Q: We are designing plane bearings made of Rulon®, what are some key considerations in terms of coefficient of friction?
A This is a question that we hear often regarding Rulon, Ultraflon and other PTFE-filled materials. The short answer is that these design materials are exceptions to the general rules of friction. With most materials, you can presume that higher loads and higher speeds would mean higher friction. But with PTFE-filled materials, the opposite is true; the higher the load and speed, the lower the friction. This is important to keep in mind when designing, since surface contact area can be reduced dramatically to optimize friction properties.
We’ve prepared a Coefficient of Friction video that covers this topic in much greater detail, but also invite you to reach out to Our Experts to review your application needs.