Please choose your delivery location

The selection of the country/region page can influence various factors such as price, shipping options and product availability.
Inquiry / Contact
igus® Canada

180 Bass Pro Mills Drive

Concord

Ontario L4K 0G9

+1 (800) 965-2496
+1 905 760-8688
CA(EN)

xiros® plastic ball bearings continually tested in our lab


We constantly carry out tests in order to continuously develop our products and to assess customer applications better. The aim is to offer the perfect products for every application. Our customers also benefit even more because we bundle our experience and test results in our online tools. These help to select the right product for the most individual applications of our customers.

The electroplating process places very high demands on the materials used in electroplating plants. In electroplating, electricity is sent through an electrolytic bath. The metal that is to be applied is located on the positive pole (e.g. copper or nickel), the object to be coated at the negative pole. Since this is an electrochemical process that usually also uses strong chemicals in the electroplating bath, metallic ball bearings are not suitable. When ball bearings are installed, they are usually plastic ball bearings. Ball bearings made of technical ceramic can also be used but are considerably more expensive. In the following: plastic versus metal in an electroplating bath.
Our Testing:
  • Eight test rigs
  • About 200 ball bearings running in parallel
  • Around 400 different experiments per year
  • Tests with a maximum speed of up to 6,000 rotations per minute
  • Tests with a maximum load of 300 Newton possible
Applications: 

xiros® service life calculator

Thanks to the live data from the xiros test lab, we are able to test the service life of our ball bearings under very different conditions so as to provide you with exact data. Simply enter application parameters to obtain the expected service life.
Use the service life calculator
Ball bearings configurator

Radial deep groove ball bearing test rig

Our xiros test laboratory is equipped with test rigs that have integrated sensors (DAQ) for simultaneous measurement of wear and load capacity (up to 250 N), as well as various service life and temperature tests.
  • Max speed: 5,000 rpm
  • Movement: outer race fixed, inner race rotates
  • Installation size: 6000
radial deep groove ball bearings test rig Lena Woelke, who is responsible for material development of xiros polymer ball bearings, at the radial deep groove ball bearing test rig.
xiros test lab DAQ measuring system & heating DAQ measuring system & heating

Rotation test rig

  • Tests at high speeds and low loads (5,000 rpm, 10N)
  • Ongoing tests with our own xirodur D180 and iglide cage materials
  • Installation size: {N1}
The effect of cage materials on ball bearing wear

The difficulty is that high speeds (2,000 rpm, for example) generate high centrifugal forces of the balls. This accelerates the balls outwards. The cage material requires a certain stability, since the cage pockets would otherwise expand, giving the balls more clearance and freedom of movement. Since the balls can no longer maintain the correct position, there is more wear and the bearing fails faster.

We use reinforcement materials to increase cage material stability, and there is sliding friction between the balls and the cage. Solid lubricants improve sliding performance. That is why we use iglide materials for cages. They contain additives that improve stability and sliding properties.
 

Cage pocket evaluation

 

xiros ball bearing cage pocket evaluation & testing To the left is unreinforced material, untested; to the right is unreinforced material, tested. Parameters: 25N, 2,000 rpm, operating time seven days. Ball pockets significantly expanded; the ball no longer stays in the cage pocket on its own.
iglide G300 test lab rotation testing To the left is untested reinforced iglide material; to the right is tested reinforced iglide material. Parameters: 25N, 2,000 rpm, operating time seven days. Marginal or no expansion; the ball stays in the cage pocket on its own.
Ball bearing cage wear test results graph The cage tests used stainless steel balls and outer and inner races made of xirodur B180.
ball bearing wear test graph Wear rate, measured in µm/million rotations


Application Assistance

For further questions or product information, please contact:

Photo
Kevin Wright

Country Manager, Canada

Email

Customer Service:

Monday to Friday from 8 am - 5 pm

Online:

24h


The terms "igus", "Apiro", "chainflex", "CFRIP", "conprotect", "CTD", "drylin", "dry-tech", "dryspin", "easy chain", "e-chain", "e-chain systems", "e-ketten", "e-kettensysteme", "e-skin", "e-spool", "flizz", "ibow", "igear", "iglidur", "igubal", "kineKIT", "manus", "motion plastics", "pikchain", "plastics for longer life", "readychain", "readycable", "ReBeL", "speedigus", "triflex", "robolink", "xirodur", and "xiros" are legally protected trademarks of the igus® GmbH/ Cologne in the Federal Republic of Germany and where applicable in some foreign countries.

igus® GmbH points out that it does not sell any products of the companies Allen Bradley, B&R, Baumüller, Beckhoff, Lahr, Control Techniques, Danaher Motion, ELAU, FAGOR, FANUC, Festo, Heidenhain, Jetter, Lenze, LinMot, LTi DRiVES, Mitsibushi, NUM,Parker, Bosch Rexroth, SEW, Siemens, Stöber and all other drive manufacturers mention in this website. The products offered by igus® are those of igus® GmbH