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Just mention the fact that the bearings are “greaseless” and the interest level begins to rise. A self-lubricating bearing material not only makes economic sense for steel and aluminum mills, but it has proven to be a problem solver of major proportions. The time honored material of these applications, aluminum-bronze, depends on generous applications of grease. This introduces a whole list of undesirable cost and maintenance factors: the cost of the grease itself, the time and manpower to apply it and reapply it as it is lost during operations, the cost of scrap caused by grease stains on the strip, and finally, disposing of the grease, a hazardous waste. These improved bearing materials are helping meet a number of mill management goals. In many applications, longer wear life helps preserve critical clearances in the mill and thus achieves better process control. Elimination of grease and grease-related problems gives management a handle on several other important factors – maintenance, downtime, manpower utilization, scrap, and attainment of environmental goals. With shutdown costs of $50,000 to $200,000 an hour at most mills, longer wearing, maintenance-free bearing are making a big difference in mill operating costs.
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