Refuse collection vehicle manufacturer, Heil Europe used to use
brass/bronze bushings in its swinging-link compaction mechanism joints,
but these needed regular lubrication. Some years ago, the company decided
to switch to fibre-reinforced plastic composite bearings from GGB's
Gar-Max range, which offer good shock load resistance as well as low
friction and wear properties under slow oscillating and rotating speeds.
Moreover, they require no lubrication, thus simplifying maintenance.
Made of filament-wound dry bearing material, consisting of PTFE,
polyester and glass fibre wound and impregnated with epoxy resin, Gar-Max
bearings can withstand loads of up to 200MPa. More recently, Heil started
using GGB's High-Strength Gar-Max bearings, which offer a 50% increase in
load carrying capacity to 300MPa. Service life is typically two years,
despite the tough environment in which these bearings work.