Advantages of Babbitt metal bearing shells

Babbitt metal bearing shell is a wear-resistant material commonly used in sliding bearings. It has several advantages:

Babbitt metal bearing shell has good wear resistance and anti-friction properties.

Babbitt alloy is mainly composed of metals such as tin, lead, antimony, and copper, with hard spots distributed on the soft matrix in its structure. When the bearing shell is working, small pits will form after the soft matrix wears down, which can store lubricating oil. The hard points support the journal, reducing direct contact between the friction surfaces and thus reducing the wear rate. In high-speed rotating machinery such as steam turbines and compressors, it can effectively withstand the friction of the shaft neck and extend the service life of the bearings.

Babbitt alloy bearings have excellent anti-bite properties.

When the shaft and bearing are locally overheated due to overload or poor lubrication, the soft matrix of Babbitt alloy is prone to slight plastic deformation, which can prevent the shaft neck and bearing from directly biting and getting stuck. This "self-protection" characteristic is crucial for equipment safety. During the start-up or shutdown process, the shaft speed changes greatly, and the Babbitt metal bearing shell can reduce the risk of biting caused by speed fluctuations.

Babbitt metal bearing shells have good compliance and embedment properties.

Babbitt alloy has a low hardness (HB about 20-35), which can adapt to a small amount of deviation or non - roundness of the shaft neck. It compensates for the machining and installation errors of the shaft through its own deformation, reducing local stress concentration.

Babbitt metal bearing shells can embed tiny hard particles (such as metal shavings and dust) that enter the bearing clearance into the soft matrix, preventing particles from scratching the surface of the shaft neck and protecting the accuracy of the shaft.

Babbitt metal bearing shells are suitable for precision machinery such as precision machine tools and marine engines that require high precision on the surface of the shaft neck.

Babbitt metal bearing shells have good thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance.

Tin based Babbitt alloy has a high thermal conductivity, which can quickly dissipate the heat generated by friction and avoid bearing overheating. Tin - based alloys have good resistance to acidic substances in lubricating oil, while lead-based alloys exhibit outstanding resistance to freshwater and steam corrosion, making them suitable for use in humid or corrosive environments such as ships and chemical equipment.

Babbitt metal bearing shells have excellent casting performance and are easy to manufacture and maintain.

Babbitt alloy has a low melting point (about 240-300℃ for tin-based alloys and about 240-280℃ for lead-based alloys), and can be cast onto steel, cast iron, or bronze bearing substrates through casting processes to form composite bearings and reduce costs. When the bearing is worn, it can be repaired by scraping or re-casting a Babbitt alloy layer, without the need to replace the bearing substrate as a whole. The maintenance cost is low and the cycle is short.

In addition,Babbitt metal bearing shells have a wide range of applicability,and it can withstand both light and heavy loads.

In summary, Babbitt metal bearing shells have outstanding performance in reducing friction, impact resistance, and reliability, and are one of the ideal materials for traditional sliding bearings. Dafeng Mingyue reminds you that in modern applications, it is necessary to weigh the selection of rolling bearings or other composite materials based on the operating conditions (speed, load, temperature).