GRAPHALLOY 845 Spherical Inserts suitable for high temperature applications

Graphite Metallizing Corporation (www.graphalloy.com) has proudly introduced GRAPHALLOY 845 Spherical Inserts, which can be used as an alternative for traditional ball bearings found in various high temperature applications.

A graphite/metal alloy, GRAPHALLOY is specifically developed to operate without lubrication, making it suitable for operations in environments with temperatures exceeding 750 degrees F (400 degrees C). A proven solution even for the most demanding plant maintenance as well as new equipment design, GRAPHALLOY is an excellent choice for applications where maintenance and service tasks are difficult or cumbersome.

Intended for use in standard flange and pillow blocks, GRAPHALLOY 845 Spherical Inserts eliminate the need to redesign or alter the equipment. These new spherical inserts are utilized in various high temperature applications such as ovens, conveyors, furnaces, dampers, glass lehrs, dryers and in other environments where grease and oil cannot be used. Stainless steel housing and metric shaft sizes as well as inserts are offered along with FDA accepted grades.

“Using GRAPHALLOY® 845 Spherical Inserts has proven time and time again that significant ROI, cost savings and reduced maintenance can be achieved, especially in difficult applications where high temperatures are a concern,” said Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing Corporation.

Offering dimensional stability and low coefficient of friction, GRAPHALLOY 845 Spherical Inserts do not soften even at high temperatures nor extrude under load.

igus unveils new plastic bearings technology

Igus (www.igus.com), a German-based plastic bearings specialist, has unveiled the ‘green bearings’ technology with the development of a wear-resistant plain bearing comprising 54 percent natural and sustainable raw materials.

Aimed at low-load applications, the new iglidur N54 plain bearing uses polymer that is mainly made of castor oil, rather than crude oil, which is commonly used in plastic bearings.

“The introduction of our iglidur N54 biopolymer marks the first serious step towards ‘green bearings’,” said Matt Aldridge, Director of IgusUK.

He noted that the biopolymer “is made from crop oil instead of crude oil – you can’t eat it, and it’s not biodegradable – but it is an industry first for a technical polymer.”

The new plain bearing is both maintenance and lubricant free, and in-house test results showed that the new material has up to 2MPa of wear resistance properties for loads. Furthermore, the iglidur plastics weigh less than any other metallic version; with the average weight is only 1.4 g/cm3 compared to steel, which weigh by as much as 5.5 times.

As the new bearing does not require any grease and oil, it cannot discharge any contaminants into the environments. In addition, the energy needed to create plastic bearings is remarkably less compared for producing metals.

The European Bioplastics Association also noted that the global production capability for biopolymers will surge from about 700,000 tonnes last year to approximately 1.7 million tonnes by 2015.

Bearings

Efficient linear or rotational movement usually relies on some type of bearings. In fact, most of the machines built today incorporate bearings—and without them, maintenance technicians would face the frustration of constantly replacing parts that wore out due to friction.

The basic concept behind a bearing is that things roll more easily than they slide. This could be explained by the fact that when surfaces slide, the friction between the two objects generates a force that slows them down. However, friction can be significantly reduced if the two surfaces are able to roll over each other.

Bearings minimize friction by providing smooth rollers or metal balls, as well as a smooth outer and inner metal surface that the balls can roll against. These rollers or balls “bear” the load, enabling the device to spin smoothly.

Bearings normally deal with two types of loading, thrust and radial. Depending on what type of application they are used in, bearings may experience all thrust loading, all radial loading, or both.

For instance, the bearings in an electric motor and a pulley face radial load only. This is because the load originates from the tension of the belt that connects the two pulleys. The bearing in a barstool is loaded primarily on thrust, as the load is attributed to the weight of the individual sitting on the stool. Meanwhile, the bearing in the hub of a tractor wheel supports both a thrust and radial load. The weight of the tractor provides the radial load, while the cornering forces produced when the operator makes a turn present the thrust load.

There are many types of bearings, each of which is used for varying purposes in different applications.

A roller bearing, which is a weight distribution-oriented bearing, is any spherical or cylindrical object that helps an object larger than the bearing itself move. It uses various contact points between a circular housing containing internal rolling elements. These bearing systems use the reduced rolling resistance to increase the moving object’s efficiency.

Roller bearings commonly help two or more items reduce the amount of friction between them. An example of this is a simple wheel and axle. The roller bearings allow the wheel to freely spin on the axle without being limited by friction. They also reduce the force of drag on the spinning wheel, enabling the wheel to be easily pushed by any power source, such as an engine or a person pushing a vehicle.

There are numerous types and designs of roller bearing systems that may be used in various applications.

Cylindrical roller bearings, for instance, comprise a metal collar containing a smaller, toothed wheel inside. A ball bearing lies in between each of the wheel’s teeth, while the toothed wheel holds it in place. Thus, the wheel turns as the load travels, but the load’s weight remains directly fixed over the spherical ball bearings within the cylinder, enabling the easy movement of the load.

