With the development of industrial equipment in the direction of high load, low maintenance, long service life, compact design and high reliability, Journal Bearing are still widely used in machinery. Unlike rolling bearings, sliding bearings are supported by sliding contact between the shaft and the bearing surface. Sliding bearings are characterized by simple structure, high bearing capacity, impact resistance and are suitable for low speed and oscillating motion.
When selecting sliding bearings, purchasers, equipment manufacturers and investors should consider load, speed, movement type, temperature, lubrication conditions, installation space, operating environment, etc., in addition to price. Growth in construction machinery, new energy equipment, automation systems, energy infrastructure and other industries is expected to drive the growing demand for low-friction, maintenance-free, high-wear-resistant sliding bearings through 2026.
What is a flat-bearing?
Sliding bearing is a kind of mechanical bearing which is widely used in rotating, vibrating and reciprocating motion by sliding contact with supporting shaft or moving parts.
Sliding bearings are usually composed of bearing body and sliding surface, which facilitates relative movement between shaft and bearing. Depending on the material and lubrication method, lubricating oil, grease or self-lubricating material can be used to reduce friction and wear.
Common terms include:
Plain Bearing
Plain Bushing
Sleeve Bearing
Oil-Free Bearing
Self-Lubricating Bearing
Spherical Plain Bearing
Journal Bearing
Compared with rolling bearings, sliding bearings lack ball or roller elements, so the structure is relatively simple. They have obvious advantages in applications involving heavy loads, low speeds, oscillations and impact loads, as well as in equipment with limited installation space.
What are the types of sliding bearings?
Sliding bearings can be classified according to structure, materials and lubrication methods, and different types of sliding bearings are suitable for specific load, speed and operating environment requirements.
1. Sleeve Bearings
Sleeve bearings is a common type of horizontal bearing in industrial equipment. It is usually installed between bearing and bearing. Key applications include:
Industrial motor
Pumps
Fans and blowers
Conveyor equipment
Agricultural machinery
General Machinery
2. Spherical Plain Bearings
Spherical plain bearings can adjust the vibration and imbalance in a certain angle range, so that it is suitable for linkage mechanisms involved in vibration motion.
Common applications include:
Engineering machinery
Hydraulic cylinders
Lifting equipment
Mechanical linkage
Car suspension systems
Heavy equipment linkage mechanism
3. Self-Lubricating Plain Bearings
Self-lubricating sliding bearings use materials such as PTFE (PTFE), engineering plastics, composite materials or solid lubricants to enable them to operate under certain conditions with or without increased lubrication.
In particular, it applies to:
manual lubrication of hard-to-reach sites
Equipment with low maintenance frequency
Environment where lubricant cannot be used
Dust or contaminated working environment
Automated production lines
4. Metal Plain Bearings and Composite Plain Bearings
Common materials include:
Bronze
Steel
Copper alloys
PTFE composites
Engineering plastics
Fiber-reinforced composites
Different materials have different bearing capacity, abrasion resistance, temperature resistance, corrosion resistance and frictional properties, therefore according to actual use of the selection.
What industrial equipment are sliding bearings suitable for?
Sliding bearings are especially suitable for industrial equipment with heavy load, low speed, oscillation, shock loads or limited maintenance space.
Construction Machinery
Engineering machinery is the main application field of sliding bearings.
Equipment such as excavators, loaders, cranes and bulldozers usually have numerous pivot points and rotary joints. These areas are often subjected to high radial loads and shock loads.
Typical applications include:
stick connections
Bucket linkage mechanisms
Crane pivot points
machinery chassis
Hydraulic cylinder connection points
In these positions, self-lubricating bushings can reduce the frequency of manual lubrication and reduce maintenance requirements.
Hydraulic Equipment
Sliding bearings are commonly used in hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic actuators and mechanical linkage components.
Bearing locations in hydraulic system usually has to withstand heavy load under frequent vibration, so spherical sliding bearing and self-lubricating bushing have excellent adaptability.
Pumps and compressors
In pumps and compressors, sliding bearings are used to support rotating shafts and related moving parts.
Key considerations in procurement process include:
Bearing load
Rotational speed
Working temperature
Lubrication method
Shaft surface roughness
Operating medium
For continuous operation of industrial pumps, wear resistance and long-term stability are particularly important.
Conveying Equipment
Conveyors, automatic conveyor lines and material handling equipment have numerous rotating components and linkage mechanisms.
Sliding bearings can be used for:
Conveyor rollers
Articulated mechanisms
Guiding mechanisms
Support structure
Linkage mechanisms
Self-lubricating bearings can reduce the daily maintenance requirements for transportation equipment with more lubricating points or more difficult maintenance.
Agricultural Machinery
Agricultural machinery often operates in dusty, muddy and humid environments, so bearings require good resistance to pollution.
Sliding bearings can be used for:
Tractor
Harvester
Seeders
Agricultural conveying equipment
Hydraulic systems agricultural machinery
For agricultural machinery, abrasion resistance and maintenance convenience are often more important than achieving maximum speed.
Electricity and Energy Equipment
Sliding bearings are also used in generator sets, steam turbines, hydroelectric equipment and other energy-related machinery.
