The bearing consists of two main components: an internal, lubrication-free plastic material; and an outer protective polymer shell. A sensor mounted between the two measures the wear.

The data can be used in various ways. For example, it can be used to inform an operator about any wear via a warning light. For high-end applications, the data can be sent to a control system which analyses it and passes the results on to a customised Web interface via an icom communications module, allowing the information to be used to plan repair and maintenance activities.

The bearings can detect defects before they occur, thus avoiding downtime, cutting repairs, and boosting machine availability. Scheduled maintenance inspections become unnecessary.