GGB, a global leader in the automotive industry, has 80 years in the plain bearing business and, over this time, has come to provide more than 50 bearing solutions for automotive applications. The company’s transmission bearings consist of three main product families: metal-polymer, bi-metal and engineered plastics bearings.

Typically, limited space and weight hinder traditional rolling element bearings, and high loads and oscillating movements can lead to friction and, therefore, damage. GGB automotive bearings, on the other hand, offer long life, reliability and smooth operation. As a result, GGB’s lead-free bearing materials offer significant advantages over rolling element bearings, contributing to improved performance and increased passenger comfort.

Low friction, high wear resistance, and exceptional load tolerance make GGB’s automotive bearings ideal, withstanding even the most demanding automotive environments. The typical applications for automotive bearings include windshield wipers, convertible tops, pedals, clutch pumps, transmissions, engine components, and brake and seat recliner systems.

In addition, GGB’s compact and lightweight solutions allow for the reduction of fuel consumption, leading to lower emissions. These are just a few examples of how continuous innovation of technologically superior products keeps GGB at the forefront of high performance bearing technology.

Oftentimes, heavy-duty automatic transmissions are fitted to large diesel engines in a wide variety of construction equipment, such as articulating dump trucks and mining trucks. Low-friction plain bearings, such as GGB’s DP31, help improve efficiency by reducing power loss, one of the major performance requirements for these transmissions. Transmission applications include, but are not limited to, planetary gear sets and carriers, main shaft and rear output shaft bearings, reverse idler gears, differential gears, torque converters, sector drives, and accessory drives.

GGB’s custom engineering capabilities, along with their team of expert Application Engineers, make them a leader and trusted resource in transmission bearing applications. Recently, a GGB customer was looking for a bearing solution for a gearbox actuator shaft. GGB recommended its high-pressure, lead-free DP4 plain bearings for their compliance to EVL, WEEE, and RoHS specifications and excellent wear and friction performance over a wide range of load, speed and temperature conditions.

Further, their exceptional resistance to both flow and cavitation erosion made them especially suitable for the frequent starts and stops common to this application. Through this plain bearing solution, the customer was able to achieve the performance of a standard transmission while providing the convenience and comfort of an automatic transmission.

For more information regarding the gearbox actuator shaft case study, click here.

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