KS PERMAGLIDE® plain bearings: Legal requirements for bearing materials

The aim of the directive is to promote the recycling of old vehicles and their components, and to reduce vehicle waste and production waste. Dangerous substances such as mercury, chromium or lead may not be used in vehicles or their components. Exceptions are outlined in Appendix II to directive 2000/53/EC.

The aim of the directive is to reduce the use of hazardous substances such as mercury, chromium or lead in electronic equipment. In the EU, several types of military and medical equipment are exempted from RoHS-conformity.

KS PERMAGLIDE® plain bearings are available made from materials whose manufacturing processes are performed without the use of hazardous substances. As such, these materials conform to the aforementioned directives. These substances include – in particular – emulsiiers containing PFOA, which are used in the chemicals industry for processing PTFE, for example. KS Gleitlager has developed new process technology methods which preclude all toxic risks for employees, customers and the environment. 

KS PERMAGLIDE® materials that conform to the aforementioned directives include:

• P14
• P147
• P200
• P202
• P203

The highest permissible concentration in homogeneous materials as a percentage of weight

• Lead (Pb), 0.1%
• Mercury (Hg), 0.1%
• Cadmium (Cd), 0.01%
• Hexavalent chromium (Cr+6), 0.1%
• Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), 0.1%
• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), 0.1%

KS PERMAGLIDE^® plain bearings containing lead can be used in applications with no legal restrictions. The advantages of materials containing lead are their good dry running and emergency running properties. The low friction values and high durability of the maintenance-free and low-maintenance KS PERMAGLIDE_® plain bearings increase the energy eiciency of equipment and machines. The use of additional lubricants can be reduced or omitted entirely.