RWTH research first quantifies benefits of plastic bearings

Users save up to €14 million in lubricant costs per year while improving their environmental balance sheet

A joint study by scientists from RWTH Aachen University and igus shows for the first time the costs that can be saved in applications if lubricant-free plastic bearings from igus are used instead of conventional metal bearings: up to €14 million per year. Also a first: the research calculates the impact on the environment - including at the Heineken brewery.

Classic metal bearings require constant relubrication. Sliding bearings made of high-quality plastics from igus do not have this, thanks to integrated solid lubricants. This saves costs for purchasing lubricants. Depending on the application between €7000 and 14 million per year, according to the RWTH scientists' research. In addition, between 8000 and two million working hours are saved annually on manual relubrication of bearing points. "The figures impressively demonstrate how a seemingly small changeover can ultimately save huge amounts of money and resources," emphasizes Stefan Loockman-Rittich, head of the iglidur plain bearings business unit at igus. One participant in the study, the Heineken Brasil brewery, for example, would save 20 tons of lubricant per year, equivalent to €450,478, and €5.4 million in personnel costs, by switching to polymer bearings in all conveyor belts at its 160 sites worldwide.

Heineken Brewery: plastic bearings reduce CO₂ emissions by 28,814 kg

For the first time, the RWTH research also calculates the positive environmental effects of bearings made from high-performance plastics from igus. Heineken Brasil, for example, saves CO₂ equivalents totaling 180 kg per year by replacing metal bearings with plastic bearings at 600 bearing locations. "If all of Heineken's sites switched to plastic bearings, the company would save 28,814 kg of CO₂ equivalents can save. And that's a significant number for such a small change," said Loockman-Rittich. By comparison, when a vehicle consumes one liter of gasoline, it emits about 2.37 kilograms of CO₂ out. The savings would thus be equivalent to more than 12,000 gallons of gasoline. "More and more manufacturers of machines, systems and vehicles are feeling the pressure to disclose the carbon footprint of their products. Our customers are therefore pleased to be able to rely on a scientifically proven assessment of the environmental benefits of the self-lubricating action of our plain bearings."

About the RWTH study

WBA Werkzeugbau was commissioned to conduct the independent research. This research company cooperates with the Machine Tool Laboratory (WZL) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology (IPT) on the RWTH Aachen Campus as part of one of Europe's largest manufacturing technology research laboratories. The results are based on interviews with nine companies from the automation technology, construction machinery, agricultural, food, packaging and bottling industries.