# Oilite > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Oilite > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Oilite.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oilite > Source revision: 1337085037 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Brand of self-lubricating bearing}} '''Oilite''' is a brand of self-lubricating [bearing](/source/Bearing_(mechanical)) that is made from metal [alloys](/source/Alloy) with pores that channel [lubricants](/source/Lubricant) between the bearing itself and the shaft. It is manufactured from different types of material. Traditional Oilite is mostly made of [copper](/source/copper) with approximately 10% [tin](/source/tin) and up to 1% [iron](/source/iron), while both Super Oilite and Super Oilite 16 are primarily made of iron with about 20% copper and, in the case of the latter, up to 1% [graphite](/source/graphite). Oilite is currently a registered [trademark](/source/trademark) of Beemer Precision, Inc. == History == One of the core engineers of [Chrysler](/source/Chrysler), [Carl Breer](/source/Carl_Breer), had an idea to pack graphite with metal in 1927, despite the fact that GM earlier failed to make a bushing from compressed copper and graphite. He hired engineer William Sherwood and metallurgist Bill Caulkins, who succeeded in [sintering](/source/sintering) copper, tin and graphite in a furnace without oxygen.{{cite web | url=https://www.allpar.com/threads/oilite-bearings-and-the-chrysler-amplex-division.227757 | title=Oilite bearings and the Chrysler Amplex Division | date=March 2023 }} Oilite was developed by [Chrysler](/source/Chrysler) in 1930, originally as bearings for [water pump](/source/water_pump)s and [spring shackles](/source/leaf_spring), and without oil as the porous filter element in [gasoline filters](/source/fuel_filter). Chrysler sold approximately 500,000 Oilite bearings in 1930 and approximately 2.5 million the next year. The Super Oilite was introduced in 1932. Overall sales of all Oilite material in 1932 was seven million; this rose to 18 million in 1933. Oilite was a profit center for Chrysler during this time.{{Citation | last = Curcio | first = Vincent | title = Chrysler: The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius | page = 485 | publisher = Oxford University Press US | year = 2001 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=dt0uwGwuxPgC&pg=PA485 | isbn = 978-0-19-514705-6 | postscript =.}} As of 2009, the Oilite [trademark](/source/trademark) belongs to Beemer Precision.{{Citation | title = Oilite bearings | url = http://www.beemerprecision.com/ | accessdate = 2009-12-17 | postscript =.}} ==Composition== Oilite is manufactured using [powder metallurgy](/source/powder_metallurgy) so that tiny pores are present in the bearings. The pores are then [vacuum](/source/vacuum) impregnated with an oil to improve the material's bearing ability.{{Citation | title = Oilite | url = http://www.mct-eb.com/pdfdown/Oilite.pdf | accessdate = 2009-12-17 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110820102252/http://www.mct-eb.com/pdfdown/Oilite.pdf | archivedate = 2011-08-20 | postscript = . | url-status = dead }} The material holds approximately 20% oil by volume.{{Citation | title = SAE 841 | url = http://www.nbmmetals.com/downloads/NBM_SAE841.pdf | accessdate = 2009-12-17 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110206115629/http://nbmmetals.com/downloads/NBM_SAE841.pdf | archivedate = 2011-02-06 | url-status = dead | postscript =.}} The most common lubricant is SAE 30 oil.{{Citation | title = McMaster-Carr catalog | publisher = McMaster-Carr | edition = 115th | page = 1116 | url = http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/1116 | accessdate = 2009-12-17 | postscript =.