The spherical bearing traditionally used on the MOD's target lifting mechanisms is very costly and heavy by today's standards. The equipment dates back to the 1960s and was so well over-engineered that it would be hard to outperform. However, the parts are hard to come by and costly when they can be found. The cost factor made Landmarc Support Services look at cost effective ways of increasing the reliability of the equipment and prolonging its working life. They discovered that, by using a polymer plain (36g) igubal® spherical bearing in place of the conventional (175g) one, rotating mass could be reduced and gearbox loading, too. Testing is well underway and, at the current 30,500 operational cycles, is showing no signs of wear yet. "Do not rule out modern materials, just because your equipment is old and was made with old technology and materials. You can mix them to take advantage of both over-engineering and modern, highly wear resistant materials. We do."