Bearing Technology for Planting Machines

Lubrication and maintenance-free bearings reduce wear

When Italian company Maschia Gaspardo contacted igus for help with a problem, we knew we could help. The Italian company are an innovative agriculture machinery who are aiming to be a "global leader of sustainable agricultural solutions".

They came to us for a solution. They were having issues with the swivelling wheels on the seed drill. This piece of equipment is actually easy to manoeuvre, despite its huge footprint, however despite this, there is a high degree of wear in the contact zone due to dust and moisture. The washers within the machine securely support the wheels of this seed drill under high pressure. In theory, using an axial bearing could reduce this, but this was working out to be expensive. Another option was steel washers, however these would require daily lubrication. The company opted for iglidur® Z thrust washers to solved the problem.

Requirement, challenge and solution

A seed drill moves across a large field.

Requirement

The company was looking for a cost-effective bearing that could permanently withstand high pressure and was free from maintenance and lubrication to be used on a wide precision seed sowing machine in the agricultural industry. These machines are sold in large markets such as the USA, South America and Eastern Europe. The component also needed to be able to withstand the heavy loads permanently and safely, whilst being wear-resistant.

Seed drill working across a field, planting rows with large wheels and hoses.

Challenge

The Italian manufacturer of agricultural machinery, Maschia Gaspardo, sometimes builds such attachments and was looking for a suitable bearing solution for the suspension of the large wheels on the sides of the trailer. The wheels can be swivelled freely and allow for easy manoeuvring at the end of the field. High pressure is exerted on the bearing point of the wheels as they have to bear the weight of the machine. Various systems were proposed and considered for the bearing assembly: however, a thrust bearing is too expensive, is difficult to protect against the high levels of dust and requires time-consuming adjustment of the housing. A steel washer with lubricant was also out of the question as an alternative. Although this is a cost-effective solution, the washers would have to be replaced annually and relubricated daily.

Red connecting part with bearing pin on a wheel bracket.

Solution

A simple solution to the problem was found in an iglidur thrust washer, which offers the perfect conditions for use in this area thanks to its material specifications. The thrust washers made of the material iglidur Z (more specifically, the ZTM-6590-020 thrust washers) were primarily selected due to their wear resistance. As they are lubrication-free, they make the seed drill considerably easier to use and reduce running costs. We offer thrust washers with a wide range of dimensions from stock in our product range. Other shapes and dimensions according to your specifications can be manufactured from iglidur bar stock using both injection moulding and by being machined.

Applications in use in the agricultural industry

Agricultural bearings in Lemken machines

No more wasting time with self-lubricating bearings

igus® has been successfully collaborating with Lemken since 2008. Various Lemken machines are equipped with igus plain bearings, among them the cultivator Karat 9. In the overload elements, the metal bearing points previously used had to be lubricated up to one hour per day to prevent wear and corrosion. By switching to lubrication-free polymer plain bearings, the farmer saves valuable time. Furthermore, the dirt resistance and stability of the plain bearings increase service life and dependability.

The grubber loosens the soil in the field behind the tractor.

Agricultural bearings in bale trimming machines

Heavy load up to 15 tons is made possible

Maintenance-free and resistant to dust and dirt, the iglidur® G plain bearings are used in hinges, locking systems and hydraulic cylinders of bale trimming machines from Optimal-Vertrieb Opitz. They replace red brass solutions, that were produced in-house and required both a relatively large installation space and lubricants that polluted the environment. The new polymer bearings need no lubrication and withstand all edge loads without problems.