Deck Equipment Bearings



ThorPlas-Blue Grease-Free Deck Machinery Bearings

 

ThorPlas-Blue Bearings

Thordon deck equipment bushings are an ideal replacement for bronze and other non-metallic bearings in deck equipment applications. ThorPlas-Blue is available in a range of sizes and is easily machined to the dimensions required for fairleads, capstans, davits, gantrys, pivot bushings, cranes, chain hoists, door and ramp hinge bearings and steering gear ram and linkage pins. 

ThorPlas-Blue delivers superior performance in all deck machinery applications:

  • Does not require grease (or greasing systems) to ensure smooth operation
  • Life-time lubricated – lubricants in the homogeneous polymer ensure a low, stable coefficient of friction, even as the bearing wears
  • Long bearing wear life with no maintenance
  • Eliminates safety issues when manually greasing bearings in hard to reach locations
  • Easily and safely machined
  • Installation is quick and easy 

Ensuring the smooth, reliable operation of all machinery installed above the waterline is a tall order for a ship's Deck Crew. Operating conditions are tough, and maintenance requirements of the equipment onerous, with the onset of bearing seizure usually imminent should periodic maintenance be delayed or overlooked. Inadequately greased bronze bushings and seawater shaft corrosion may cause bushing seizure.

Even sealed, rolling element bearings often fail prematurely as a result of salt water ingress past their simple contact seals or from the intermittent impact loads this equipment is often subjected to. The cost-effective, maintenance-free solution to solving many of these problems is ThorPlas-Blue, Thordon's new lifetime lubricated bearing material. Capable of operating pressures to 45MPa (6,527 psi), ThorPlas-Blue can be easily back-fit into virtually all applications where greased bronze is currently installed.

When a non-corroding pin or shaft liner is included as part of the conversion as recommended, ThorPlas-Blue does not require greasing to ensure smooth operation. The lubricants formulated throughout the homogenous ThorPlas-Blue polymer matrix ensure a low, stable coefficient of friction, even as the bearing wears. In applications where movement is infrequent and there is significant exposure to salt water spray, if space permits, high performance Thorseal lip seals can be considered to prevent the ingress of seawater and possible buildup of salt deposits in the bearing. Wear rates are very low compared to greased bronze ensuring long life and dramatically reduced maintenance costs.

With the elimination of grease, ThorPlas-Blue offers improved safety for the crew not having to grease these bushings located in hard to reach locations. Grease-free ThorPlas-Blue also means the disappearance of unsightly grease from view as well as the potential of grease stains on clothing.  To facilitate maintenance while under way, ThorPlas-Blue can be easily and safely machined using on-board machining facilities and then installed quickly.

Other Thordon grades may also be possible for different operating environments depending on the pressures, speed and abrasives.


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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.
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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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  • Orkim Sapphire fitted with COMPAC

    Orkim Takes to the Water with Five Product Tankers Fitted with COMPAC

    Jul 12, 2021
    China’s Fujian Southeast Shipyard has delivered four in a series of five new product tankers ordered by Malaysia’s Orkim Sdn Bhd. The 9000dwt Orkim Sapphire and Orkim Pearl, and 14,500dwt Orkim Diamond and Orkim Emerald represent the first vessels in the ship operator’s fleet to be fitted with a COMPAC seawater lubricated shafting system from Thordon Bearings.
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  • COSCO Vessel fitted with COMPAC bearings

    COSCO Confirms Thordon Seawater Lubrication for Eight Newbuild General Cargo Ships

    Jun 15, 2021
    COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers, a subsidiary of China Ocean Shipping Group (COSCO), COSCO Shipping Lines, has confirmed that the eight newbuild multipurpose cargo vessels entrusted to COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Dalian) Co. Ltd. will each feature a COMPAC seawater lubricated shaftline arrangement from Thordon Bearings. The scope of supply, to be rolled out in two four-ship batches scheduled for August 2021 and December 2022, includes COMPAC propeller shaft bearings, shaft liners, ThorShield shaft coating, and Thordon’s Water Quality Package.
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