Roller thrust bearings usually support large thrust loads and are often found in gearsets such as vehicle transmissions between gears, rotating shafts and the housing, while tapered roller bearings are a kind of bearing that can support large thrust load and large radial load. They are used in car hubs and often mounted in pairs facing opposite directions, allowing them to handle thrust in both directions.

Meanwhile, ball bearings or anti-friction bearings are used to minimize friction between axles and shafts in numerous applications. Comprised of small ceramic or metallic spheres, ball bearings are commonly used in a series, absorbing the weight placed on the moving part. Most ball bearings are developed to meet very demanding standards of roundness and any deformation may cause the unexpected failure of the moving parts.

Spherical bearings are generally used in pivoting, high-load applications where angular misalignment is required. They allow angular rotation around a central point and often support a rotating shaft that is rotating at an angle. They may be employed in steering linkage suspensions on vehicles, articulated joints on heavy equipment, hydraulic cylinder rod ends, and other similar severe-duty uses.

Linear motion bearings are specifically designed to allow motion in one direction, such as on a linear slide. With these bearings, the rolling contact is provided by hardened and ground balls. A linear ball slide is a compact form of linear bearing with a small form factor and a similarly short stroke. Stroke can be a maximum of about one-third of the slide length, but the form factor justifies the stroke.

Magnetic bearings are used in some very high-speed devices, such as advanced flywheel energy storage systems. These bearings enable the flywheel to rapidly rotate on a magnetic field produced by the bearing.

Linear motion bearings

This class of bearings generally uses a pad, bushing, or roller system to carry a load on a rail that need not be a straight line. The rail can be most any length, although that dimension is limited by the actuator. The durability of the bearing is determined by the load and required speed. Furthermore, rails can generally be any profile – simple flat surfaces, round polished rods, or complex profiles with polished ground surfaces on which balls or cylindrical rollers can ride. Hard (Rockwell 60) and ground bearing surfaces work best. Further classifications might be by size. For instance, miniature linear bearings might work well moving a biologic slide sample just a few millimeters beneath a microscope lens while industrial-bearings on injection molding machines carry tooling of several tons.

Bushings provide possibly the simplest linear bearing. These thin-walled cylinders can be injection molded of proprietary polymers infused with a lubricant. An oil-infused bronze design, also cylindrical, rides on a polished round rod. This linear-bearing classification is often referred to as slides.

Purpose-built linear bearings are available for frequently encountered tasks, such as pull-out equipment drawers or storable work surfaces. These usually light-duty devices let polymer wheels or ball bearings ride on stamped or rolled steel rails. Telescoping arrangements allow designing pull-out equipment drawers into cantilevered positions while supporting up to 50 lb or more for maintenance.

Heavier loads are carried by linear guides that use re-circulating ball or roller bearings in rectangular mounting pads or slide units. These are so constructed that a loop of balls or cylindrical rollers cycles into and out of a load area along shafts at most any required load. Two, three, and four rails can work in unison to carry loads that exceed the rating of one rail.

The ball spline is a variation on this design. In it, the sliding unit is a cylinder with at least three and up to five circuits of re-circulating balls. There are dozens of cylindrical shapes to choose from. For instance, miniature designs are intended for instrumentation and pillow blocks are available when the rod must move while the rolling elements remain stationary. Some manufacturers boast of maintenance-free designs, which can mean several years between scheduled maintenance.

Long lengths can make use of a design in which the profile on a bearing-mounted wheel carries a V-shape that rides in a mating V on a rail edge. Such a design is less affected by debris and is said to operate without bellows and covers.

Nonlinear-linear bearings are also possible with permutations to the designs above. For example, so-called rectangular circuits have generously rounded corners, and oval rail circuits are possible by letting two sets of wheels or rollers ride in a groove on either side of the rail. Actuation can be provided by a timing belt mounted on the inside of the track.

Accessories for linear bearings include wipers that sweep a rail in front of a slide unit to keep dirt and debris from damaging rolling elements. Seals provide a similar function but are more intended to keep lubricant from seeping out of the bearing area.

A brief design checklist of considerations for a device requiring linear-motion bearings would include required rigidity, load, moment loads, and needed accuracy. Designers might also consider whether or not regular maintenance will be available, the possibility of vibration and how it could affect operations, and noise requirements. Of course, design is more complex than this. Manufacturers are likely to offer a range of shaft support shapes and materials, shaft material options such as particular carbon steels versus stainless, or even tubular shafts.

Emerson Bearing Launches Video Tutorials

Boston, Mass. – Emerson Bearing has recently launched a series of online video tutorials. A total of 10 video tutorials can now be viewed online at Emerson Bearing’s website. 

Whether you’re looking for split bearing solutions, trying to determine why a bearing failed or trying to learn more about bearing types and the numbering system, Emerson Bearing’s selection of videos will impart all the information desired and more. Looking to learn about the history of bearings? Or perhaps learn more about Emerson and sister company Action Bearing which have become Boston’s industrial cornerstone for bearings? Simply log on to their website and visit the Video Tutorials page.

The average video duration is 4:40 minutes, with the shortest video being “Optimum Sealing” for challenging environments (1:09) and Bearing Types and Numbering (10:38) being the longest.