}} Due to the porous structure, [machining](/source/machining) Oilite poses a special situation. To machine Oilite, the [cutting tool](/source/cutting_tool) must be—and stay—sharp; therefore, [tungsten carbide](/source/tungsten_carbide) is often used. The sharp tool preserves the open-pore structure, because a dull tool would smear the material and close up the pores that are on the surface adjacent to the journal, which is where the lubrication needs to be. [Reaming](/source/Reaming) is not recommended, but can be done with an extremely sharp tool. [Honing](/source/Honing_(metalworking)) and [grinding](/source/grinding_(abrasive_cutting)) should not be performed on any surface that is in contact with the journal as these processes always smear the pores. {| class="wikitable" |+ Chemical composition of various Oilite grades |- ! !! Copper [%] !! Iron [%] !! Graphite [%] !! Tin [%] !! Other elements (max.) [%] |- ! Oilite | 87.2–90.5 || 1 max. || 0–0.3 || 9.5–10.5 || 1.0 |- ! Super Oilite | 18–22 || Balance || - || - || 2.0 |- ! Super Oilite 16 | 18–22 || Balance || 0.6–1.0 || - || 2.0 |} ==Types== The different types of Oilite bearings vary by the metal alloy used, not by the type of oil with which they are impregnated. Many types of oil can be impregnated to facilitate various applications, such as high and low speed, high and low load, various temperature ranges, food-grade applications, and plastic compatibility. ===Oilite=== Oilite material is the most widely used of all the types of Oilite bearing materials. Standards that encompass the Oilite material are: [ASTM](/source/ASTM) B-438-95A Grade 1 Type II, [MIL](/source/United_States_Military_Standard)-B-5687D Type 1 Grade 1, CT-1000-K26, [SAE](/source/SAE_International) 841, and old SAE standard Type 1 Class A. ===Oilite Plus=== Oilite Plus is the same bronze alloy as an Oilite, impregnated with [turbine oil](/source/turbine_oil) and fine particles of [polytetrafluoroethylene](/source/polytetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). This reduces the [friction](/source/friction) by approximately 17% versus standard Oilite material. This material is usually used in applications that exhibit mixed-film or boundary condition lubrication. Situations where this type of lubrication is encountered commonly include oscillating motions, slow speeds, intermittent use, pulsating loads, and uneven loads. ===Super Oilite=== Super Oilite is an iron-based material that is [harder](/source/hardness), stronger, and cheaper than Oilite. It is rated for slower speeds, but it can handle higher loads. Common applications include [farm equipment](/source/farm_equipment), [winch](/source/winch)es, [sheave](/source/sheave)s, [conveyor](/source/conveyor)s, and [pulley](/source/pulley)s. Applicable standards are: ASTM B-439-95 Grade 4, MIL-B-5687D Type 2 Grade 4, SAE 863, and old SAE standard Type 3. Super Oilite 16 is Super Oilite that has been heat treated to a hardness greater than [HRC](/source/Rockwell_hardness) 50. This material is used for extreme loads and slow oscillating motions. Common applications include [cranes](/source/Crane_(machine)), [hoist](/source/hoist_(device))s, [machine press](/source/machine_press)es, and conveyors. The applicable standard is ASTM B-426 Grade 4 Type 2. ===Comparison=== {| class="wikitable" |+Physical and mechanical properties |- ! !! Oilite !! Super Oilite !! Super Oilite 16 |- | Density [g/cm3] || 6.4–6.8 || 5.8–6.2 || 6.0–6.4 |- | Minimum porosity [% oil by vol.] || 19 || 19 || 15 |- | [Strength constant](/source/Strength_constant) (K) || 26,500 || 40,000 || 60,000 |- | Tensile strength [psi] || 14,000 || 22,000 || 32,000 |- | Elongation [% in 1"] || 1 || 1 || 0.5 |- | Yield strength in compression [psi] || 11,000 || 22,000 || 40,000 |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Maximum bearing limits |- ! Material !! PV !! Static P [psi] || Dynamic P [psi] || V [[sfm](/source/Surface_feet_per_minute)] |- | Oilite || 50,000 || 8,000 || 2,000 || 1,200 |- | Super Oilite || 35,000 || 20,000 || 4,000 || 225 |- | Super Oilite 16 || 75,000 || 50,000 || 8,000 || 35 |} ==References== {{Reflist}} Category:Bronze Category:Ferrous alloys --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Oilite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oilite) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oilite?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.