ISO 14287:2021 PDF

Overview

ISO 14287:2021 - Plain bearings - Pad materials for tilting pad bearings specifies requirements and guidance for commonly used pad lining materials for tilting pad bearings. The standard expresses requirements primarily by chemical composition (tables for tin‑based white metals, aluminium‑tin alloys, copper alloys and polymer bearing materials) and gives descriptive characteristics, recommended pad backing and pivot selection guidance. It also allows other lining materials if they are proven suitable for the required operating conditions.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Chemical composition limits: Material families and their elemental ranges are defined in Tables 1–4 (e.g., SnSb8Cu4, SnSb10Cu5, SnSb12Cu6Zn, AlSn40, AlSn40Cu1, CuPb20Sn5, and polymer formulations such as PEEK and PTFE composites).
• Impurities and trace elements: Maximum impurity levels and total “other” elements are specified for reliability and performance control.
• Mechanical properties: Not fixed in the standard - mechanical properties vary with composition and manufacturing and therefore are to be agreed between manufacturer and purchaser.
• Material selection guidance: Annex A provides practical notes on sliding behaviour, embeddability, seizure resistance, fatigue, allowable sliding-surface temperatures and minimum recommended shaft hardness.
• Backing and pivot materials: Backing material requirements refer to ISO 6280; pivot material selection depends on pivot design, load magnitude, alignment needs and must be agreed case-by-case.
• Designation practice: Examples show how to designate lining materials (e.g., “Lining material ISO 14287 – SnSb8Cu4” or “Lining material ISO 14287 – PEEK”).
• Safety note: Lead (Pb) toxicity is acknowledged; users should be aware of regulatory and health implications.

Practical applications

ISO 14287 is directly applicable to specification, design and procurement of tilting pad bearings used in:

• High‑speed turbomachinery (steam/gas turbines)
• Electric machines and generators
• Gearboxes and pumps (including subsea and process pumps)
• Marine propulsion and propeller shafts
• Hydroelectric turbine‑generators and vertical pump thrust bearings

The standard helps match lining material to operating conditions (load, speed, temperature, lubrication) and system requirements such as corrosion resistance, electrical insulation and start‑up friction performance.

Who should use this standard

• Bearing manufacturers and lining material producers
• Machine designers and rotating equipment OEMs
• Maintenance and reliability engineers specifying replacement bearings
• Materials and tribology engineers evaluating candidate lining materials
• Procurement and compliance teams establishing material contracts

Related standards

• ISO 6280 - Backing material guidance for multilayer plain bearings
• ISO 4381, ISO 4382‑1, ISO 4383 - Related standards on tin casting alloys, copper alloys and multilayer plain bearings

Keywords: ISO 14287, tilting pad bearings, pad lining materials, plain bearings, SnSb8Cu4, PEEK, PTFE, aluminium‑tin alloys, copper alloys, chemical composition, bearing design, backing materials.