Oilite is currently a registered trademark of Beemer Precision, Inc.[1] One of the core engineers of Chrysler, Carl Breer, had an idea to pack graphite with metal in 1927, despite the fact that GM earlier failed to make a bushing from compressed copper and graphite.
He hired engineer Sherwood and metallurgist Bill Caulkins, who succeeded in sintering copper, tin and graphite in a furnace without oxygen.
[4] Oilite is manufactured using powder metallurgy so that tiny pores are present in the bearings.
The pores are then vacuum impregnated with an oil to improve the material's bearing ability.
[6] Due to the porous structure, machining Oilite poses a special situation.
Honing and grinding should not be performed on any surface that is in contact with the journal as these processes always smear the pores.
Common applications include farm equipment, winches, sheaves, conveyors, and pulleys.