New copper-based self-lubricating composites for printing machines’ high-speed friction units

Abstract

The service life and stability of equipment remain important aspects. This primarily concerns friction components of printing equipment that operate in severe conditions: high rotation speeds (up to 2,000 rpm), increased loads (3.0 MPa and more). Such conditions of applied loads are peculiar to the performance of friction components in offset and press cylinders of printing equipment such as Solna D390 and Solna D480 offset printing machines (Sweden). The traditionally used cast Cu-based antifriction materials (bronzes, brasses) do not satisfy the growing needs of modern machines for severe friction conditions, for example, for high rotational speeds up to 2000 rpm and increased loads up to 3.0 MPa. At high rotational speeds, complex physical, thermal, chemical and deformation processes take place on the contact surfaces. Under these conditions, any liquid lubricant is inoperable and solid lubricant is added to the initial mixture.