Cerobear Develops Retainers for Hybrid Ceramic Bearings

Cerobear Develops Retainers for Hybrid Ceramic Bearings Cerobear GmbH has begun using a new line of bearing retainers (aka: rolling element cages), incorporating a proprietary thermoplastic material and designed specifically for use in ceramic bearings. Founded in 1990, Cerobear is the world's largest manufacturer of fully ceramic and hybrid ceramic bearings, full complement or retainer-equipped. Working with Victrex Manufacturing Ltd., Cerobear has now developed retainers molded from Victrex' polyaryletherketone (PEEK) thermoplastic. The retainers offer thermal performance more in line with the ceramic bearings' capabilities -- a maximum continuous operating temperature of 250¡ãC (482¡ãF). PEEK is a proprietary Victrex polymer, a repeat unit of oxy-1, 4-phenylenoeoxy-1, 4-phenylene-carbonyl-1, 4-phenylene. The linear aromatic is semi-crystalline and considered the highest performance thermoplastic available. Ceramic bearing applications using PEEK retainers are most in demand for the food processing and packaging industries, where Cerobear offers media lubrication (the product itself is the lubricant) as well as dry running. The potential for food contamination from grease or oil is eliminated, as is the potential for secondary contamination due to bearing component or lubricant degradation.