Forged sleeves and bushings
Seamless sleeves from 100 to 1,500 mm outside diameter — pierced and drawn rather than bored from solid.
Sleeves and bushings are forged by piercing the preform and then drawing it out over a mandrel. The material in the bore area is displaced rather than machined away, so the grain flow stays closed and follows the contour. Compared with a sleeve bored from solid, this saves considerable material and delivers a tougher component at the same time.
We supply sleeves, bushings and bearing shells with outside diameters from 100 to 1,500 mm, lengths up to 3,000 mm and piece weights from 20 kg to 8 tonnes. Besides steel we produce bushings in aluminium bronze for plain bearing duty. On request delivered fully machined with lubrication grooves, bores and interference fits.
Technical data
| Outside diameter | 100 – 1,500 mm |
|---|---|
| Inside diameter | from 60 mm |
| Length | up to 3,000 mm |
| Piece weight | 20 kg – 8 t |
| Process | Pierced and drawn over a mandrel, seamless |
| Machining | As-forged, pre-turned or finished with lubrication grooves |
| Testing | UT to EN 10228-3, MT, hardness and tensile testing |
These are typical manufacturing ranges within our supplier network. Larger dimensions and special materials on request — send us your drawing.
Materials
- C45 (1.0503)
- 42CrMo4 (1.7225)
- 34CrNiMo6 (1.6582)
- CuAl10Fe3 (2.0936) aluminium bronze
- 1.4301 / 304
- 1.4462 duplex
Manufacturing and quality assurance
- Piercing the heated preform and drawing it over the mandrel — the bore is formed, not cut.
- Heat treatment according to grade: quenching and tempering for steel, solution annealing for stainless grades.
- Ultrasonic testing to EN 10228-3, supplemented by magnetic particle testing of functional surfaces.
- Machining of inside and outside diameter to fit, including lubrication grooves and oil holes.
- Dimensional report and inspection certificate 3.1 to EN 10204 included.
Typical applications
- Plain bearing bushings in heavy machinery
- Guide bushings for presses and hydraulic cylinders
- Sleeves for crushers and mills
- Cylinder liners for large engines
- Spacer sleeves in plant engineering
- Bearing shells for rolling mills
Frequently asked questions
Why a forged sleeve instead of a bored one?
Boring cuts through the grain and turns a large share of the material into chips. Piercing and drawing keeps the grain flow closed and following the contour. The result: higher toughness, less material input and, at larger sizes, usually a lower cost as well.
Do you also produce aluminium bronze bushings?
Yes. CuAl10Fe3 (2.0936) is our standard grade for plain bearing bushings with high surface pressure and good emergency running properties. Further copper alloys on request.
What wall thicknesses are possible?
From a few centimetres up to heavy-wall designs. The decisive factor is the ratio of inside diameter to wall thickness; very thin-walled long sleeves are assessed case by case.
Do you supply sleeves with finished fits?
Yes, including H7 or interference fits, lubrication grooves, oil holes and chamfers. You receive the bushing ready to install with a dimensional report.
What is the lead time?
Typically 8 to 14 weeks from release. For spare parts needed during a shutdown we check expedited production and partial deliveries.
Request a quote for Sleeves and bushings
Send us your drawing or specification. You get feedback on feasibility, material selection and an indicative price — from engineers, not from a call centre.
Send enquiry