Bearing Solutions for Harsh Environments

When it comes to choosing the proper bearing, PBC Linear often refers customers to begin with the popular acronym, POSTLUDES. In brief, this stands for:

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• Precision: The importance of accuracy and repeatability.
• Orientation: How will the system be mounted?
• Speed: Velocity, acceleration, motion profile.
• Travel: Stroke, overtravel, overall envelope.
• Load: End of Arm Tooling (EOAT), cutting or pushing forces.
• Unknown: What could go wrong?
• Duty Cycle: What is the expected lifetime?
• Environment: Hazards, maintenance, contaminants.
• Safety: Safeguards and standards

Within this informal guidance acronym, our experience has shown us that the number one factor in bearing selection is the environment in which that bearing will be used. While the description above for environment is broadly described as hazards, maintenance, and contaminants, the term can cover a range of materials and forces including temperature and humidity, corrosive cleaners and washdown fluids, sticky substances, welding slag, and various types of fine to large particulates. The spectrum of harshness can range from class 1 clean room (cleanest) up to high contamination (dirtiest).

Ask the important questions

There are key considerations to address when establishing how the environment will affect your linear motion system.

• What is the length of travel?
• Where and how will the system be installed?
• What surrounds the system?
• Is there access to perform preventative maintenance?
• If no access to maintenance, does the system require lubrication storage?

Once you have understood the critical needs within your application environment, PBC Linear can provide a wide range of bearing choices for many of those less-than-ideal environments. The following provides details and charts to help match those environmental problems with optimal solutions.

Environmental substances and product solutions for industry sectors