Exploring nylon bushings: Performance, process and future prospects

(1) Wear resistance

Nylon bushing has excellent wear resistance. Compared to traditional metal bushings, such as copper and babbitt, nylon bushings are generally 2-8 times more resistant to wear. Its self-lubricating performance is excellent, and it can work effectively in the condition of little or no oil. This allows nylon bushing to reduce wear, extend service life and reduce maintenance costs in long-term use.

(2) Self-lubricating characteristics

The self lubricity of nylon bushing is one of the highlights. The large number of hydrogen bonds between molecular chains and the unique structure make the surface friction coefficient very low, showing good self-lubrication. In recent years, oily nylon made from polyamide and high boiling oil has further improved its self-lubricating property. Many nylon bushings will function without lubricant, making them a reliable choice in industries such as dry food and textiles.

(3) Good chemical stability

Nylon bushing lubricant requirements are not strict, oil, water, grease can be used. It has good oil resistance, weak acid resistance, alkali resistance and general solvent performance. In contrast, traditional metal bushings may lack chemical stability and be vulnerable to erosion by chemicals.

(4) High mechanical strength

Nylon bushing has high mechanical strength, good toughness, impact resistance and fatigue resistance. It can reduce the stress concentration of the load, so that the pressure is evenly distributed, can work under the harsh conditions of the presence of abrasive impurities, and prevent the bite and injury of the shaft. This feature allows the nylon bushing to be used for a long time without damage at high speed and high load.

(5) Light weight

Nylon bushings are 8 times lighter than copper. One kilogram of nylon can replace 8 kilograms of copper, greatly reducing the overall weight of the equipment. This not only reduces the operating burden of the equipment, but also facilitates installation and replacement, reducing the difficulty of operation and labor costs.

Compared with traditional metal bushings, nylon bushings show obvious advantages in the above aspects. In many application scenarios, nylon bushing has gradually replaced traditional metal bushing because of its excellent performance and lower cost, and has become a more ideal choice.

(1) Advantages

1. Impact resistance

Nylon bushing has excellent impact resistance, and can effectively absorb and disperse energy when subjected to sudden external impact, reducing the damage to itself and related components. Compared with traditional metal bushing, it is not easy to deformation, rupture and other problems. For example, in the field of automobile manufacturing, nylon bushings can withstand bumps and vibrations during vehicle driving to ensure the normal operation of parts.

2. Wear resistance

Nylon bushing wear resistance is very superior, generally than copper and babbitt wear 2-8 times. Its self-lubricating performance enables it to work effectively in the condition of little or no oil, greatly reducing wear and prolonging service life. In the fields of mining, metallurgy and other industries, nylon bushings perform well in long-term friction environments, reducing the maintenance and replacement frequency of equipment.

3. Excellent performance for burying foreign bodies

Nylon bushing can still work normally under harsh conditions with abrasive impurities, preventing biting and injuring the shaft. This is because of its unique material and structure, which can tolerate a certain degree of foreign body intrusion without affecting normal operation. In dusty, more impurities in the working environment, such as mines, cement plants, etc., nylon bushing shows a strong adaptability.

(2) Disadvantages

1. Temperature limit

Nylon bushing in high temperature environment, its performance may be affected. When the operating temperature exceeds its tolerance range, problems such as softening and deformation may occur, thus affecting its normal use.

2. Strength limitation

In some extremely high-load application scenarios, the mechanical strength of nylon bushings may not fully meet the demand, and there may be a certain gap compared with high-strength metal materials.

3. Dimensional stability

The dimensional stability of nylon bushing is relatively poor, and when it is used for a long time or subjected to large temperature changes, there may be dimensional changes, affecting its matching accuracy.

Overall, nylon bushings perform well in most routine application scenarios, and the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. However, under specific extreme conditions, its performance limitations need to be carefully considered to ensure that the right bushing material is selected to meet the actual needs.

