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.