In large energy equipment, bearings must be subjected to stable loads over a long period of time; consequently, they usually require to be specially designed according to shaft diameter, load, speed, temperature and lubrication conditions.
New energy equipment
With the development of new energy equipment such as wind and solar energy, sliding bearings are increasingly used in structures that require vibration, rotation or structural connection.
Possible applications include:
Wind power
Photovoltaic tracking systems
Hydraulics
Connection mechanisms of new energy machinery;
Large energy equipment
How to select Plain Bearings?
When choosing a sliding bearing, the actual working condition of the bearing should be determined, then the bearing material, dimensions, structure and lubrication method should be determined.
Buyers should focus on verifying the following parameters:
Loads: including radial load, axial load and impact loads.
Speed: Confirm continuous speed and maximum speed.
Type of motion: Determine whether the motion is continuous rotation, oscillation or reciprocation.
Temperature: Determine normal operating temperatures and peak temperatures.
Lubrication: choose grease, oil or self-lubrication design.
Operating environment: water, dust, chemicals, corrosion, etc..
Shaft Material: Shaft hardness and surface quality directly affect bearing service life.
Installation Space: Select standard bushings, thin-walled bearing or special configuration according to equipment design.
Maintenance Requirements: If maintenance is difficult, priority is given to self-lubricating sliding bearings.
When purchasing, it is better to provide the supplier with complete details of the operating conditions rather than just bearing dimensions.
How is the cost of sliding bearings calculated?
The procurement cost of sliding bearings depends not only on size, but also on material, design, machining accuracy, lubrication methods and order volume.
The cost Standard bronze bushings is usually manageable, while special composites, self-lubricating materials and custom sliding bearings can be more expensive.
Buyers should also consider the cost over the life cycle, including:
Bearing purchase price
Installation costs
Cost of lubricants (oil or grease)
Labour costs of maintenance
Bearing replacement frequency
Loss of equipment due to downtime
Spare parts inventory costs
Higher prices for self-lubricating bearings do not necessarily mean higher overall costs for large engineering equipment, automated production lines and locations where manual maintenance is difficult. If lubrication and replacement frequency can be reduced, the overall cost of ownership may actually be better.
Sliding bearing application and Scenes
The core value of sliding bearings lies to solve mechanical challenges such as heavy load, low speed, oscillating motion, impact loads and maintenance difficulties.
Common application industries include:
Engineering machinery
Hydraulic equipment
Pumps and compressors
Power generation equipment
Hydropower equipment
Agricultural machinery
Conveyor systems
Packaging machinery
Machine tools
Wind power
Railway equipment
Maritime machinery
With the requirement of low maintenance, long life, energy saving and reliable operation of industrial equipment, self-lubricating bearing, compound sliding bearing and high abrasionresistance material are still the focus areas.
For equipment manufacturers, rather than simply looking for the lowest-priced sliding bearings, choose materials and designs that are suitable for actual operating conditions, which can reduce long-term maintenance costs and equipment downtime risks.
Plain Bearing FAQ
1. What equipment mainly uses sliding bearings?
Sliding bearings are mainly used in construction machinery, hydraulic equipment, water pumps, compressors, transportation equipment, agricultural machinery, power generation equipment, new energy equipment, etc.
2. What is the difference between a sliding bearing and a rolling bearing?
Sliding bearings promote movement through sliding contact, while rolling bearings utilize balls or rollers. Sliding bearings are especially suitable for certain working conditions of heavy load, low speed and oscillation.
3. Do sliding bearings require lubrication?
It depends on the bearing's structure and material. Standard metal sliding bearings usually require lubrication, while some self-lubricating sliding bearings can reduce the need for external lubrication under appropriate operating conditions.
4. What is a self-lubricating sliding bearing?
Self-lubricating sliding bearings utilize special sliding materials to minimize friction and wear during operation by taking advantage of the low friction properties or solid lubrication components inherent in the materials.
5. Can sliding bearings be used at high temperatures?
Yes, but it is very important to choose bearing materials and lubrication methods suitable for high temperature environment. Standard plastics or composites may not be suitable for all high-temperature environments.
6. What is the service life of ordinary bearings?
Service life depends on load, speed, temperature, lubrication, material, surface quality of shaft and working environment. Therefore, the general service life cannot be determined based on bearing model solely.
7. What information is needed to buy sliding bearings?
The following information is recommended:
Shaft diameter and bearing dimensions
Maximum load
Speed of operation
Type of request
Working temperature
Lubrication method
Working environment
Application Equipment
Number of purchases
Conclusion
As of 2026, sliding bearings have high value in the application of industrial equipment because of their simple structure, high bearing capacity, strong impact resistance, suitable for vibration movement and controllable maintenance costs.
When buying sliding bearings, buyers should go beyond price and focus on comparing materials, carrying capacity, abrasion resistance, lubrication methods, operating environment and lifecycle costs.
If you are looking for sliding bearings for construction machinery, hydraulic equipment, water pumps, transmission systems, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment or new energy equipment, you can provide a detailed description of the working conditions, bearing sizes and equipment applications of sliding bearings, bushing, self-lubricating bearings or composite sliding bearings to a professional manufacturer to find the most suitable solution.