Variety of SinterLube Bushings

To meet production requirements and turn around times, stampers need high quality die sets, tooling, and guiding elements that withstand millions of press cycles. Optimal tool conditions and tight tolerances must be maintained throughout production, usually calling for regular lubrication, adding downtime and the potential for a mess to clean up.

At Ready Technology we’re pleased to introduce you to an alternative that’s durable, reliable, and virtually maintenance-free. Learn more about our SinterLube® self-lubricating bushings, the benefits they provide for stamping applications, and the secret to their self-lubricating performance.

What are Self-Lubricating Bushings?

Our SinterLube® alloy bushings outperform standard bronze-lined and graphite-plug bushings because they incorporate a unique alloy with excellent lubricity and hardness. This specialized alloy allows for an initial application of high-viscosity lubricant prior to the start of production with no need to reapply it – shift after shift, for the full production run. As a result they are self-lubricating and simple to maintain.

In addition, SinterLube® bushings are more durable than alternatives. To make them, machined steel bushings are lined with a powdered bronze and alloy mixture and then fired in a sintering furnace. Firing happens at a temperature that compacts the powder into a solid layer without completely liquifying it, usually between 1,450°F and 1,550°F. This process forms a thicker layer and stronger bond than plating does and eliminates the risk of flaking or peeling. And unlike graphite plugs, which can extrude over time and at high temperatures, the solid layer of sintered bronze maintains its initial lubrication and geometry to hold tight tolerances for smooth operation over thousands or millions of cycles.

SinterLube® bushings are available for both stamping and mold applications. Inch measurements are available in short, standard, and extra-long profiles. Metric measurements come in low-profile, short, standard, and extra-long profiles. NAAMS, DIN 9834, and AFNOR standard bushings are available. All SinterLube® bushings are demountable and color coded for easy matching with our guide pins to achieve the desired fit.

Advantages of SinterLube® Alloy Bushings

Ready’s SinterLube® bushings offer many advantages, including:

  1. Truly Self-Lubricating Construction: A special alloy with good lubricity is added to the bronze powder and sintered to steel bushings. A single, initial application of lubricant lasts for the duration of production. This eliminates sticky messes common to graphite plugs.
  2. Consistent Initial Geometry: These bushings experience minimal wear, and retain a close fit with guide pins throughout production. This means minimal change in die alignment, which keeps parts within tolerances and limits damage to tooling. Unlike graphite plugs held with adhesive, sintered bronze is mechanically bonded and will not detach and alter the diameter of the bushing.
  3. Smaller Running Clearance: SinterLube® bushings have a smaller running clearance than graphite plug alternatives, so they are suitable for tight tolerance stamping.
  4. Precision Sizing: Manufacturing tolerances for SinterLube® bushings are comparable to those of precision guiding, unlike standard graphite plug bushings.
  5. Virtually Wear-free: Durable, permanent sintered bronze is far thicker than plated bronze and shows minimal wear even after millions of cycles. This also helps maintain guiding accuracy.
  6. High Speed Operation: SinterLube® bushings can operate at incredibly high speeds – up to or beyond 800 strokes per minute at 1 in. stroke. This means they can also be used with high speed tooling that typically calls for ball bearing guiding.
  7. High Temperature Applications: Graphite plugs have an upper temperature limit because plugs dislodge as their bonding glue melts. There is no such risk with SinterLube® bushings in hot stamping or mold applications.
  8. Cost Savings: SinterLube® bushings save money because there is no need to replace them as frequently as graphite plug bushings, which extrude or alter the inner diameter of the bushing. Sintering also adds durability for less wear and tear. You’ll also save on lubricating oil because a single application lasts for the entire run. Finally, SinterLube® bushings require less machining to manufacture, which results in lower production costs, which we pass on to our customers.

Self-Lubrication for Maintenance-Free Operation

SinterLube® bushings stand out for their unique self-lubricating lining and excellent durability. The secret is a specialized alloy dispersed throughout the bronze powder that makes up the lining. Once sintered, the mixture forms a wear-resistant microstructure inside the steel bushing. The lining’s porous surface holds the initial lubricating oil during the wear-in process. Then, because it has high natural lubricity, the alloy continues to maintain optimal conditions throughout production with no additional lubrication, replacement, or other maintenance needed.

Try Ready’s Industry-Leading SinterLube® Bushings

SinterLube® Alloy Bushings are interchangeable with our sintered bronze bushings, so it’s easy to swap them into your existing stamping or molding applications during scheduled maintenance. With a full line of inch and metric sizes and configurations, Ready makes optimizing your stamping and molding processes simple.

Contact us to learn more about our SinterLube® bushings, nitrogen gas springs, metal coil springs, Ready benders, and customizable die sets, or request a quote to start your order.