Visit http://www.emersonbearing.com/video-tutorials.html to view the videos.

Schaeffler introduces lightweight AXS and SGL rolling bearings

The Schaeffler Group (www.schaeffler.de) has introduced two new series of angular contact rolling bearings ideal for applications such as mechanical handling systems, industrial robots and industrial gearboxes — the AXS and SGL series.

These cylindrical rolling bearings feature raceways oblique to the bearing axis, and can support high tilting moments as well as significant loads.

Featuring a conical bearing ring, the AXS bearings also have a roller and cage assembly that runs between the two hardened rings. They are currently offered from 8 mm to 175 mm bearing diameter. The AXS angular contact rolling bearing, usually feature a 45 degrees contact angle, 7 mm and 10 mm radial section heights and 1.2 mm bearing ring thickness. However, 60-degree contact angle bearings can also be utilized for higher axial forces as well as high tilting moments.

Meanwhile, SGL bearings are primarily set in “O” arrangements. The arrangement can, however, be easily adjusted to bearing preload from bearing clearance, depending on the requirements. The bearing cross-section, which is notably larger than the AXS bearings, offers higher axial and radial load carrying capacity.

Available in 8 mm to 200 mm bearing diameters, the SGL bearings normally have a contact angle of 45 degrees, depending on the application and load condition. Compared to conventional angular contact ball bearings, the SGL series can support significantly higher tilting rigidity. The bearings can be directly interchanged with series 718, as they correspond to dimension series 18.

The SGL bearings are suitable for applications that demand optimum rating life and tilting rigidity.

GRAPHALLOY® 453 High Temperature Bushings

Graphite Metallizing Corporation has announced the availability of additional sizes of the GRAPHALLOY® 453 family of self-lubricating bushings. GRAPHALLOY® 453 Bushings are intended for use in severe industrial applications where temperatures reach 750°F (400°C) or higher. GRAPHALLOY® graphite/metal alloy bushings are designed to operate without lubrication.

GRAPHALLOY® 453 Bushings have proven to be successful in a variety of high temperature applications including bakery ovens, heat treat ovens, furnaces, conveyors, overhead paint lines, glass lehrs, louvers, dampers, valves as well as other environments where oil and grease cannot be used. Applications can experience improved performance through the use of GRAPHALLOY® materials.

Among their many advantages, GRAPHALLOY® bushings operate at longer intervals without the need for maintenance, which reduces costly downtime. They are an excellent choice for applications where service and maintenance tasks are cumbersome or difficult to perform. Additional benefits of GRAPHALLOY® include a low coefficient of friction and dimensional stability.

GRAPHALLOY® 453 bushings, like all GRAPHALLOY® products, do not soften at high temperatures or extrude under load. Installations of these bushings have operated for more than 10 years without maintenance. GRAPHALLOY® 453 Bushings are a proven solution for even the most challenging plant maintenance problems and new equipment designs.

Graphite Metallizing Corporation
www.graphalloy.com

CGB Precision Products offers Barden angular contact bearings

CGB Precision Products (www.cgb.com.au), a specialist supplier of super precision ball bearings and related components, has announced that it is offering a series of Barden precision bearings, such as angular contact bearings for machine tooling applications.

With one ring shoulder totally or partially removed, angular contact bearings ensure higher speed capabilities and greater load capacity by allowing larger ball complement than those found in comparable deep groove bearings.

The spindle bearings are assembled to a contact angle by altering the radial clearance and feature nominal contact angles of either 15º or 25º, which enables them to deliver improved radial rigidity and capacity.

The angular contact bearings are available in two variants — non-separable and separable.

In a separable bearing, the cage keeps the balls in place to separate the outer ring assembly, which holds the cage and the balls, from the inner ring.

Ideal for use in applications where bearings must be integrated in blind holes, the separable angular contact bearings are also used in applications where press fits are needed both in the housing and on the shaft.

The separable variant of angular contact bearings permit a dynamic balance between a rotating component and an inner ring mounted in place, and the housing and the outer ring.

Angular contact bearings support combinations of thrust and radial loading or thrusts loads alone. Angular contact bearings, however, do not accept radial loads only.

Boca Bearings launches Anti-Reverse Bearings

Boca Bearings (www.bocabearings.com), one of the trusted names in ceramic bearing technology, has announced the launch of its latest and expanded series of One Way Bearings, which feature a small radial section height and is also known as Anti-Reverse Bearings.

One Way Bearings are lightweight, compact, operate directly on a shaft and are ideal for transmitting high torque. The bearings are specifically designed to transmit torque between the housing and shaft in one direction while allowing free motion in the opposite direction.

One Way Bearings are offered both in a metric and inch series, with and without bearing assemblies. Those without bearing assemblies come in FC, HF and RC versions. The HFL series offers two integral radial bearings positioned on both sides of a needle roller clutch, allowing them to support radial forces in small or tight areas. Its bearing and clutch assembly can be utilized in a temperature ranging from -30°C to 120°C. Meanwhile, oil lubrication is recommended for a working environment above 70°C.