(1) Injection molding process

Raw material preparation

• The main raw material is usually nylon resin, such as nylon 66.
• Additives such as wear-resisting agents (such as polytetrafluoroethylene, molybdenum disulfide, etc.), toughening agents (such as PC-28, EPDM, etc.), antioxidants (such as antioxidant 168, antioxidant 1098, etc.), and stabilizers (such as Nylostab S-EED) may be added.
• Glass fiber is also required to strengthen the material properties.

Specific steps

• Nylon and additives are evenly mixed, and glass fiber is added by side feeding to obtain the mixed material.
• The mixed material is treated by granulation process, and the temperature range of the granulation process is generally 250℃ -275 ℃.
• The obtained polymer composite was dried at a temperature range of 90℃ -120 ℃ and a drying time range of 4h-8h.
• The injection molding process is used to make the composite material molding, and the temperature range of the injection molding process is usually 250℃ -280 ℃, and the pressure range is 70MPa-100MPa.

advantage

• High production efficiency, can achieve large-scale production.
• High dimensional accuracy of products.

shortcoming

• The mold requirements are higher and the cost is larger.
• Some complex shapes may be difficult to injection mould.

Application scenario

• It is suitable for nylon bushing production with relatively simple shape, high dimensional accuracy and large batch.

(2) vulcanization process

Raw material preparation

• Nylon parts, the common nylon 66 and 30% glass fiber.
• Adhesives, such as hot vulcanized adhesives for special rubber.
• Release agent, and the release agent used in injection molding cannot be silicone oil series.

Specific steps

• Preparation of nylon parts: Ensure that nylon parts are not affected by the injection molding process.
• Undercoat adhesive: Before applying adhesive, stir the adhesive thoroughly, and then apply the adhesive. During the gluing process, stir by hand for 30 seconds every 10 minutes.
• Drying: The bottom coated parts are dried by 70-80 ℃ baking channel, the time is about 5 minutes.
• Top coating: The top coating process is the same as the bottom coating process.
• Curing temperature: 160-170 ℃, time: 300-360 seconds.

advantage

• It can improve the bonding strength of nylon bushing.
• Relatively few processes, reducing production costs.
• The pollution caused by cleaning and shot blasting is reduced.

shortcoming

• Process control requirements are high, such as temperature and time control.
• The selection and use of adhesives requires a certain amount of experience and skill.

Application scenario

• It is suitable for nylon bushing production which requires high bonding strength, pays attention to environmental protection and cost control.

In general, the injection molding process and vulcanization process have advantages and disadvantages, and the appropriate manufacturing process should be selected according to the specific production needs and conditions.

(1) How to choose the appropriate nylon bushing material and size according to different working conditions

The selection of nylon bushing needs to consider a variety of factors, including load, speed, temperature, chemical environment and so on.

First of all, in terms of load, if it is low to medium load conditions, nylon 6/ nylon 66 material is usually a suitable choice. However, for high load and high friction conditions, reinforced nylon such as glass fiber reinforced nylon is more suitable because of its higher strength and stiffness.

Second, speed is also a key factor. High-speed operation occasions need to consider the wear resistance and heat resistance of nylon bushing to avoid excessive wear and deformation.

In terms of temperature, the general nylon bushing is suitable for a limited temperature range, if the working environment temperature is higher, it may be necessary to choose a nylon material with better heat resistance.

The chemical environment is equally important, if the nylon bushing needs to come into contact with chemicals, such as solvents, oils, etc., chemical resistant nylon should be selected to ensure its chemical stability and corrosion resistance.

In terms of size selection, the inner diameter and outer diameter should be closely matched with the size of the shaft and hole to ensure correct installation and tight fit. The length should be determined according to the installation space and the load to be borne, and sufficient length can support the entire length of the shaft to avoid instability and increased friction. The wall thickness should be selected according to the load and stress, larger wall thickness can provide higher strength and stiffness, but also increase the cost and weight. The selection of tolerances should ensure that the clearance between the shaft and the shaft and the hole is appropriate, neither stuck nor moving.

