Sliding bearings sit tightly packed in their seats. They sometimes include flanges and are able to withstand axial loads.
They can also include spigots or boreholes
for alignment or lubrication and include oil baths, channels, lobes, crossed
or helical oil grooves, release zones, etc... Their geometry may be particularly suited to high-speed operations , e.g. the "lemon" or "offset lobe" design.
They can be used either as twin sets, or with their bend allowance that guarantees a tight fit. Sliding bearings are sometimes fitted with shims. Their service life spans are often determined by the quality of the fit.
Sliding bearings can be made from solid Bronze, low-friction
aluminium or two- or three-layer multi-metal,
in which case a copper or white-metal antifriction alloy is cast centrifugally
on to a steel or bronze backing. An electroplated finish
enables an antifriction layer of a few 1/100 th mm to
be added to improve the bearing's performance.
