Is Babbitt metal still used today?

daBomb619

According to this, it is. "In more modern practice, the crankshaft and connecting rod big end bearings in a modern automobile engine have bearings made of a replaceable steel shell, keyed to the bearing caps. The inner surface of the steel shell is plated with a coating of bronze which is in turn coated with a thin layer of Babbitt metal as the bearing surface." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_metal Aug 13 09, 2:11 AM

zbeckabee

Babbitt metal, an antifriction metal first produced by Isaac Babbitt in 1839. In present-day usage the term is applied to a whole class of silver-white bearing metals, or “white metals.” These alloys usually consist of relatively hard crystals embedded in a softer matrix, a structure important for machine bearings. They are composed primarily of tin, copper, and antimony, with traces of other metals added in some cases and lead substituted for tin in others. Common compositions for Babbitt alloys: 90% tin, 10% copper 89% tin, 7% antimony, 4% copper 80% lead, 15% antimony, 5% tin http://www.answers.com/topic/babbitt-metal Originally used as a cast in place bulk bearing material, it is now more commonly used as a thin surface layer in a complex, multi metal structure. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Babbitt_metal Aug 13 09, 4:10 AM