Bearing Inventor David Garnett Dies in UK

David Garnett, inventor of the molded polymer "bearing-no-lube" (or BNL bearing) has died in the UK after a battle with cancer. Mr. Garnett's first job was with Pollard Bearings in the UK (which later became the "P" in RHP Bearings). He followed that with a stint at Koyo. While at Koyo, he developed the ideas behind what would later become the world's most popular no-lube molded polymer bearing. He left Koyo to found BNL Bearing in 1975; his no-lube molded polymer bearing designs were eventually patented in most countries and found their way into a wide variety of electronic, aerospace, medical and industrial applications. The central idea behind the BNL bearing is that it is a rolling-element bearing which is usually molded directly into the component. For example, in a photocopier application, the paper feed roller is designed and formed to function as the bearings's outer race. This integral design and molding makes for more efficient design and assembly, along with fewer parts and fewer opportunities for design and service problems. In 1988, Mr. Garnett sold BNL to Henry Barrett Group plc (UK), but bought it back in 1991 amidst a management buyout at Henry Barrett. In 1994, Sarna Kuntsoff Holding AG (Switzerland) bought BNL Bearing and established it as Sarnatech BNL Ltd., now part of Sarna Group's Sarnamotive Division America. Sarnatech BNL Ltd. is the world leader in lubricant-free thermoplastic rolling element bearings, producing approximately 50 million bearings each year. It is also the leading automotive Tier 1 supplier of custom plastic bearings for various in-car applications. The bearings usually have integrally formed shafts, gears or mechanical assemblies. BNL bearings are found in most photocopiers, office machines, signs, cameras, food processing equipment and chemical processing equipment. The company has seven offices around the world, Germany, France, Japan, Italy, Spain and the USA, in addition to its UK manufacturing facility which employs over 120 people. Annual sales are approximately USD $13 million.