Describes the features of the LED and LES which are often used as the alternatives for the sintered bearings, and those of the sintered bearings.

• Features of sintered bearings
• Features of OILES LED and LES

Generally, the sliding characteristics (friction coefficient, wear amount, service life of bearings, etc.) of sintered bearings depend on the enclosed lubricant. Particularly, it has a distinguished effect on the service life of bearings; that of sintered bearings is almost proportional to an enclosed amount of lubricant.

Accordingly, there are two general methods to secure the service life of sintered bearings.

• a. Setting the higher volume capacity of sintered bearings
• b. Installing a lubricating device

Because the sintered bearings are basically made of metal, their base material does not deteriorate at the temperature of approx. 300℃. However, the lubricant enclosed in the sintered bearings is easily affected by the heat and generally starts deteriorating at 70 to 80℃, extremely degrading the lubrication performance. Since the oil and fat content completely evaporates in an 120 ℃ atmosphere, the service temperature limit of the lubricant enclosed sintered bearings can be said to be around 100 ℃

Fig.Service life of sintered bearings(The graph is an image)

LED and LES are our standard products using OILES Lutec E and Lutec E-02, respectively.
Lutec E does encloses no lubricant at all. Lutec-E is a bearing enclosing a lubricant in a special manner in the stage of raw material before molding. Accordingly, enclosed oil components do not deteriorate or get lost because of the atmospheric temperature like the sintered bearings, freeing the service life of bearings from the effects of the amount of enclosed lubricant and the atmospheric temperature.
Lutec E and Lutec E-02 continue to function as bearings until they are worn out because they are lubricated by being filled with a special solid lubricant. Their progress of wear differs depending on the PV conditions, and so on. For details, see Design support and Calculation of service life.

Lutec E and Lutec E-02 are based on poｌyacetal resin and do not melt up to around 120℃. Considering the lubrication performance, however, a service temperature range has been set to -40 to 80℃.

A great deal of sintered bearings have been used for information technology devices and electric home appliances.
Many of them have been cut into D-shapes, fit into D-cut holes in sheet metals and retained with E-rings, etc.
LED has been cut into the D-shape so that the thus used sintered bearing can be replaced as it is.
LES has been also cut into the D-shape. Designed snap-fit, it is easy to assemble and functional.
Provided with conductivity, LED and LES are effective in preventing electrification. For details, see conductive plastic materials.

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