Boca Bearings also offers the EWC and the OWC One Way Bearing Series. The One Way Clutch bearings (OWC), which is also known as Origin One Way bearings are high performance bearings that are extra narrow. Allowing free overrun in the opposite direction, the bearings comprise of drawn cup roller clutch and cage and springs. Its CSK series are offered in two designs — the P-one keyway notch and the PP-two keyway notch series. The keyway enables the bearing to securely and perfectly fit into the shaft and provide the machine, appliance or conveyor belt extra torque.

Timken introduces new ADAPT Bearings

The Timken Company (www.timken.com) has unveiled the latest line of high capacity, easy-to-install bearings for the most demanding continuous caster applications in the metal industry, the new ADAPT bearings.

This new bearing comes with a unique design that delivers optimal performance, reliability and ease of installation, which translates to lower downtime attributed to maintenance intervals.

“The introduction of the ADAPT line underscores Timken’s long-standing commitment to the metals market,” remarked Mike Connors, Vice President, Distribution at Timken.

“We developed the ADAPT bearing in response to our customers’ requests for a caster application bearing that is easy to install, offers extended bearing life and improves performance. While caster applications are demanding on equipment components such as bearings, the innovative design of ADAPT provides durability and flexibility to keep casters operating at optimal levels.”

The new ADAPT bearing comprises a cylindrical inner ring, an outer ring designed with a proprietary outer race profile and a retainer/roller assembly that comes with a profiled rollers and a snap-in retainer. The bearing’s inner ring features a cylindrical raceway, which allows the shaft to float or move left to right relative to the outer ring.

Designed with a proprietary profile, the bearing’s roller and outer ring compensates for misalignment associated with shaft bending to a maximum of 0.5 degrees. It also enhances contact stress distribution for longer bearing life and develops a self-aligning effect with the rollers, which reduces skewing while keeping a constant bearing clearance.

The one-piece nitride steel retainer of the bearing snaps into position to keep the rollers in place during mounting and dismounting, while the outer and inner rings can be separately fitted for improved installation flexibility and easier handling. The component design of the ADAPT bearing simplifies removal and inspection while allowing operators to save time, costs and to independently change parts as required during maintenance.

GRAPHALLOY Bearings provide self-lubricating solutions

Graphite Metallizing Corporation (www.graphalloy.com) has unveiled their latest range of Tin Based Babbit GRAPHALLOY materials, which are FDA certified and are also offered in NSF certified grades for potable water.

These tin based babbit materials are also suitable for high temperature bearing applications up to 175°C (350°F) and can perform well as self-lubricating bearings in dry and submerged applications.

GRAPHALLOY, which is a graphite or metal alloy, provides various advantages. It effectively eliminates the need for oil or grease and is environmentally safe to use and machine. The elimination of liquid lubricants reduces maintenance and contamination.

Offering superior heat dissipation without melting or cold flow, GRAPHALLOY Tin Based Babbitt materials can also be used as a substitute for plastic. In low temperature applications, such as -400° F/-205° C, these new bearings of Graphite Metallizing Corporation solve lubrication issues caused the viscosity to oil and grease that commonly prevents proper operation of equipment.

The all-new GRAPHALLOY Tin Based Babbitt offers all the necessary performance benefits of traditional babbit materials. Users need not worry of any environmental concerns since it can be safely used in food applications, drinking water applications and traditional low temperature applications. For new equipment design and the most challenging plant maintenance, GRAPHALLOY bushings and bearings provide the proven solution.

Aside from being self-lubricating, GRAPHALLOY materials are also impervious to extreme temperatures (from -400°F to +1000°F/-240°C to 535°C). Used in the manufacture of bearings, bushings and other for process and machinery equipment, GRAPHALLOY materials thrive in the most extreme environments where other competing bearings fail.

Boca Bearing unveils MX Engine Bearings for RC engines

Boca Bearing (www.bocabearings.com), the first company to introduce ceramic bearings to the hobby world and the world’s innovative leader in RC engine bearings, has launched the expanded portfolio of its latest MX Engine bearings, specifically for radio controlled engines.

With the evolution of RC engines, they now come under greater thrusts loads than before and are using more nitro fuel. The nitro fuel quickly dries the thin stock bearing retainer, making the whole bearing vulnerable to premature failure when subjected to heavy radial and thrust loads. With the introduction of the expanded portfolio of MX Bearing, this particular issue will no longer be a problem.

The company’s MX bearings offers a new and unique internal design that increases load capabilities and enables the bearings to function even under extreme operations, where shafts are exposed to excessive radial and side load.

The MX bearings come in both as a ceramic hybrid, with chrome races and ceramic balls, or as a standard high-speed version featuring chrome steel balls or races. The races are cryogenically processed to achieve a harder surface, while the chrome steel is utilized since it is harder than stainless steel. To enable the bearings to withstand high nitro content fuel, the company used a thicker and stronger retainer material for this new portfolio. Moreover, Grade 10 balls have also been used to provide a closer tolerance to optimized performance.

