Robust plain bearings for extreme weight loads in agricultural machinery crawler track system

• What was needed: iglidur plain bearings
• Requirements: the bearing must be able to withstand extremely heavy loads and high levels of dirt and dust. It must also not corrode.
• Industry: agriculture
• Success for the customer: the plastic bearings offer a cost-effective and wear-free alternative to bronze bushings or bearings and are much easier to replace. Since using the iglidur bearing solution, the crawler track system has been running smoothly in all weather conditions.

The IMTS (Intelligent Multi-Purpose Track System) is a crawler track system that can be used as an alternative to pneumatic tyres on a range of large agricultural machines. The system is capable of travelling at 40km/h and can absorb all impact loads. In a recent application, for example, a large 50,000kg grain container was converted.
Bearings are used at the pivot points of the IMTS, which have to bear these high loads at all times. To prevent corrosion with metal on metal, they encapsulate the pivot axes in the crawler track system, which must not come into contact with the external metal structure. It was also important to find a completely lubrication-free solution as the machine operates in muddy and dusty environments where the ingress of dirt can lead to significant wear problems.

With iglidur plain bearings, a bearing solution was found that can withstand the high weight loads and the difficult ambient conditions in the long term. For example, iglidur plain bearings were used in the system, which also offer the advantage of being completely grease-free and low-maintenance. These specifications help considerably in marketing the system successfully as agricultural machinery is often not properly maintained, resulting in early functional failures and considerable costs. The plastic bearings also offer a more cost-effective and wear-free alternative to bronze bushings or bearings and are much easier to replace without damaging the shafts/tubes. Finally, the bearings are completely corrosion-free. Since using the iglidur bearing solution, the crawler track system has been running smoothly in all weather conditions.