The Advantages of Copper-based Oil-impregnated Bearings

The advantages of copper-based oil-impregnated bearings are that they are cost-effective, absorb vibration, have low noise, and do not require lubrication for long working hours. They are especially suitable for working environments where lubrication is difficult or oil contamination is not allowed. Oil-impregnated bearings, also known as porous bearings, are made from metal powder as the main raw material and are produced by powder metallurgy. They are inherently porous and have the technical advantages of being able to adjust the number, size, shape, and distribution of pores during the manufacturing process. By using the porosity of the sintered body, it is impregnated with 10% to 40% (volume fraction) of lubricating oil and used in a self-supplying state. During operation, as the bearing temperature rises, the expansion coefficient of the oil is larger than that of the metal, so it automatically enters the sliding surface to lubricate the bearing. When the operation stops, the oil is sucked back into the pores as the temperature drops.

The porosity of oil-impregnated bearings is an important parameter. Oil-impregnated bearings operating under high speeds and light loads require a high oil content and high porosity; while oil-impregnated bearings operating under low speeds and heavy loads require high strength and low porosity. This type of bearing was invented in the early 20th century and has been widely used due to its low manufacturing cost and convenient use. It has become an indispensable type of basic part for the development of various industrial products such as automobiles, home appliances, audio equipment, office equipment, agricultural machinery, and precision machinery.