iglidur® - Coefficients of friction
iglidur plain bearings are self-lubricating with the addition of solid lubricants. The solid lubricants lower the coefficient of friction of the plain bearings and thus increase the wear resistance. The coefficient of friction μ is proportional to the normal force and describes which force is needed to move a body in relation to another. Depending on whether an application is starting from a stationary position or the movement is in progress and needs to be maintained, a distinction is made between a static coefficient of friction and a dynamic coefficient of friction.
Coefficients of friction and surfaces
Shown here is the relationship between coefficient of friction and surface finish of shaft materials. It is clearly shown that the amount of friction is composed of different factors.If the shaft is too rough, abrasion levels play an important role. Small areas of unevenness that can interlock with each other must be worn off the surface. When the surfaces are too smooth, however, higher adhesion results, i.e. the surfaces stick to each other. Higher forces are necessary to overcome the adhesion, which results from an increased coefficient of friction. Stick-slip can be the result of a large difference between static and dynamic friction and of a higher adhesive tendency of mating surfaces. Stick-slip also occurs due to intermittent running behaviour and can result in loud squeaking. Over and over again, it is observed that these noises do not occur or can be eliminated with rough shafts. Thus for applications that have a great potential for stick-slip - slow movements, large resonance of the housing - attention must be paid to the optimal surface finish of the shafts.
