications.
SHAPES
The typical cylindrical and spherical shapes of bearings are modifiable in order to adapt to certain designs to a specific functionality.
Variations of the bearing shape are possible, with several objectives: reduction of the initial and final friction coefficient, avoiding the bearing rotation inside housing, increase extraction, etc.