Aimed at engines with known stock bearing issues, the new line of MX Bearing is currently offered in a limited size range. The company has specifically developed the MX Engine bearings to deliver extended life and increased speed to RC engines.

Meanwhile, Boca Bearing offers an additional discount on all MX Engine Bearings kit. Complete bearing kit is now available for engines such as OS, Sirio, and Picco.

Food-Grade FluoroNyliner Bushing Bearings withstand harsh washdown environments

Thomson (www.thomsonlinear.com) has announced the release of Food Grade FluoroNyliner Bushing Bearings, which are designed with a non-magnetic 303 Stainless Steel corrosion resistant sleeve and a USDA and FDA compliant self lubricating liner. These features enable them to excel in challenging in pharmaceutical, medical and food processing applications. The bearings are available in Closed and Open types and offer specific machining options to satisfy customers’ unique application needs.

“By eliminating the need for ball bearings, these food grade bushing bearings can operate on soft shafting such as Thomson ‘corrosion proof’ 316 Stainless Steel or Ultra Light Aluminum LinearRace shafting to deliver exceptionally long life and reliable operation in washdown environments,” said Tom Dwyer, Business Unit Manager at Thomson Linear Bearings & Guides.

The bearings have been specially designed to offer robust liner material that can handle heavy loads with a maximum static pressure value of up to 1000 psi, support a maximum continuous PV value of 10,000 psi ft/min and deliver maximum no load speeds to 400 ft/min. in temperatures between -400°F up to 385°F. The bearings can be combined with a vast array of corrosion resistant LinearRace shafting options, including Ultra Light aluminum and plated 60 Case, 440C and 316 Stainless Steel, in order to optimize performance suited to the application’s requirements.

“Stainless Steel pillow block assemblies are a particularly significant option in food processing applications, as carbon steel will corrode over time, and even aluminum is susceptible to corrosion caused by the caustic solutions commonly used in washdown environments,” added Dwyer.

Boca Bearings unveils new ceramic bearings

Boca Bearings (www.bocabearings.com) has unveiled its expanded portfolio of Full Ceramic and Ceramic Hybrid bearings ideal for semiconductor manufacturing industry. The company provides various bearing styles suitable for semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor equipment. Ceramic bearings can withstand challenging conditions during semiconductor production.

Ceramic materials that are generally used for bearings are Zirconia Oxide (ZrO2), Silicon Nitride (Si3N4), Silicon Carbide (SiC) or Alumina Oxide (Al2O3). The non-porous, glass like surface of ceramic can be used in clean rooms where traditional emissions and lubrications cannot be present. Ceramic is also non-corrosive, non-magnetic and has a very low rate of thermal expansion. Thus, ceramic bearings can be utilized in producing silicon wafer where high temperatures and high loads are exhibited during production.

Full Ceramic and Ceramic Hybrid versions offer various bearing styles, which include deep groove bearings, angular contact bearings, thrust bearings and self-aligning bearings. Ceramic Hybrid bearings feature steel races with ceramic balls, while Full Ceramic bearings have ceramic balls and ceramic races. The company offers the world’s most extensive inventories of ceramic bearings. It also provides custom built bearings to cater to the needs of the customer.

One of the world’s trusted company in ceramic bearings technology, the Boca Bearing Company’s hallmark since 1987 is the conservation of energy and the reduction of rolling resistance. A one stop shop for prototyping to production, the company requires no minimum order. The company’s broad portfolio of bearings meets the needs of customers, whether they are looking for high speed, longevity or affordability. Boca Bearings also offers wholesale discounts.

Cerobear celebrates 20 years of advanced bearing production

Cerobear GmbH (www.cerobear.com), the leading manufacturer of high quality hybrid bearings and ceramic used in motorsports, extreme industrial applications and aerospace – has recently reached 20 fruitful years of advanced bearing production in the chemical industry.

Christian Klatt, Cerobear’s Vice President of Sales, announced the 20 years milestone of the company in hybrid bearing and ceramic production, for chemical processing factories worldwide.

Klatt said the company is very proud of marking 20 years of continuous service to the chemical sector. Since the early 1990s, the company has worked hard to meet and exceed customers’ demand of receiving reliable hybrid bearings at affordable costs but with longer operating cycles and proactive technical support, he added.

Cerobear’s proprietary manufacturing, high quality products, materials expertise and intense focus on bearing’s long-term reliability have earned the company a reputation for excellence.

The company’s advanced hybrid bearings and ceramic are available in roller and ball types. These bearings are highly sought by engineers in the entire chemical industry because they perform continuously and seamlessly – even without or with little lubrication only – in the most adverse and demanding operating conditions.

“For extreme chemical bearing applications such as LDPE and EVA autoclave reactors, we can offer a service life of approximately five to six times the service life of conventional bearings,” said Klatt. “This is the result of Cerobear’s total commitment to improving bearing reliability, offering advanced bearing designs and our superb production quality with the proactive guidance of our bearing engineers.”

