Normally, a tracked system is anchored to the ground with concrete elements that have to be laboriously removed at some point. "Our anchoring consists of ground screws, on which the relatively simple mechanical system, a pure metal construction, is built," says Thomas Vogel. The friction in the system is completely negligible. This is ensured by lubrication-free polymer plain bearings from igus® GmbH, Cologne. There is almost no application in which the lubrication-free bearing technology does not prove its versatility.
Three unlubricated bearings are used between the drum and the traction ring, the base plate. "At this point, we were looking for a high-quality, high-performance solution that, on the one hand, had to run completely dry and, on the other, must not be susceptible to damage due to the ambient conditions," says Thomas Vogel, looking back. System service lives of several decades are part of the requirement profile. And if the worst comes to the worst, it must be possible to replace the bearings quickly and easily during maintenance and servicing work.
The all-round material iglidur® P fulfils the requirement profile. Due to its thermal stability and low total moisture absorption, this bearing is one of the most dimensionally stable in changing ambient conditions. It is generally recommended for rotary movements with medium to high loads. It is also cost-effective, which in turn has a noticeable effect on the economic side.