Thordon Bearings designs and manufactures the most complete line of non-metallic, oil and grease free, self-lubricating journal bearings and wear pads.
David Kirk, Managing Director of Alignment With Laser, who are the South African agents for Thordon Bearings, says, “Thorndon Bearings are well known for their high performance, environmentally friendly and innovative bearing system designs.”
Thordon Bearings provides bearing solutions for a wide variety of industrial applications including turbine pump, hydropower, cranes, sewage, water treatment, mining, sugar cane, marine and pulp / paper / forestry industries. In South Africa, Thordon Bearings have proved particularly popular with marine applications.
“Bearings for stern tubes, deck equipment and vertical turbine pumps have proved most popular in South Africa. However we also provide bearings for pumps, pivot points, screw conveyors, hydro turbine wicket gates, agitators, and flocculator paddles ,” adds Dave.
There are number of reasons why Thordon Bearings are so sought after.
1. SELF-LUBRICATING, LOW MAINTENANCE
With a low inherent coefficient of friction, Thordon bearings typically do not require grease lubrication. This significantly reduces maintenance costs and safety issues. Environmental and product contamination concerns associated with grease lubrication are also eliminated.
2. LONG WEAR LIFE
Thordon Bearings have been proven to provide longer wear life than the bearings they replace. Longer life in any one specific application may be the result of Thordon’s low friction, superior abrasion resistance, high resilience and impact resistance or a combination of several of the above. The end result, however, is the same… improved reliability and reduced life cycle costs.
3. HIGH RESILIENCE & IMPACT RESISTANCE
Elastomeric Thordon bearings exhibit a Modulus of Resilience many times that of bronze. As a result, Thordon elastomeric bearings can absorb impact or shock loads encountered during operation without permanent deformation to a much greater degree than bronze or other non-metallic bearings.
4. CORROSION RESISTANCE
Thordon’s corrosion resistance is superior to metallic bearing materials commonly used in industrial applications. As an electrical insulator, Thordon Bearings will not participate in a galvanic reaction.
5. EASILY INSTALLED
After machining to the proper dimensions for an interference fit, Thordon Bearings can be easily fit into place by press or freeze fitting. Expensive and labour intensive pressing equipment and fixtures are not necessary.
For more information or a quotation contact David Kirk on 083 262 9846 or david@awlaser.co.za.