New Bearing Material for Food Industry from igus

East Providence, RI –igus now offers an FDA-compliant bearing material that is blue in color for easier detection. igus’ new iglide A350 polymer plain bearing material is highly wear-resistant and can handle long-term temperatures up to 356°F, making it ideal for applications in the food, packaging and bottle-filling industries.

The iglide A350 delivers low coefficients of friction and is resistant to a variety of chemicals and other liquid media. The plain bearing is also corrosion-resistant, lubrication- and maintenance-free. The iglide plastic plain bearings are available in more than 7,000 sizes and styles from stock.

For more information, e-mail sales@igus.com or visit www.igus.com.

www.igus.com

AEGIS launches Universal Mounting Kit

AEGIS proudly launches its latest Universal Mounting Kit(U-Kit). While the AEGIS SGR Bearing Protection Ring keeps bearings of VFD-driven motors safe from electrical damage, AEGIS Universal Mounting Kit (U-Kit) makes its mounting on ac motor shafts easier and safe.

Electro Static Technology’s kit features the AEGIS mounting hardware and grounding ring for most motor designs. The kit is ordered based on the NEMA “u” shaft diameter and depending on the shape of the motor’s end bracket, it provides the correct size ring for the motor and four styles of lock washers and brackets with bolts, which can be used in configurations.

Useful for motor repair shops, HVAC service contractors, original equipment manufacturers and plant maintenance departments, the ring prevents electrical “fluting” damage in the bearing, expensive motor repairs or replacements, bearing noise and downtime by safely directing VFD-induced bearing currents to ground. To make installation of the ring on NEMA frame motors easy, the brackets in the U-Kit can be mounted on the motor either by using AEGIS Conductive Epoxy or by drilling and tapping small holes.

The ring’s conductive microfibers are integrated securely in the AEGIS FiberLock channel and surrounding completely the motor shaft to provide discharge points to dangerous shaft currents. The design creates the path of minimal resistance, which redirects these currents effectively away from bearings to ground. The microfibers are designed for flexibility to prevent breakage.

AEGIS
www.est-aegis.com

Timken introduces 454-Series Set-Right Hub Rebuild Kits

The Timken Company (www.timken.com) has announced its wider range of Set-Right Heavy Duty Hub Rebuild Kits in its continuing effort to provide the heavy-duty market with a complete line of wheel bearings.

The Timken 454-Series of bearings features a special design to accommodate the 2″ offset loads incorporated in many new axle designs. Its surface finishes and highly engineered raceway profiles deliver optimal performance. Together with the new Set-Right Hub Rebuild Kits, the 454-Series bearing technology enables easy maintenance of consistency in the fleets’ installation procedures for preset wheel ends.

With the introduction of the 454-Series Set-Right Hub Rebuild Kit, MileMate matched sets and traditional Set-Right Kits, Timken offers complete bearing options to serve all wheel-end configurations, including preset varieties and wide-singles. Latest testing reveals that Timken’s tapered roller bearings offer seven times the bearing life of their closest rival in heavy-duty applications.

The performance and engineering of Timken’s heavy-duty wheel end bearings has propelled them to be the choice of commercial vehicle manufacturers. A range of product options, combined with consistent technical support and training, strengthened Timken’s leadership in the aftermarket and original-equipment sectors.

With the growing demand, Timken observed that it has been strengthening capacity at facilities that are vital to its heavy-duty supply chain and with other industries. Last year, it announced a $50-million investment in its US-based steel making capacity, and earmarked a $1.7-million investment for its Lincolnton, N.C. bearing plant this year.

Misumi Expands its Ball Bearings Portfolio

Misumi USA, Inc. announces an expansion to its portfolio of Ball Bearings. These components, which reduce rotational friction and support radial and axial loads, are commonly used in machinery and equipment across the agricultural, automotive, aerospace, general industrial, medical device, and packaging industries.

Among the new Ball Bearing products introduced in MISUMI’s 2011 Metric Catalog of Mechanical Components are:

• Deep Groove, Double Shielded – Economy Type
• Deep Groove with Flange – Multiple new specs have been added.
• Deep Groove, Single Shielded
• Deep Groove, Double Shielded with C3 Clearance – Radial clearance is larger than standard products. Especially well-suited for tight joining fit and potential temperature difference between outer and inner rings.
• Deep Groove, Contact Sealed, Stainless Steel – Made of 440C SS with NBR (nitrile rubber) seal. Offers better moisture and dust resistance than standard open, double shielded and non-contact sealed styles.
• Deep Groove, Small, Double Shielded – Economy Type. Multiple new Contact Sealed styles have been added to Non-Contact Sealed styles.
• Deep Groove, Small, Open
• One-Way Clutches – Feature bearings at both ends of the clutch to support radial loads. Clutch locks in one direction and free spins in the other direction.
• Self-Aligning Ball Bearings – Self-alignment feature enables the ability to tolerate mounting misalignment and deflection during rotation. Suitable for use in drive shafts which tend to deflect, or where precise alignment of shaft and housing are difficult.
• Deep Groove with Groove – Three different styles in 440C Stainless Steel: V-Groove, SZU U-Groove, and SZG G-Groove.

