Vesconite Bearings is expanding its manufacturing capabilities to meet the increasing demand for larger low-friction wear plates. Responding to customer feedback and market trends, Vesconite Bearings is making a substantial investment in additional equipment to produce wear plates of unprecedented sizes, notes CEO Dr Jean-Patrick Leger. The company aims to introduce 8 x 4-ft (2,44 […]
Revolutionizing testing with bearings
The Automated Test Equipment (ATE) market, valued at USD 8.5 billion in 2022, is poised for an impressive surge with a 10% CAGR (2023-2032) propelled by the global shift towards vehicle electrification. ATE, the cornerstone of precision testing, relies fundamentally on industrial bearings. Here, Chris Johnson, managing director at specialist bearing supplier SMB Bearings, explains […]
Wind vanes repaired with Vesconite Hilube
When boating aficionado Roy McBride decided to develop repair kits for the Aries Wind Vane, he chose Vesconite Hilube for the bearings. Aries Wind Vane self-operating steering systems are robust and can operate for 30,000 miles from purchase. When they need to be repaired, however, it is often only the PTFE bearings that need to […]
Thordon Bearings polymer bearing technology for Vietnamese hydropower market
Thordon Bearings pioneering polymer bearing technology is gaining traction in Vietnam’s hydropower market, following the performance success of its self-lubricating bearings retrofitted to five turbines at the Son La Hydropower plant. Thordon’s wicket gate and linkage bearings have been in continuous use for four years and were installed when the company was asked to provide […]
Full ceramic radial bearings for extreme environment applications
The XTREME 6000 ZrO2 Series of Full Ceramic Radial Bearings from CeramicSpeed are designed to provide levels of performance in extreme environments beyond the capabilities of steel and even hybrid bearings. The complementing components of these bearings were carefully selected to provide the highest levels of performance in high temperatures, and adverse environments such as: […]
Why bearings will be essential to Agriculture 4.0
According to the European Commission (EC), “The digitalization of the European agricultural sector has the potential to revolutionize the industry, promoting efficiency, sustainability and competitiveness”. New technologies, including smart actuators and intelligent sensors, will be vital to Agriculture 4.0 and ‘precision agriculture’. But a vital component in these technologies mustn’t be overlooked: bearings. Here, Chris […]
Flying towards sustainability
According to Deloitte, “the demand for sustainability, product innovations, and wartime defense is expected to result in rapid technological evolution” in the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry”. Innovations like electric propulsion systems and more precise manufacturing will be crucial. Here, Chris Johnson, managing director at specialist bearing supplier SMB Bearings, explains why industrial bearings will […]
New igus Smart Fixed flange bearings unlock predictive maintenance
Constructed from self-lubricating, high-performance plastic, the bearings feature an integrated abrasion sensor, thin circuit board, and cableless battery supply. Wear interrupts the board’s conductor paths, causing the electronics to lose the signal. The sensor then transmits a long-range network signal to an igus i.Cee switch cabinet module for analysis, including the percentage of abrasion. Over […]
New IKO cam followers allow mounting freedom in tight spaces
IKO International is pleased to introduce its CFC…B Series of short stud-type cam followers. These new cam followers have a unique mounting structure that solves space limitations that often exist on the stud side of the assembly region, thereby satisfying mounting requirements without sacrificing performance. The CFC…B cam follower’s mounting structure consists of a hexagon […]
Tailshaft seals on a twin-screw passenger vessel
Leading water-lubricated bearings and seals innovator Thordon Bearings has completed the installation of its award-winning TG100 tailshaft seals on a twin-screw passenger vessel. The retrofit took place during a scheduled drydocking at a Chilean yard in October 2023 and is the Canadian company’s first TG100 reference aboard a Chilean-operated vessel. The 17.5m (57ft), 40-person capacity […]
New igus Smart Fixed Flange Bearings unlock predictive maintenance
igus, a global manufacturer of motion plastics, has developed intelligent two- and four-hole fixed flange bearings with wireless sensing capabilities for wear detection, enabling condition monitoring and preventing costly machine breakdowns. Constructed from self-lubricating, high-performance plastic, the bearings feature an integrated abrasion sensor, thin circuit board, and cableless battery supply. Wear interrupts the board’s conductor […]
Vesconite Bearings launches dedicated jet-ski webstore for replacement pump sets
Vesconite Bearings, a global leader in high-performance bearing and wear part solutions, is thrilled to announce the launch of its new jet-ski webstore. The webstore can be accessed at https://www.vesconite.com/store/jetski/. The Vesconite jet-ski webstore offers a comprehensive range of replacement SeaDoo jet-ski pump sets, specifically designed to meet the needs of jet-ski owners and repairers. […]
AST rod ends
