Cutterhead Bearings

Composite Water Lubricated Cutterhead Shaft Bearings

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Thordon Composite has been consistently outperforming rubber in dredge cutterhead bearing applications since it was introduced in the 1970's. Composite bearing wear rates in dirty abrasive conditions are typically half that of rubber bearings reducing maintenance downtime over the life of the vessel.

Benefits:

  • Proven bearing wear life - lasting twice as long as rubber
  • Reduced maintenance down time
  • Water lubricated - no grease
  • Easy installation

Thordon Composite is a two component bearing formulated specifically for use in very abrasive environments such as water lubricated cutterhead shafts. The actual bearing surface is a soft black material that is homogeneous - no layers of differing materials and properties are consistent through the wall thickness. This black material is fused to a yellow, stiff, high strength polymer sleeve.

Composite bearings are available in a full range of sizes in both tube and stave configurations.


Documents


References


Design

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Thordon Bearings Sizing Calculation Program

The final (fully finished) sizing of a Thordon elastomer or ThorPlas bearing can be determined by using the Thordon Bearing Sizing Calculation Program.
You cannot run the Thordon Bearing Sizing Calculation Program without a User Registration Number.
Once you have a User Registration Number you can download the Program below and enter it when prompted.

Step 1 - Register:
Click here to Request a Bearing Sizing Program User Registration Number

Step 2 - Download:
If you have a Bearing Sizing Program User Registration Number, you can download the program here

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Our Newsletter

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  • News Thumbnails 320x160_NW23-MF

    Thordon Merchant Fleet NewsWorks 2023

    Thordon’s web-based newsletter specifically developed for marine users of oil-free and grease-free bearings in the merchant marine sector. This newsletter includes articles that highlight our successes on tankers, bulk cargo carriers, ferries, and cruise ships with COMPAC seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearings, and ThorPlas-Blue deck equipment installed and used around the world. We also introduce Thordon’s new BlueWater Seal and highlight the largest rudder bearing Thordon has ever produced.
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Recent Marine News

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  • ThordonNews-Dec1-thumb

    Thordon's Dredger References Grow with New Orders from Suez Canal Authority

    Dec 02, 2020
    The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has replaced the rubber cutterhead bearings on the 102m (335ft) dredger Mahmoud Younis with a water-lubricated Composite bearing from Thordon Bearings. The retrofit, which took place at the Port Said Shipyard’s floating drydock, follows the success of a similar installation aboard CSD Mashhour, the largest dredger in the SCA fleet. Its rubber cutterhead bearings were replaced last year, providing the first Thordon installation with the Authority.
    Learn More
  • ThordonNews-Oct2-thumb

    NMDC Completes Umm Al Anber Refurbishment with Thordon Composite

    Oct 06, 2020
    Umm Al Anber, a 72m (236ft) heavy duty cutter suction dredger operated by Abu Dhabi-based National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC) has completed the refurbishment of its cutterhead shaft bearings as part of an extensive refit at Dubai Maritime City. Thordon Bearings’ Dubai-based distributor for the Middle East, Ocean Power International LLC (OPI), replaced the cutterhead and intermediate line shaft bearings like-for-like with Thordon’s water-lubricated Composite system. The turnkey project included shaft dismantlement, laser alignment, in-situ line boring, calibration, installation and commissioning.
    Learn More

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