MISUMI USA, Inc.
http://us.misumi-ec.com

Baldor’s new DODGE ISAF Bearings prolong life and reduce assembly time

Baldor Australia Pty Ltd (www.baldor.com.au) is launching a new range of pillow block bearings. Developed by DODGE, these large-bore pillow block bearings initially have SAF dimensions and feature hydraulically-assisted, adapter-mounted installation and removal systems.

The bearings are designed to minimize the overall ownership cost and are factory assembled, lubricated and sealed.

The replaceable inner unit allows another factory assembled, lubricated and sealed unit to be integrated without being subjected to environmental contamination.

DODGE’s hydraulically mounted bearings are offered in sizes from 150 mm to 400 mm.

With the launch of the new range of bearings, easy mount/dismount bearings from Baldor is available from 17 mm to 400 mm in three separate lines of bearings, which include the ISN, the Hydraulic ISAF and the Grip Tight range.

Environment contamination is a main cause of bearing failure, which can occur either in service or during installation particularly under misalignment conditions.

The DODGE Hydraulic ISAF bearings offer a double seal that is useful even under misalignment conditions. The inner unit features a triple lip seal and its housing has optional closed end cover or a grease purged labyrinth design.

The multiple seal design eliminates the risk of environment contamination, allowing the bearings to reach its maximum life.

Daniel Vera, managing director of Baldor, said: “The new Hydraulic ISAF bearings eliminate a wide range of issues faced by customers in terms of installation, maintenance and removal of mounted bearings, especially in contaminated environments that can further impact the life-span.”

Schaeffler introduces new bearing designs for industrial sector

Schaeffler group (www.schaeffler.de) has announced that its latest product development for the industrial sector is the ball roller bearing and the roller bearing.

Tube roller bearing is a conventional cylindrical roller bearing that is used at a specific running condition. It has been adapted so that three rollers are larger in diameter than the normal and are made as hollow tube rollers.

The purpose of this feature is to enable the bearing to withstand a wide range of loads.

It only uses three hollow rollers when the loading is low to keep the rolling elements rotating through a slight preload in the contact surfaces. The hollow rollers will flex slightly without surpassing the steel’s elastic limit when the load suddenly becomes heavy.

”Underloading a bearing can be just as damaging as overloading because, when the load is not heavy enough, the rollers slide or skid instead of turn. The hollow roller bearing is particularly suited to steel mill applications, where the load varies substantially,” said Eugene Nortje, field service engineer of Schaeffler South Africa.

The ball roller bearing is almost the same to the average ball bearing; the only difference is that 15 percent of the ball rollers’ side has been ground down, which results in a ball bearing that is 30 percent narrower than the average.

”The recession spurred this movement as plant owners tried to save money by maintaining their plant instead of buying new bearings, and lubrication plays a key role in bearing maintenance,” added Nortje.

Zero-Max Zero Maintenance Bearings

Plymouth, MN – Zero maintenance bearings are now available as an option for Schmidt Offset couplings from Zero-Max. This new coupling feature eliminates the need for periodic coupling lubrication and the resulting system downtime.

Schmidt Offset couplings provide the utmost in precision for parallel offset shafts. They transmit constant angular velocity and torque in a wide range of parallel shaft misalignments. With a time-proven design, they are used in a wide range of machine applications such as printing, embossing, paper converting, pharmaceutical, and automated assembly systems.

The new Schmidt sealed bearing coupling feature incorporates needle bearings with internal micro-poly lubrication. There are no lube fittings making for a cleaner coupling setup.

Compact in design, Schmidt Offset couplings with the new zero maintenance bearing option keep out contaminants and foreign matter, enabling the couplings to be used in less than ideal operating environments.

Schmidt Offset couplings are designed to handle high amounts of parallel offset up to 17 inches and are available with torque capacities up to 459,000 in-lbs. They impose no side loads on shafts or bearings and eliminate radial shaft vibrations.

Zero-Max
www.zero-max.com

New Kaydon Thin-section Bearing Catalog Now Available

MUSKEGON, MI — Kaydon Corporation Bearings Division has released a new edition of its REALI-SLIM® thin-section bearings catalog (Catalog 300) with 40 new part numbers and more availability from stock than ever before. The 132-page catalog, last updated in 2007, is available in print or as a downloadable PDF file at the company’s website, www.kaydonbearings.com.

Among the highlights is a new 8mm series of sealed metric REALI-SLIM® bearings that gives designers more versatility. The series adds 28 new part numbers, with bore sizes ranging from 25mm to 170mm, to the Type C (radial contact) and Type X (four-point contact) bearings,

Kaydon has expanded its JG series of sealed REALI-SLIM® bearings, adding 12 new part numbers with bore sizes as small as 7.0 inches. The JG series now spans a range from 7.0 inches to 40.0 inches. Also expanded is the number of bearings in the catalog available from stock.

In addition to the new offerings, the catalog features more user-friendly features, including an expanded index and common English-metric equivalents. It retains popular features, such as sizing charts, deflection and load graphs, and an application worksheet to request a free, customized application engineering review.

