Product Announcements:
Thrust Bearings

Centrifugal compressors for hydrogen service operate at high rotating speeds and require flexible rotors to accommodate the multiple stages needed to successfully compress the lightweight gas. Waukesha Bearings expertly engineers reliable fluid film bearings that optimize equipment by providing high damping to control vibrations and prevent damage to the rotor and other components. In ad... Read more...

Over a 13-year span, a major South American oil company’s maintenance department fought recurring high vibrations in three gas reinjection compressor trains. To reduce the likelihood of machine trips, technicians field balanced each compressor once or twice a year and replaced the worn tilt pad journal (TPJ) bearings and O-ring dampers yearly. The downtime from implementing these p... Read more...

Visit our bearing damage index to learn about different types of bearing damage and possible solutions.

The vast majority of fluid film bearings give excellent service over long periods of time. When bearings do suffer damage, the cause may be obscure. Often, damage is the result of several failure modes combined.

The bearings themselves are often blamed, but while faulty d... Read more...

Maxalign^® Bearings Reduce Spiral Vibration on Turbo-generators

With over 100 years of experience, Alstom Power is a leading provider in the power generation industry. Close to 25% of the world’s power production capacity depends on Alstom technology or services. With the industry trending toward improved efficiency, in both new and existing equipment, higher d... Read more...

As part of Dover Corporation, we are committed to corporate responsibility and sustainability. In 2020, Dover began implementing a three-year plan to expand our ESG disclosures, metrics, goals, and oversight. We invite you to read about our vision and see our progress. Read more...

SMITH-TRAX bearings are designed with tapered roller/ball bearings to handle thrust loads that needle-bearing camfollowers can't. The outer race hardness is the same as a guide rail and improves application Read more...

Durable and low-maintenance robot bearings provide reliable performance in a variety of industries. These high-quality bearings support autonomous systems in robotics and automation, ensuring long-term dependability in applications such as printing, machinery, and electronics production. Read more...

White Paper - Material Selection for Hydrodynamic Bearings

Bearing materials play a significant role in hydrodynamic fluid film bearing performance. Continuing materials development has expanded the ability of fluid film bearings to meet stringent application goals.

Read more. Read more...

Experimental Performance Study of a High Speed Oil Lubricated Polymer Thrust Bearing Read more...

Relative Motion

A bearing allows relative motion between two surfaces with minimal friction.

In a rolling element bearing, the primary motion is a rolling motion using a ball or roller. There is direct contact between the ball/roller and the inner and outer surfaces (races).

In a fluid film bearing, the relative motion between the two surfaces is a sliding motion on... Read more...