ISO 12301:2007

Overview

ISO 12301:2007 - Plain bearings: Quality control techniques and inspection of geometrical and material quality characteristics - specifies quality-control methods and inspection requirements for a wide range of plain bearings. The standard covers thin-walled half-bearings (ISO 3548), thick-walled metallic half-bearings (ratio s3 : Do > 0,11), wrapped bushes (ISO 3547), unsplit metallic bushes (up to 230 mm OD), solid polymer bushes (up to 200 mm ID), ring-type thrust washers (ISO 6525) and pressed bimetallic half-thrust washers (ISO 6526), plus sintered bushes (ISO 2795). It defines which geometrical and material quality characteristics to inspect and recommends measurement techniques, units and symbols.

Key Topics

• Geometrical quality characteristics
  • Wall thickness, outside/inside diameter, width, flange dimensions and perpendicularity
  • Flatness, cylindricity, concentricity, run-out, straightness of sliding surfaces
  • Lubricant feed features, crush height, free spread and joint-related characteristics
• Material quality characteristics
  • Hardness, material composition and structure for metallic, multilayer, polymer and sintered materials
  • Overlay/lining/backing properties and adhesion/bond testing for multilayer bearings
• Inspection and measurement techniques
  • Line and point measurement, agreed measuring points and measuring lines
  • Treatment of uncertainty of measurement (statistical methods and typical guidance)
  • Non‑destructive and destructive bond testing references (e.g., ultrasonic, penetrant)
  • Surface texture/profile assessment following GPS standards (ISO 4287/4288)
• Quality control practices
  • Defined tolerances, sampling/inspection procedures and documented measuring symbols/units
  • Guidance for specifying priorities of quality characteristics between manufacturer and user

Applications and Who Uses It

• Manufacturers of plain bearings and bushes use ISO 12301:2007 to establish in‑process and final inspection plans.
• Quality engineers and metrology labs apply the measurement techniques, uncertainty assessment and defined symbols/units to verify conformance.
• Design and procurement teams reference the standard when specifying bearing tolerances and acceptance criteria in drawings and contracts.
• Maintenance and reliability engineers use the inspection guidance to assess serviceable parts and replacement components.

Related Standards

Relevant references cited by ISO 12301:2007 include ISO 3547, ISO 3548, ISO 2795, ISO 6525, ISO 6526, ISO 4287/4288 (surface texture GPS), ISO 4378 and ISO 4384/4386 series (hardness and bond testing), among others. These standards provide complementary dimensional, material and test-method details.

Keywords: ISO 12301:2007, plain bearings, quality control techniques, geometrical inspection, material quality characteristics, wrapped bushes, thin‑walled half‑bearings, sintered bushes, thrust washers.