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Bearings
Combined Axial and Radial Bearings

made of high-performance plastics for static and dynamic applications

Customer Applications

Combined axial/radial bearings perform two functions simultaneously: they guide both radial and axial forces with precision and reliability, all within a compact installation space.

These assemblies are deployed in a wide range of demanding applications, including viscous vibration dampers. Our solutions, manufactured from high-performance polymers, impress with their excellent friction coefficients, high wear resistance, and long service life.

Integrating both bearing functions into a single component not only saves space and weight but also reduces the overall complexity of your assembly.

Bearings made from high-performance polymers are utilized across numerous industries—particularly in environments characterized by extreme conditions or wherever metallic bearings reach their operational limits. They offer a host of advantages over their metallic counterparts.

Our Solution

Design

Materials
  • Variable size 20 – 400 mm
    enables flexible use in
    similar applications
  • Customer-specific solutions

Typical application areas include

Your advantages

with GAPI high-performance materials

✔Technically proven high-performance polymers

✔ PFAS-free alternatives for regulatory compliance

✔ Many years of experience in demanding industries

✔ Support with material selection and substitution

Contact
  • Aumotive industry
    chassis and steering components, transmissions, e-mobility
  • Mechanical engineering & industrial applications
    textile and packaging machines, robotics, conveyor systems
  • Aerospace
    sliding bearings for moving parts under extreme conditions
  • Food & pharmaceutical industries
    lubricant-free bearings for hygiene-critical applications
  • Agricultural & construction machinery
    heavy-duty bearings for extreme environmental conditions

Key properties

  • Excellent sliding and emergency running characteristics
    ideal for dry or unlubricated operation
  • Low friction and high wear resistance
    ensures long service life
  • Corrosion resistance
    ideal for humid, chemical, or aggressive environments
  • Lightweight
    up to 80% lighter than metal bearings
  • Vibration and noise damping
    reduces noise and vibration during operation
  • Wide temperature resistance
    depending on material, suitable from -200 °C to over +260 °C
  • Chemical resistance
    unaffected by oils, greases, or solvents
  • Electrical insulation
    prevents unwanted current transfer

Our Advantages

  • Maintenance-free and wear-resistant; exceptional longevity
  • Replacement for metal and PTFE; lightweight, easy installation
  • Good media resistance; compatible with all standard commercial oils
  • Sustainable materials; PFAS-free


Thanks to these characteristics, high-performance plastic bearings are a powerful and cost-effective alternative to traditional metal bearings in demanding applications.

GAPI has successfully used bearings made from the high-performance material PAI GLon™ T43 (formerly Torlon® 4301 PAI) in viscous dampers for many years.

Due to the exceptional mechanical properties of this material, the bearings ensure high load capacity, low friction, and outstanding wear resistance—even under extreme conditions such as elevated temperatures.

Interesting Articles

Lighter,Stronger, More Efficient: Torlon® PAI High- Performance Plastic Components as the Metal Replacement of the Future

January 2026, published in the
"Berliner Morgenpost"

For the comprehensive article in Berliner Morgenpost

PFAS-free high-performance plastic components?

March 2026, published in WirtschaftsWoche

For the comprehensive article in WirtschaftsWoche

High-Performance Plastics for Extreme
Demands:
PAI GLon™ and PEEK GSpire™

July 2025, Publication in "Wirtschaft Magazin"

For the comprehensive article in Wirtschaft Magazin