Rod ends consist of an eye-shaped head with integral shank forming a housing and a standard spherical plain bearing, or a spherical plain bearing inner ring, or a spherical plain bearing inner ring and a sliding layer between the bore of the head and the inner ring. As a rule, rod ends are available with […]
AST two bolt flanges
Bearings that are mounted within a flanged housing are used when the bearing mounting surface is perpendicular to a shaft axis. They are commonly available in two, three, or four-hole configurations. Two-bolt flanged ball bearing units have a diamond or winged-shape with 2 holes for mounting. As with our 3-bolt Flanged Bearing Units, 4-bolt Flanged […]
AST collar clamp ball bearings
Similar to the ER Series Insert Bearings, the Collar Clamp Ball Bearings are used to easily install a on a shaft with a simple set screw. Essentially, they are “miniature insert bearings” with bores starting at 3/16″ and going up to 1/2-in. AST offers them with and without snap rings to aid in mounting. The […]
Mechanical sub-assemblies from AST
AST goes beyond supplying standard bearings, we also provide precision mechanical sub-assemblies. We specialize in rotary assemblies that incorporate precision bearings and components manufactured to the most exacting specifications. AST can conduct design reviews and provide assemblies manufactured to your specifications or ours. Our highly skilled technicians know the correct way to handle and install […]
Vesconite Bearings invests in bright future
Vesconite Bearings, a global supplier of bearing and wear materials, is taking strides towards sustainability and environmental responsibility by implementing a comprehensive solar energy solution at its Free State-based factory in South Africa. The initiative, spearheaded by Factory Manager Robin Crabb and CEO Dr Jean-Patrick Leger, involves a significant investment in solar infrastructure to reduce […]
Thordon Bearings and Wärtsilä launch Blue Ocean Alliance
In an initiative set to be transformational for ship design while protecting the oceans from pollution, Thordon Bearings and Wärtsilä have announced the formation of the Blue Ocean Alliance to develop and promote the revolutionary sterntube-less ship concept. The Blue Ocean Alliance brings together unrivaled maritime industry expertise, with seawater-lubricated bearings pioneer Thordon Bearings, systems […]
Thordon’s Thorplas-blue bearing wins award
Thordon Bearings’ ThorPlas-Blue grease-free bearings won the annual IBJ Environment Protection (Marine) Award 2023 during a gala dinner last night hosted by British comedian Hugh Dennis and International Bulk Journal publisher Ray Girvan. Thordon Bearings was also nominated in the Innovative Technology Award category for the same product. Designed and developed by Thordon, the polymer […]
Advantages of plastic bushings
As outlined above, composite plastic bushings often outperform metal bushings. Some of the other advantages of using composite plastic bushings in place of metal bushings include: Customizable composites to meet different engineering criteria. Plastic bushings are chemical resistant, resist high temperatures up to +482°F, and are lubrication- and maintenance-free. They are available at a low […]
Why do plastic bushings outperform metal bushings?
Composite plastic bushings consist of thermoplastic alloys and solid lubricants with the addition of a fiber matrix for reinforcement. They are made from a wide range of low-cost plastics (such as nylon, UHMW, polyethylene, and Teflon) and more costly, high-performance plastics (such as Vespel, PEEK, and Torlon) for applications involving higher temperatures or greater loads. […]
Synthetic eals behind increase in stern tube seal failures
Seawater-lubricated bearings pioneer Thordon Bearings has welcomed the publication of Gard’s latest research into the potential hidden costs of synthetic Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs). Far-reaching financial and environmental consequences can result when a propeller shaft seal failure occurs, with the Norway-headquartered marine insurance firm pointing to a “significant increase” in propeller shaft aft seal damage […]
New elevator stages with 40 mm of vertical travel
Four new motorized elevator stages, the DAG40-200 series have been released by Optimal Engineering Systems, Inc. (OES). High precision ball bearing profile rails assure very high parallelism and smooth motion throughout the raising and lowering of the 200 mm x 200 mm table. These high-resolution, compact, low-profile elevator stages feature 40 mm of vertical travel […]
Selecting the right bearings for ultra-high vacuum chambers
Contamination in a vacuum chamber can result in dangerous chemical reactions and unwanted side effects. The Princeton University Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) highlights that vacuum work can lead to implosions and potential dangers of airborne contaminants, glass, chemicals splattering, and fire. Here, Chris Johnson, managing director at specialist bearing supplier SMB Bearings, […]
World’s largest copper producer and new Vesconite Hilube bushings
The leading global copper producer has achieved exceptional results through the implementation of Vesconite Hilube wear-resistant bushings on load haul dump machines (LHDs). Departing from traditional bronze bushings, the mining company’s adoption of Vesconite Hilube on Sandvik and Caterpillar LHD booms has led to an unprecedented increase in bushing lifespan, exceeding their initial expectations. Previously, […]