Reduce weight and improve safety: Igus wear-resistant engineering plastic bearings tested for aircraft

Lightweight plastic plain bearings certified to an FAA fire rating by an independent testing agency

Five iglidur high-performance engineering plastics are now officially approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for fire protection requirements inside the aircraft. Sliding bearings made of these materials can be used for moving parts in seats, tables and doors. Maintenance-free bearings enable a lightweight, safe and lubrication-free solution.

Lightweight, quiet and fault prevention are some of the main criteria for aerospace components. The internal components of the aircraft must also meet strict fire safety standards. At present, the sliding bearing materials iglidur G V0, iglidur X, iglidur A350, iglidur H and iglidur J350 from the sports plastics expert igus have been tested by independent testing mechanisms and comply with the fire test standard FAR CS 25.853 Application F, Section 1a 1 (ii). According to the UL94 standard, these five plain bearing materials are rated as Class V0 materials and are the best solution for mobile applications such as folding tables, adjustable seats, and door and luggage compartment hinges. The sliding bearings made of these five materials cover the various application conditions required by aircraft interior equipment designers: the cost-effective all-purpose iglidur G V0, the FDA-compliant iglidur A350, and the extremely low moisture absorption iglidur J350 And iglidur H, as well as high load bearing highly chemically resistant iglidur X.

Iglidur plain bearings: a lubrication-free and lightweight solution

Like all igus products, iglidur plain bearings do not require external lubrication at all, because iglidur
A solid lubricant is embedded in the material to ensure a quiet and smooth operation of the iglidur bearing. This brings many benefits to the user – first of all, their self-lubricating properties eliminate complex maintenance work and costs;
Second, no additional processing is required during the assembly process; third, the components are always kept clean, which is a very important criterion, especially inside the aircraft.

Advantages over metal bearings - every gram of weight during flight is critical

Compared to similar metals, iglidur bearings are seven times lighter, which is critical in the aerospace industry. Each time the weight of one kilogram is reduced, the range and efficiency can be directly improved. It is also important that they are cheaper than metal bearings and resistant to corrosion. They are also more flexible than metal bearings, simplifying assembly, helping to minimize noise, and with low edge stress and impact resistance. This is particularly advantageous in applications such as folding tables and seats for airplanes. Igus' high-performance plastics combine the advantages of lightweight, maintenance-free and cost-effective. In addition, users can find comprehensive solutions in the 50 materials of igus, and all materials comply with various laws and industry-specific regulations. Whether it is the food industry, the drinking water contact and tobacco industry that meets FDA and EU requirements, or the general and industry-specific fire protection standards, such as aircraft and rail technology, users can find the best choice in iglidur bearings.

illustrate:

Picture of PM1018-1
The five existing igus plain bearing materials have been certified by independent testing agencies to pass the FAA aircraft cabin fire rating.

(This article is from igus)