TOUGHMET® ALLOYS OUTPERFORM OTHER BUSHING AND BEARING MATERIALS
Heavy equipment applications require materials that can withstand extremely demanding conditions. Materion’s family of ToughMet cast and wrought alloys outperform steel, bronze and other bushing and bearing materials used in challenging, harsh environments, including surface and underground mining, forestry, construction and manufacturing equipment.
With their unique combination of properties, ToughMet alloys last longer, carry more load, require less maintenance and eliminate unplanned equipment repairs. They offer high strength, low friction and resistance to galling, corrosion and wear. In most plain bearing applications, our ToughMet 2 CX 90 alloy provides the best value proposition with significant performance benefits over conventional materials at an affordable price.
ToughMet alloys are available in plate, rod, tube, wire and a variety of cast shapes, and we can supply rough or finish machined parts to meet customer supplied drawings. The mechanical properties may vary by product size, form and temper. For the physical and mechanical properties of ToughMet alloys, view our data sheets.
For more information about the standard ToughMet bulk products we offer, see our list of standard bulk products.
WATCH A VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING TOUGHMET ALLOYS IN MINING APPLICATIONS
TOUGHMET ALLOYS OFFER OUTSTANDING GALLING AND WEAR RESISTANCE
Our ToughMet alloys have the galling resistance of manganese bronze along with the abrasion resistance of steel. They provide low friction and minimal wear, even in cases where lubrication is not applied on schedule. Under conditions that include exposure to silica, coal dust, salt and other mineral particulate, ToughMet alloy has been proven to extend equipment life and maintenance cycles when used in surface and underground mining, forestry, construction and manufacturing equipment.
To see the performance improvements and cost savings one of our customers experienced when switching from OEM steel bearings to bearings made of ToughMet alloy for an excavator bucket, read our case study.
COST-EFFECTIVE TOUGHMET 2 ALLOY OFFERS HIGH THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY AND IMPROVED MACHINABILITY
ToughMet 3 CX105 has traditionally been our material solution for heavy equipment bushings and bearings, but we are now offering ToughMet 2 alloy as a cost-effective alternative that meets property requirements in these demanding applications. ToughMet 2 CX90 alloy provides the same performance benefits as ToughMet 3 CX105 when used for plain sleeve, thrust or linear bearings – at a lower price. Learn more about the benefits of using ToughMet 2 alloy for bushings and bearings in our Product Brief.
ToughMet 2 alloy is manufactured using our EquaCast® technology, which enables higher yields and improved efficiencies during production. ToughMet 2 alloys have a similar level of corrosion resistance as ToughMet 3 alloys in most environments, but with higher thermal conductivity, it protects bushing and bearing lubricants, extending maintenance cycles. ToughMet 2 is slightly lower in both hardness and friction than ToughMet 3, making the wear resistance of the two nearly indistinguishable under most conditions. With a lower coefficient of friction, ToughMet 2 also offers improved machinability.
To learn more about the specific properties of ToughMet 2 alloys, view our data sheets.
Please be advised that ToughMet® 2 CX90 Alloy is not recommended for use in plastic injection mold tooling where glossy or semi-glossy surface finishes are required. Consider using MoldMAX® XL material instead.
WRAPPED BEARINGS MADE OF TOUGHMET ALLOYS
Bowman International Ltd. offers thin-walled wrapped bearings made from strips of high-strength ToughMet alloy. The BowMet® product line features standard size bearings with all the benefits ToughMet alloy provides in machined bearings—low friction, high strength, and wear, corrosion and galling resistance.
See the BowMet catalog, or call Bowman (+44 (0) 1235 462500) for more information about standard sizes. Custom sizes are also available.
TALK WITH AN ENGINEER
Contact our team for more information about ToughMet 2 and ToughMet 3 alloys, and to learn how we can meet your heavy equipment linkage bushing and bearing needs.