Robust plain bearings for extreme weight loads in agricultural machinery crawler track system

Profile

• What was needed: iglidur plain bearing
• Requirements: The bearing must be able to withstand extremely high weight loads and heavy dirt and dust loads. It must also not corrode.
• Industry: Agriculture
• Success for the customer: The plastic bearings offer a cost-effective and wear-free alternative to bronze bushes or bearings and are much easier to replace. Since using the iglidur bearing solution, the undercarriage has been running smoothly in all weather conditions.

Problem

The IMTS (Intelligent Multi-Purpose Track System) is a crawler track system that can be used as an alternative to pneumatic tyres on a range of large agricultural machines. The system is capable of travelling at 40km/h and can absorb any impact load. In a recent application, for example, a large 50,000kg grain container was converted.
Bearings are used at the pivot points of the IMTS, which have to bear these high loads at all times. To prevent corrosion with metal on metal, they encapsulate the pivot axes in the crawler track system, which must not come into contact with the external metal structure. It was also important to find a completely lubrication-free solution, as the machine operates in muddy and dusty environments where the ingress of dirt can lead to significant wear problems.

Solution

With iglidur plain bearings, a bearing solution was found that can withstand the high weight loads and the difficult ambient conditions in the long term. For example, iglidur plain bearings were used in the system, which also offer the advantage of being completely grease-free and low-maintenance. This specification helps considerably in marketing the system successfully, as agricultural machinery is often not properly maintained, resulting in early functional failures and considerable costs. The plastic bearings also offer a more cost-effective and wear-free alternative to bronze bushes or bearings and can also be replaced much more easily without damaging the shafts/tubes. Finally, the bearings are also completely corrosion-free. Since using the iglidur bearing solution, the crawler track has been running smoothly in all weather conditions.