How is a GRAPHALLOY® bushing different from a graphite bushing or graphite bearing?

Graphite bearings and graphite bushings do not have the same properties as GRAPHALLOY.

GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy, is formed from molten metal, graphite and carbon; it is a uniform, solid, self-lubricating, bushing and bearing material. From this we manufacture a unique, self-lubricating bearing solution, offering superior performance in hundreds of applications. GRAPHALLOY is ideally suited for submerged and high temperature bearings and bushings - applications where oil, grease, plain carbon bearings and plastic bearings fail.

Available in over 100 grades, GRAPHALLOY bearings may be the solution to your toughest carbon bearing, carbon bushing, thrust washer, cam follower, or pillow block bearing design problem. GRAPHALLOY bearings have been installed for up to 20 years without maintenance. We have many standard designs but most of our products are custom designed to the unique requirements of a specific application.
GRAPHALLOY can help you solve your toughest bearing problems.

To find out more about our products, click here.

GRAPHALLOY Solves Problems in High Temperature Steel Mill Cooling Bed

A Midwestern steel mill was using GRAPHALLOY® bushings for the horizontal rollers in their cooling beds. The bushings were thriving under severe heat and water spray conditions. 

Because of this success, the mill was considering using GRAPHALLOY flange bearings for another application: the vertical guide rollers along the sides of the cooling beds that were used to keep the hot steel from running off the sides. 

These guide rollers remain static until a piece of hot steel slams up against them. At this moment, they are expected to turn instantly to guide the steel back onto the cooling bed. This mill had been using conventional greased rolling element bearings in the vertical guides that were lasting only a few months. GRAPHALLOY proved to be successful on the vertical rollers as well and the mill has since retro-fitted additional lines with GRAPHALLOY.

GRAPHALLOY® Electrical Solutions

GRAPHALLOY® Brushes, Slip Rings and Contacts solve signal applications where low noise is a requirement. They are available in various sizes and grades including copper, bronze and silver.

Brushes

GRAPHALLOY Brushes are common in rotating equipment to conduct currents ranging from minute instrument or signal values to power ratings. Brush materials include Silver Graphalloy and Copper Graphalloy. Special high altitude grades are available as well.

These brushes can be used in:
•Microwave equipment
•Servo systems
•Synchros
•Inverters
•Thermocouple and strain gauge circuits
•Pulse systems
•Computer grounding contacts
•Torque indicators
•Medical equipment
•Packaging machinery

Contacts

GRAPHALLOY Contacts are particularly valuable for interrupting highly inductive or heavy overloaded currents in circuit breakers, controllers, contactors and relays.

Possible Applications:
•Alarms
•Circut breakers
•Furnace Controls
•Medical apparatus
•Oven controls
•Switches
•Welding Machines

GRAPHALLOY® Provides Help With Bearing Maintenance Problems

Need help with your bearing maintenance problems?
GRAPHALLOY® - a unique graphite/metal alloy commonly used as a bearing material - may be the solution. Self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY has provided solutions in pumps, dampers, turbines, valves and other process equipment.

What can GRAPHALLOY bushings do for you?
Deliver simple solutions for your design and maintenance problems;

◦Self-lubricating; requires no grease or oil
◦Low maintenance: install & forget
◦Non-galling; no metal to metal seizure
◦Stable; does not melt or cold flow or swell when submerged
◦Operates in temperature extremes: -450° F to +1000° F (-240° F to +535° F)
◦Low, constant coefficient of friction
◦Dry; does not collect dust or contaminants
◦FDA accepted grades available

High Temperatures Pose No Problem for GRAPHALLOY® 845 Inserts

Graphite Metallizing Corporation announces GRAPHALLOY® 845 Spherical Inserts as a replacement for traditional ball bearings in many hightemperature applications. GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy, is designed to operate without lubrication which makes 845 Spherical Inserts especially suited for operations where temperatures can reach — or exceed — 750°F (400°C).

GRAPHALLOY 845 Spherical Inserts are intended for use in standard pillow and flange blocks without the need to alter or redesign equipment. 845 Spherical Inserts are used in a variety of high temperature applications including ovens, furnaces, conveyors, glass lehrs, dampers, dryers as well as other environments where oil and grease cannot be used. Metric shaft sizes and stainless steel housing and inserts are available along with FDA accepted grades.

According to Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing Corporation, “Using GRAPHALLOY 845 Spherical Inserts has proven time and time again that significant ROI, cost savings and reduced maintenance can be achieved, especially in difficult applications where high temperatures are a concern.“
 

Other benefits of GRAPHALLOY include a low coefficient of friction and dimensional stability. Like all GRAPHALLOY products, 845 Spherical Inserts will not soften at high temperatures or extrude under load. GRAPHALLOY bushings also operate at longer intervals without the need for frequent replacement or maintenance which helps reduce costly downtime.

GRAPHALLOY is also an excellent choice for any application where service and maintenance tasks are cumbersome or difficult to perform. GRAPHALLOY is a proven solution for even the most challenging plant maintenance and new equipment design.

For more information about GRAPHALLOY products, visit http://www.graphalloy.com/.

GRAPHALLOY® Self-Lubricating Bushings for High Heat, Low Maintenance and Reduced Downtime

Graphite Metallizing Corporation announces additional sizes of the GRAPHALLOY® 453 Family of Self-Lubricating Bushings. These bushings are for severe industrial applications where temperatures reach 750° F (400° C) or higher. GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy, bushings are designed to operate without lubrication.