Kaydon Corporation
www.kaydonbearings.com

Plain Bearings Offer Design Engineers Low-Cost Alternative

E. Longmeadow, MA – Plain bearings from LM76 employ advanced PTFE polymers, ceramic, and specialty composites for linear and rotary applications to meet motion system designers’ demanding requirements.

These quiet, low-cost bearings can be a superior alternative to traditional linear bearings in many applications. Chemically resistant, plain bearings thrive in high load, harsh environments, high speed linear/rotary, rapid oscillation, high impact, and shock. They are FDA/USDA compliant, and can be washed down with water, high-pressure steam, strong disinfectants, and caustic foaming agents, and they are approved for direct food contact. These bearings are ideal for use in: Food processing and packaging, medical products, and pharmaceuticals manufacturing, robotics, assembly equipment, construction equipment, and marine applications.

LM76 also provides RC 60, 300 series stainless steel, and ceramic-coated shafting, as well as pillow blocks and flange blocks in aluminum, ceramic-coated aluminum, and stainless steel. Additionally, custom blended polymer bearings can be ordered for extreme applications such as high heat.

The self-lubricating Minuteman Series bearings are drop-in replacements for traditional linear ball bearings. They are available in inch sizes up to 4.00 in., are lightweight, chemically inert, and ideal for highly contaminated environments experienced by construction machinery.

The LM76 Ceramic Coated Series of plain bearings easily handles high-speed applications and loads up to 10X that of linear ball bushing bearings.

The FDA/USDA compliant plain bearings from LM76 include Washdown Rated self-lubricating PTFE bearings in 304 stainless steel shells in diameters from ¼ in. to 1.5 in., FluidLine Linear Motion Bearings^TM, are self lubricating, low friction, lightweight plain bearings that are designed for applications requiring FDA/USDA and 3A compliance.

The LFG Series of plain bearings features a glass epoxy shell and Minuteman polymer liners for high load, high impact, high shock, and high vibration applications.

Phone: 413-525-4166, Fax: 413-525-3735

www.lm76.com

NSK’s SPACEA™ Series for Special Environments

Franklin, IN – NSK’s SPACEA™ series is a next generation range of bearings, ball screws and linear guides specifically designed for special operating environments used in clean room, vacuum, anti-corrosion, non-magnetic and high/low temperature applications.

Developed with vacuum lubrication and materials and thin-film technologies for space exploration equipment, the SPACEA series of technology-driven products incorporates unique coatings and materials, including ceramic, anti-corrosion and solid lubricant, to meet the strict requirements for harsh operating conditions and clean room environments. The series offers extended product life over conventional NSK bearings, ball screws and linear guides, as well as high functionality, maximum performance and outstanding quality.

NSK will demonstrate the SPACEA series in booth 5971 at Semicon West 2009.

NSK Precision America
www.nskprecision.com

NKE Supplies Bearings for Marine Current Turbines

Steyr, Austria – SeaGen, the world’s first commercial tidal current turbine in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough, runs with bearings from NKE Austria.

The gearbox of SeaGen is equipped with nine types of NKE bearings.

Tidal current turbines are among the latest developments in renewable energy. Installed undersea, the turbines are driven by the tidal flow of water. Bearing manufacturer NKE Austria supplies the bearings for the gearboxes of these “underwater windmills”.

The marine current turbine SeaGen being assembled.

The 1.2 MW SeaGen tidal current turbine has been developed by leading tidal turbines technology developer Marine Current Turbines Ltd. (MCT) based in Bristol, United Kingdom. The turbine works much like an “underwater windmill”, but is driven by the tidal current rather than air. Unlike wind energy, which is subject to the random nature of the weather, tidal flows are much more predictable. Moreover, due to the higher density of water compared to air, underwater turbines do not need to be as large as wind turbines. SeaGen has been installed in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough and is the world’s first commercial tidal current turbine.

Artist’s impression of SeaGen units in the sea.

The SeaGen turbine’s gearbox has been designed by Orbital2 Ltd., a leading UK developer of renewable energy gearboxes and is being manufactured in the Czech Republic by Wikov MGI. The gearbox developers and manufacturers have selected NKE Austria to supply the bearings. Decisive in their choice were NKE’s excellent technical support and short production lead times. “NKE has been a capable and efficient partner in bearing technology. The availability of large main rotor shaft bearings is the decisive factor for this project”, said Dr. Frank Cunliffe, managing director of Orbital2.

NKE supplies nine different types of bearings for the gearboxes, including deep groove ball bearings, tapered roller bearings, cylindrical roller bearings and four-point contact ball bearings, with outer diameters from 300 to 1090 mm.

The tapered roller bearing is one of the NKE bearing types used in SeaGen gearboxes.

Besides bearings for tidal current turbines, NKE supplies bearings for other renewable energy sectors, especially wind energy. By winning contracts worth millions of euros from renowned wind turbine and gearbox manufacturers, NKE has been actively contributing to the development of technologies aimed at reducing emissions.

www.nke.at