Micro-Components

In children's rooms and classrooms, small robots perform a wide variety of tasks. Robot hands and grippers are becoming ever more sophisticated and surgical instruments ever more delicate. Due to these recent developments, some of our customers and development partners have been dissatisfied with the available dimensions, prompting us to push our manufacturing capabilities to their limits. In doing so, we went beyond existing limits and redefined our capabilities in micro-components. The results are plain bearings made of our composite material with an inner diameter of only 1mm as well as tolerance rings for 2mm small shaft diameters… tailor-made and in high volumes.

Miniature-Bearings

Miniature bearings are an integral part of the rolling bearing product range and are mostly used in high-precision applications. Until now, the only alternative has been to use metallic plain bearings, but in most cases this leads to high friction and wear. This presents product designers and engineers with major challenges for the smallest moving components.

NORGLIDE^® Plain-Miniature-Bearing

Small components with constant, stable torque over the entire service life! NORGLIDE^® Bearings enable exactly this due to their modular design. The PTFE compound film with a thickness between 0.1mm and 0.25mm ensures constant and low friction, while a thin metal outer carrier provides the necessary stability.

This makes your systems smaller while increasing the service life and quality of your products.

Miniature Bearing Variants

For us, micro plain bearings mean the development and production of the smallest wear and friction components. We are able to offer different variants down to a smallest diameter of 1 mm.

Advantages of miniature plain bearings

All micro-components offer constant torque over the entire service life thanks to our thin-walled plain bearing technology. Constant, defined torque provides defined friction in pivot points and gives mechanical systems, such as micro hinges and multibar mechanisms, a comfortable adjustment feel.

The sliding layers of our bearings are tailored to the load and environmental conditions and can be used, with or without grease, for maintenance-free solutions.

NORGLIDE^® micro plain bearing with PTFE outer surface in 3mm hinge - torque +/- 90° over 25,000 cycles

Compared to today's solutions such as coatings or bonded tapes / fabrics, our Micro-Components have not only successfully increased the performance in many small systems. In addition, we were even able to simplify the assembly process by eliminating the need for glue and curing time.

Application Examples for Miniature Plain Bearings

Micro-Bearings for Eyeglass Frame Hinges

Compared to today's solutions such as coatings or bonded tapes/fabrics, our micro-components have not only successfully increased performance in many small systems. In addition, we have even been able to simplify the assembly process by eliminating adhesives and the resultant curing time.

MicroTorque slip clutch

MicroTorque slip clutches protect drive units of the smallest mechatronic components. You can find out more about the use of RENCOL^® Tolerance Rings as slip clutches by clicking the following link:

► Learn more

In this case study, we tell how we developed our tools and capabilities to meet our customer's challenge in protecting their gearboxes and servo motors in robots. We address the important factors to consider when designing for tight and low torques.

CASE STUDY

Micro fastener

As simple connecting element, the RENCOL^® Tolerance Ring can also be used to mechanically connect two cylindrical components.

Talk to us

Our NORGLIDE^® Bearings are well known in the automotive market and many customers use our products in their mechanical and mechatronic systems, due to our products’ high quality and performance. You can reach us by filling out this form or by simply sending us an email: makingabigdifference@saint-gobain.com. We look forward to discussing your technical challenge.