Vehicle interior – 3 examples of polymer ball bearings in control elements

Lynna Liu (刘银) | September 16, 2020

The modern car interior has many different knobs, dials and switches. Whether it is the adjustment of the window, air conditioning or sound level – we are increasingly resorting to the cleverly placed rotary adjusters in the interior. All these controls are directly related to the quality perception of the vehicle and can influence a possible car purchase. The physical contact leads to a decision within seconds – do the knobs feel high-quality and are easy to adjust, or are they rather unstable and tend to be inaccurate to adjust? To meet these criteria, the selection of the used bearing solution should be well thought out.
 

The following 3 examples from the interior are ideal for the use of polymer ball bearings:

vehicle interior polymer bearing

Controller for air conditioning system
Air conditioning systems can now be found in almost all new vehicles. Control of the ideal temperature and air flow is a welcome addition in various weather conditions. This is where the thin-ring polymer ball bearings show, among other things, their advantages over metal ball bearings, for example in the areas of costs and design freedom.

1-A / C-Knob-1-1

Electrical gear lever
Automatic gears are becoming increasingly common in all vehicle classes. The classic gear lever is moved much less frequently in this type of drive, which is why it is replaced by an elegant rotary adjuster in newer combustion engines and electric vehicles. Lubrication-free, lightweight and corrosion-resistant polymer ball bearings are an ideal solution here.

2-Electric gear lever-Dr
2-Electric gear lever-Dr

Multimedia Interface (MMI) and additional rotary adjusters
Control elements for the infotainment system are placed on the centre panel in addition to the dashboard. To control the navigation system or favourite music, in addition to the classic rotary movement, there is also a linear movement to confirm the selection made. Since the tribologically optimised polymers are used for xiros® ball bearings, the polymer ball bearing is ideally suited for this application area. The free design offers the possibility of part integration, so that a high-quality latching function can be combined with the rotary movement.
 
The use of iglidur® plain bearings is also offered for other rotary adjusters – optimised polymers for high-quality and easily adjustable operating elements.

controls-multimedia

Control elements in the interior

The modern interior design offers a variety of control elements. A controller allows us to adjust the temperature, the side mirror and the drive mode. Here, the flexibility of the used rotary adjusters should not be neglected. A short locking when the button is moved has a high-quality effect and at the same time confirms the selection made.

This is exactly where polymer ball bearings roll out their advantages:

Lightweight
Polymer ball bearings are true lightweights compared to metal versions. This leads to less fuel consumption and an increased reach.

Cost-effective
Price advantages are particularly significant in the automotive industry – here, the polymer solutions can score. In addition, thin ring bearings are a true cost saver in contrast to their metal counterparts.

Special designs: part integration & fewer components
Individual design of the ball bearing geometry: encapsulated ball bearings, grooves at the outer diameter (e.g. for guide rollers) and an integration into existing systems do not pose a challenge for injection moulded bearings.

Low breakaway torque
Due to the polymers used, all xiros ball bearings can be adjusted right at the beginning.

Lubrication-free
xiros ball bearings roll without any additional grease or lubrication, and are permanently maintenance-free. Also, the ecological aspect is a beneficial side effect. Furthermore, this means no oily fingers and less dirt entering the ball bearing.

We would be pleased to present you further advantages and applications of our tribologically optimised polymer ball bearings and plain bearings.Below you can click the picture and order your Xiros sample.

More relative application


 
Do not hesitate to call me:
Lynna Liu
Phone: +86 021-80366201
Mobile: +086 18817591017 (wechat ID)
E-mail: lyliu@igus.net

 
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Have fun browsing and thanks for your time.
 
PS: whether plain bearings, spherical bearings, linear bearings, ball bearings, special sliders, gears or individually customised design, the iglidur® Designer  leaves nothing to be desired. Request part now and receive a quote by tonight.
 
More information: automotive industry, polymer plain bearings for automotive interior, exterior and engine compartment applications

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