Making hydraulic cylinders robust and economical with iglide® plain bearings

More than 50 years ago, André Chapel began expanding a small business into a European group of companies specializing in the development, manufacture and sale of hydraulic cylinders and components. The result is a company with seven locations in France and Germany and a total of 260 employees. These generated a turnover of 45 million euros in 2016. In addition to CNC and robot production, the Chapel Group also offers coloring from a single source. Every year, 500,000 hydraulic cylinders are produced, of which around 50 per cent are customized products.

Chapel Group hydraulic cylinder with iglide plain bearings

The special hydraulic cylinders are mainly designed in Osterrönfeld in Schleswig-Holstein, one of the two German locations. Customers can be found in agricultural engineering, trailer and tipper construction as well as in the forklift truck industry. Railway applications are also planned. Chapel supplies customers worldwide with mobile hydraulics for original equipment. Sven Wichert, responsible for the design of Chapel special cylinders, explains: "Our customers rely on high quality, which they do not find with many competitors from Eastern Europe and Asia. Availability and delivery capability are also crucial."

Problem

For this application, a plain bearing was sought that was available at short notice, was robust and could withstand the various weather conditions in which the hydraulic cylinders are used. In addition, the previously used metal solution made of brass was relatively cost-intensive.

Solution

Plain bearings made of iglide® G are available directly from stock. In addition, this no minimum order quantity can be ordered cost-effectively online. Even under the most adverse conditions, from temperatures between 5°F and 158°F (-15°C and +70°C), the bearings offer an excellent coefficient of friction. Their special material composition means that no additional lubricants are required. They are therefore resistant to dust and dirt.

As our customers are based in southern Germany as well as in Switzerland and Dubai, the prevailing temperatures can fluctuate...added to this is the salt content in the air and the winter road clearance service. We can't afford any downtime here.

Sven Wichert

Head of Construction Chapel Group

Fast delivery capability is crucial

In order to fulfil these requirements, he attaches great importance to the right suppliers: "Wherever the hydraulic cylinders have to move, we rely on the plain bearings from igus. This co-operation has proven its worth for more than ten years. We receive orders within half a week." The installed iglide® G products score points not only for their short delivery times but also for their technical advantages. Compared to the brass bushes previously used, they are significantly more economical. In addition, the bearings, which are used with diameters of 20 to 45 millimeters, prove to be extremely wear-resistant and weatherproof.

The robustness of the bearing is particularly important for design manager Wichert. Uwe Sund, igus® industry manager for agricultural engineering, can only confirm this experience: "Bearings made of iglide® G cover the widest range of different requirements. This is why the material is rightly described as universal. We recommend it for applications with medium to high loads, medium sliding speeds and medium temperatures."

Chapel Group warehouse with hydraulic cylinder in standard and special designs

Large selection

iglide® G is available as a sleeve bearing, plain bearing with flange and thrust washer. igus® helps the designers with a catalog of recommendations for the multitude of possibilities.

However, Uwe Sund points out: "Friction and wear depend heavily on the mating partner. Shafts that are too smooth, for example, have a negative effect on the application. However, we can make specific recommendations via our test laboratory in Cologne." A ground surface with a center roughness value Ra of 0.8 μm is best suited for iglide® G. Furthermore, the recommended hardness of the shaft increases with increasing load. After all, "soft" shafts tend to wear and thus increase the susceptibility of the overall system. Sund continues: "We always offer corresponding tests as a service for our customers. This means that the right plain bearing can be found for every desired shaft material."

Chapel's purchase manager Alexander Hoppe (middle), and Uwe Sund, agricultural industry manager at igus (right), as well as Christian Wille, technical sales consultant for bearing technology at igus (left)

Goodbye, complaints

Chapel is in constant dialogue with its suppliers, using their expertise and passing the results on to its customers for their benefit. Sven Wichert explains: "The machine elements used in the hydraulic cylinders mean less maintenance for the end customer. Our direct customers also advertise this advantage."

Against this background, the cooperation between Chapel and igus® continues. In particular, the increasing sensitivity with regard to environmental protection could increase the use of plain bearings even further in the future. Chapel chief designer Sven Wichert is convinced: "Many standard cylinders usually have grease nipples that can be relubricated accordingly. Excess lubricant falls to the ground and can cause contamination or seep into the ground. The plastic plain bearings from igus® do not require any lubrication and are therefore absolutely environmentally friendly. There is enormous potential here for hydraulic cylinders, regardless of whether they are standard or customized versions."

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