A selection of special laminated plastic materials for use as bearings.

Special bearing grades

Bear Brand TUFNOL	Cotton fabric grade specially formulated for bearings lubricated with water and other lubricants.	Sheet, rod & tube
TUFNOL Grade CBM 2008	A general purpose bearing grade with a low-absorption synthetic fabric and a special resin formulation for low friction and wear.	Sheet & tube
TUFNOL Grade 2F/3/PTFE	A medium weave cotton fabric grade with its own internal PTFE dry lubricant incorporated into the resin.	Sheet & tube

What are resin bonded laminated bearing materials good for?

TUFNOL laminates for bearings

TUFNOL bearing materials are widely used where tough, wear-resistant components are needed. They give good service under a very wide range of operating conditions, including continuous temperatures from cryogenic levels to well over 100°C and in a wide variety of situations where resistance to corrosion is needed.

Our range includes a well-known cotton fabric phenolic bearing grade for lubricated applications, plus two specially developed types with friction-modifying additives.

One potentially useful feature of TUFNOL materials is their ability to be lubricated with water, or with a water-based process fluid.  In many applications, this can allow the design to be simplified by eliminating the need for a sealed bearing with oil or grease inside.

Although TUFNOL laminates are used dry in a great many less demanding wear applications, TUFNOL bearing materials are not generally self-lubricating and it usually is preferable to use a lubricant to develop their full bearing potential. CBM grades are designed to give good performance with minimal lubrication.  However, properly designed and lubricated, TUFNOL bearings give excellent service for many years and are frequently a cost-effective choice.

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A full machining service is available from Tufnol for these and many other engineering plastics and composites.

TUFNOL Composites Ltd, Wellhead Lane, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2TB, United Kingdom.

Quality Registration BS EN ISO 9001:2000, BS EN 9100:2003 and AS 9100 Reg. No. FM 90942