(2) Application examples of nylon bushing in various fields

1. Industrial sector

In the mining industry, nylon bushing is often used in the slide of scraper conveyor and the parts of mining car, etc., because of its wear-resistant and impact-resistant characteristics, it can reduce the maintenance frequency of equipment. In metallurgical industry, such as ball mill liner, mixer liner and other parts of the use of nylon bushing, can effectively resist high temperature and wear. In the power industry, nylon bushings are also used in some parts of transformers to reduce vibration and noise.

2. Automotive sector

The nylon bushing used in the spare tire elevator can effectively avoid the friction between the rotating shaft and the frame through the hole, protect the rotating shaft and improve the service life of the spare tire elevator. In the automobile brake mechanism, the nylon bushing is fixed to support the rotating shaft to realize the braking and unlocking function, and its wear-resistant and self-lubricating characteristics ensure the smooth and stable operation.

3. Medical field

In the bed brake mechanism, nylon bushing is used to fix the supporting shaft, which makes the braking and unlocking operation more convenient and reliable. At the same time, the wear resistance and low noise characteristics of nylon bushing provide patients with a quieter and more comfortable treatment environment.

(3) The role and benefits of nylon bushings in different application scenarios

1. Industrial sector

The use of nylon bushing reduces the friction and wear of the equipment, prolongs the service life of the equipment and reduces the maintenance cost. Its self-lubricating properties reduce the use of lubricants and reduce maintenance costs, while also reducing the environmental pollution of lubricants. In addition, the lightweight characteristics of nylon bushing reduce the overall weight of the equipment, which is conducive to the transportation and installation of the equipment.

2. Automotive sector

In automobiles, nylon bushings reduce the weight of components and help improve fuel efficiency and vehicle performance. Its good shock absorption and noise reduction effect enhances the ride comfort. At the same time, the durability of the nylon bushing ensures the long-term stable operation of the key components of the car, reducing the risk of failure and maintenance costs.

3. Medical field

In medical equipment, the silent operation and reliable performance of nylon bushings ensure the precise operation of the equipment and provide guarantee for the treatment of patients. Its wear and corrosion resistance enables the equipment to maintain good performance in the environment of frequent disinfection and use, reducing the maintenance and replacement costs of the equipment.

With the continuous progress of material science, the material of nylon bushing will develop in the direction of high performance and multi-function. New nylon materials with higher strength, better wear resistance and corrosion resistance may be developed in the future. For example, nylon is modified through nanotechnology to make its microstructure more optimized, which greatly improves its performance. In addition, it is possible to develop nylon materials with self-healing functions, which can automatically repair when there is a small damage to the bushing surface, extending the service life.

(2) Manufacturing process innovation

In terms of manufacturing process, 3D printing technology is expected to be more widely used in the production of nylon bushings. This will make the manufacture of nylon bushings more flexible, allowing products with complex shapes and structures to be quickly customized according to the specific needs of customers. At the same time, intelligent manufacturing technology will further improve the stability of production efficiency and product quality, and reduce production costs.

(3) Application expansion

In the field of application, nylon bushing will continue to expand to emerging industries. With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, aerospace and other fields, the demand for high-performance parts is increasing, and nylon bushing is expected to be more applied in these fields with its excellent performance. For example, in the key parts of the battery pack and drive system of new energy vehicles, nylon bushings can be used to reduce friction, improve energy efficiency and ensure the stability of operation.

(4) Green environmental protection

Environmental protection will become an important trend in the development of nylon bushing in the future. In the production process, more attention will be paid to reducing energy consumption and waste emissions, and more environmentally friendly raw materials and additives will be used. At the same time, the recyclability and degradability of products will also be the focus of research and development to reduce the impact on the environment.

(5) Intelligent monitoring

Combined with Internet of Things technology, nylon bushings of the future may have intelligent monitoring functions. By embedding sensors inside the bushing, real-time monitoring of its operating status, such as temperature, pressure, wear, etc., and transmitting the data to the control center, preventive maintenance is achieved, improving the reliability and efficiency of the equipment.

In short, nylon bushing is expected to achieve significant development and breakthroughs in materials, processes, applications and other aspects in the future, providing better and efficient solutions for the development of various industries.Get a quote