Three routes, different maintenance assumptions
“Self-lubricating” alone is not a complete material specification.
EPEN identifies itself as Jiashan Epen Bearing Co. Ltd., manufacturing plain bearings and wear plates in standard catalogue sizes and special designs. Its range includes metal–plastic composite, bimetal and single-metal sliding bearings. [1] For a construction joint, first separate the sliding layer and lubrication arrangement, then discuss dimensions.
| Published family | What the source identifies | What changes your enquiry |
|---|---|---|
| EU composite | Steel backing, porous bronze and a PTFE mixture at the sliding surface. | State dry/lubricated duty, combined load and speed, exposure and the exact EU variant. [2] |
| EX composite | The structure section names POM, lubrication indents and a 0.3–0.5 mm sliding layer; initial pre-lubrication is required. | Confirm grease, assembly lubrication and replenishment responsibility. Do not request EX on a blanket maintenance-free assumption. [3] |
| EMT bimetal | Steel strip with an alloy lining; different EMT constructions have different grease/oil data. | Specify the lining code and lubricant delivery, including groove and hole layout. No single EMT rating covers all variants. [4] |
A real catalogue conflict to resolve
The EX page’s introductory paragraph says EU and describes PTFE, while its EX structure says POM and includes a pre-lubrication instruction. We retain that conflict instead of silently selecting one description. Obtain a controlled EX drawing/material sheet before approving the order. The EMT oil-hole table also repeats the same diameter header across columns; its hole sizes are not reproduced here as an engineering rule.
The bronze families shown in EPEN’s broader catalogue are further alternatives. Ask for the selected material’s own sheet rather than treating bronze, PTFE composite and bimetal as equivalent replacements. A catalogue cross-reference or matching outside diameter does not establish interchangeable service behaviour.
Start with the assembly that wears
Replacement and new design need different evidence.
Replacing an existing bushing
Provide the original drawing or identify the measured part, shaft and housing. Describe wear, movement and current lubrication. Preserve evidence of the original material; copying a worn bore can carry the failure into the replacement.
Developing a new joint
Send load history, sliding motion, duty cycle and temperature, together with shaft and housing drawings. Request a proposed material and fit with a supported operating assessment. The joint definition should precede the sample order.
EPEN’s design guidance relates specific load to projected area and combines load and velocity as PV. Those checks belong to the actual joint, not the factory’s general “high-temperature” or “maintenance-free” claims. [5] The construction application page illustrates use in an excavator, but provides no machine model, joint load or field-life result. It supports an application category, not compatibility with your excavator. [6]
Agree the installed measurement condition
A wrapped bushing is open in its free state. EPEN warns against treating ordinary loose-part ID/OD measurements as accurate acceptance checks. Agree the gauge or installed measurement method, shaft finish and housing condition. ISO 3547-1 covers wrapped-bush dimensions and designations; citing it does not verify that any EPEN part complies. Obtain the ordered part’s applicable drawing and acceptance criteria. [5] [7]
Turn the process list into an acceptance plan
Published resources are starting points for questions.
The company overview names its own sintering lines, automatic forming, automatic chamfering and final inspection. [1] This suggests a material-to-formed-bushing supply route, but does not establish available capacity, calibrated inspection or a passing batch.
- 1
Material proposal
Agree the family, lining/backing/coating and controlled drawing. Resolve catalogue discrepancies in writing.
- 2
Sample and installation check
Set dimensional reporting and the assembly condition used for acceptance. Verify shaft/housing fit against the approved drawing, not a marketing family name.
- 3
Repeat-batch definition
Record revision, material traceability, agreed inspection frequency and change notification. Specify packing that protects the sliding surface and part identification.
These are CivilEquip’s procurement milestones, not EPEN’s committed production schedule. Current certificate scope, batch test results, delivery capacity and your assembly’s service life remain to be established with the supplying entity.
Request a material proposal with your drawing
A useful response includes the selected construction and its limits.
Sources for this company
- EPEN company and process overview
Company name, standard/special sizes, product families and reported sintering, forming, chamfering and inspection resources. Supplier statements; no capacity audit.
Checked: 2026-10-11 - EU multilayer material
Steel, porous bronze and PTFE mixture; variant designations and separate performance limits.
Checked: 2026-10-11 - EX material and lubrication
POM structure and initial pre-lubrication instruction. Opening paragraph conflicts with that structure and is not treated as an approved specification.
Checked: 2026-10-11 - EMT bimetal materials
Steel/alloy alternatives, lubricant-dependent tables and groove/hole guidance; ambiguous oil-hole header not adopted as a design rule.
Checked: 2026-10-11 - EPEN bearing design
Duty, PV, installed interfaces and wrapped-bushing measurement guidance.
Checked: 2026-10-11 - EPEN construction-machinery application page
Excavator application illustration, without model-specific installation approval or field-life data.
Checked: 2026-10-11 - ISO 3547-1:2018 — dimensions of wrapped bushes
ISO publisher abstract: dimensions and designations of cylindrical and flanged mono/multilayer wrapped bushes. No EPEN compliance or certification is inferred.
Checked: 2026-10-11