Federal-Mogul Powertrain DEVA Self-Lubricating Bearings Validated for Special-Purpose Vehicles

Federal-Mogul's new DEVA brand maintenance-free bearings have been validated for use in special-purpose vehicle chassis applications.

Fiber-reinforced, self-lubricating deva.tex sliding bearings.
Fiber-reinforced, self-lubricating deva.tex sliding bearings.
F M Powertrain color 554d0b1f030eb

Federal-Mogul Powertrain has successfully validated its DEVA maintenance-free sliding bearings for special-purpose vehicle chassis applications. Following in-house tribological testing and customer-specific field investigations, deva.tex composite bearings are being commercialized for use in construction machines, agricultural vehicles and other special-purpose vehicles, such as road sweepers. The fiber-reinforced bearings are able to reduce the environmental impact, downtime and maintenance costs associated with traditional grease-lubricated bearings. Softer sliding materials as deva.tex (left) deform and adapt much better to shaft (right) geometry than metal bearings, increasing contact area and lowering load peaks to reduce wear and eliminate failure caused by shaft misalignment. Seen here before (top) and after testing (bottom).Softer sliding materials as deva.tex (left) deform and adapt much better to shaft (right) geometry than metal bearings, increasing contact area and lowering load peaks to reduce wear and eliminate failure caused by shaft misalignment. Seen here before (top) and after testing (bottom).

“deva.tex self-lubricating, maintenance-free sliding bearings can provide a tangible solution for manufacturers seeking to meet strict new environmental legislation,” says Gian Maria Olivetti, Chief Technology Officer, Federal-Mogul Powertrain. “We overcome the inherent risk of leakage suffered by grease-lubricated bearings by offering a cleaner solution that is also more cost-effective for the operator.” 

Federal-Mogul Powertrain has carried extensive rig trials to optimize friction and wear properties under specific operating conditions as part of the validation process. deva.tex two- layer fiber-reinforced composite bearings have been run against various shaft materials as well as under varying load, sliding speed and oscillating cycle conditions.

deva.tex technology benefits

A significant advantage of DEVA composite materials is the ability to reduce wear and eliminate the premature failures that can occur in metal bearings when subjected to shaft misalignment. This is made possible by the materials’ heightened tolerance of shaft offset or misalignment: unlike metal bushes, the softer DEVA materials conform better to the shaft geometry, spreading the contact over a larger area and increasing the load capacity.

“Different special-purpose vehicles operate in such distinct and often challenging environments, and so it is unrealistic for a single off-the-shelf design to satisfy all applications,” explains Stefan Henß, Senior Engineering Manager DEVA, Federal-Mogul Powertrain. “Any successful implementation requires collaboration with the customer to ensure the bearing forms part of an integrated tribological system. We work closely with each customer to ensure that the bearing installation includes, for example, appropriate sealing to exclude any abrasive or corrosive contaminants from the surrounding environment. This is a key factor in ensuring long life and reliable operation.”

Extensive validation process

Tests highlighted the importance of specifying the appropriate surface properties for the shaft, to maintain a stable and robust tribological system. The hardness needs to be above 220 HB Brinell when used with deva.tex, and surface roughness between 0.4 and 1.0 μm Ra. Suitable corrosion resistance is also required, for example by using stainless steel or an appropriate coating. This enables the bearing to transfer a stable film onto the shaft surface, maintaining a constant coefficient of friction and the lowest possible wear rate.

Having validated bearing performance, the future research priority for Federal-Mogul Powertrain will be to investigate the potential of economical shaft coatings. These will be evaluated for corrosion resistance, wear performance and sliding properties to establish the optimum for use with DEVA bearings.

“Increasing environmental awareness and stricter legal regulations are leading to a growing demand for environmentally friendly solutions,” says Henß. “Add to that the attraction of low- maintenance or maintenance-free systems and we expect to see a rapidly increasing market for our self-lubricating solutions.”

New self-lubricating, maintenance-free sliding bearings from Federal-Mogul Powertrain´s DEVA brand are validated for special-purpose vehicle chassis applications and provide environmental, cost and durability benefits in rough environments.New self-lubricating, maintenance-free sliding bearings from Federal-Mogul Powertrain´s DEVA brand are validated for special-purpose vehicle chassis applications and provide environmental, cost and durability benefits in rough environments.

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