Thordon Bearings Inc, a world leader in grease and oil-free bearing solutions, has launched its newest addition to their grease-free polymer lineup - ThorPlas-Blue. The lifetime lubricated polymer is capable of operating pressures to 45MPa (6,527 psi) and is ideal for a variety of pump, industrial, hydro-turbine and marine applications in bearing, rod and sheet forms.
The lubricants formulated throughout the homogenous ThorPlas-Blue polymer matrix ensure a low, stable coefficient of friction, even as the bearing wears. ThorPlas-Blue not only has a lower density and thus less weight in comparison to metal bearings but it also is self-lubricating which means no grease while eliminating corrosion concerns. This pollution-free replacement for grease or oil lubricated metallic bearings has equal or better operating performance over metal bearings along with good chemical resistance.
“ThorPlas-Blue lifetime lubricated bearings provide improved reliability to users by extending equipment operating life and increasing the Mean Time Between Failures across a wide spectrum of applications”, says Keith Brand, Industrial Business Development Manager at Thordon Bearings. “ThorPlas-Blue bearings are an excellent solution for replacing bronze and help to reduce maintenance costs for users while also reducing noise levels”.
ThorPlas-Blue is a free machining elastomer with no nuisance dust which means unlike metal bearings, the new ThorPlas-Blue can be machined and installed on-site quickly and easily. Operation without grease, long wear life, low friction, good abrasion resistance, and application engineering technical support provide customers with a total bearing solutions that meets, and even exceeds, specifications.
Typical industrial bearing and wear component applications where ThorPlas-Blue would be ideal are found in vertical pumps, hydro-turbines, sewage and wastewater treatment, pulp & paper, agriculture, slaughter house, forestry, sugar cane, mining, automotive manufacturing and the steel industry. Products can include but are not limited to grapple bearings, pump bearings, lock and dam gate bushings, screw conveyor bearings, wire rope sheaves, and wear components.
Thordon Bearings Inc. designs and manufactures a complete range of polymer bearing and shaftline products for the marine, clean power generation, pump, offshore and industrial markets. Thordon’s strong and recognizable global brand is known for high quality and superior performance, eliminating oil and grease from bearing applications in ships, hydro-turbines, vertical pumps and many other industrial applications.