The 453 Bushings have proven to be successful in a variety of high temperature applications including bakery ovens, heat treat ovens, furnaces, conveyors, overhead paint lines, glass lehrs, louvers, dampers, valves as well as other environments where oil and grease cannot be used. Applications can experience improved performance through the use of GRAPHALLOY materials.

Among their many advantages, GRAPHALLOY bushings operate at longer intervals without the need for maintenance, which reduces costly downtime. They are an excellent choice for applications where service and maintenance tasks are cumbersome or difficult to perform. Additional benefits of GRAPHALLOY include a low coefficient of friction and dimensional stability. The 453 Bushings, like all GRAPHALLOY products, do not soften at high temperatures or extrude under load. Installations of these bushings have operated for more than 10 years without maintenance.

GRAPHALLOY can be the solution to the toughest bearing, bushing, thrust washer, cam follower, or pillow block bearing design problem. It is available in over 100 grades with specific properties that meet a wide range of engineering solutions and specifications. FDA accepted grades of GRAPHALLOY are available for food contact equipment. NSF® International certified two grades of GRAPHALLOY material for use in municipal well pumps and water treatment plant applications.

In some applications, GRAPHALLOY bearings have operated for up to 20 years without maintenance. Standard designs are available but most GRAPHALLOY products are custom designed to the unique requirements of the specific application.

Graphite Metallizing Corporation is ISO certified and has produced GRAPHALLOY since 1913. For additional information about Graphite Metallizing and its products, please visit us online at http://www.graphalloy.com/index.htmlor call 914-968-8400.

Steel Mill Customer Orders Largest GRAPHALLOY® Split Pillow Block Bushing Ever Made

A Graphite Metallizing steel mill customer recently installed 12 “super-sized” GRAPHALLOY^® bushings for the main drive shaft in their quench tank.

The Model 478 GRAPHALLOY split pillow block design has a bore ID of 6.00 inches — the largest ever produced by Graphite Metallizing. These pillow blocks are used to support the sprockets that drive the chains pulling molten billets through the quench tank. Each of the dozen pillow blocks that the mill ordered weighs more than 250 lbs. and must function under difficult operating conditions: complete submersion in heated, contaminated water while supporting 10,000 lb. loads at 10 RPM.

GRAPHALLOY bushings can withstand temperatures ranging from cryogenic to 1000° F/535° C) and are dimensionally stable even when submerged or under load. They can be used to solve difficult application problems involving high temperatures, as well as acidic, corrosive and wash-down environments. Because of their long life and self-lubricating qualities, they are especially suitable for installations that cannot be accessed easily, or where performing regular maintenance is difficult.

Graphite Metallizing Corp., established in 1913, produces GRAPHALLOY a graphite/metal alloy bearing material used in the manufacture of self-lubricating bearings and components for machinery and process systems.

GRAPHALLOY® Helps Generate Reliable Geothermal Power

The Geysers is the largest geothermal power field in the world. Because geothermal power is constant (and nearly free), The Geysers have become one of the most reliable energy sources in Northern California. Currently, the Calpine Corporation owns and operates 19 of 21 power plants at The Geysers. Calpine and their predecessors have used GRAPHALLOY® to solve a critical pump application problem.

Calpine is able to harness the superheated steam from The Geysers to generate 725MW of electricity. Despite its advantages, geothermal power has one limitation. Some of the 350 steam wells will eventually exhaust their supply of steam. In response to this problem, operators in the field reinject water into the ground to replenish the steam for power generation. 

However, one problem existed. Bearing materials were limited because of the temperature and corrosive environment of the injected water. To make this critical process viable, GRAPHALLOY bearings are used in the pumps injecting water condensed from the steam and treated wastewater back into the ground in the existing 58 injection wells. A special GRAPHALLOY grade was developed for this severe service.

GRAPHALLOY bearings have been a critical component of power generation at The Geysers for over 25 years. The hot, corrosive silt-ladened water required a special bearing material and GRAPHALLOY was, and is, the answer.

(Image courtesy of DOE/NREL, Credit - David Parsons)

High Temp GRAPHALLOY® Bushings Handle Hot, Harsh Environments

Self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY® bearings operate in high temperatures up to 750°F (400°C) in air and up to 1000°F (535°C) in non-oxidizing atmospheres. GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy is uniform throughout and contains no oil or grease to harden or burn up in high temperatures or under load. Since they do not soften, gum, or seize in hot and harsh applications, as grease-lubricated and plastic bearings may, GRAPHALLOY bearings/bushings reduce maintenance, eliminate need for frequent replacements, and provide trouble-free operation.

Available in over 100 grades with specific properties to suit a wide range of operating conditions, GRAPHALLOY can be used in water, hydrocarbons, weak acids, and alkalies, and works submerged. Commonly used materials are copper, bronze, silver, and nickel.

GRAPHALLOY products include bushings, flange bearings, hanger bearings, pillow blocks, seals, case rings, thrust washers, wheel assemblies, and electrical contacts, and are available in custom designs or as standard components. Typical applications include ovens, furnaces, conveyors, dryers, dampers, pumps, and plating tanks. GRAPHALLOY has received FDA acceptance and can be steam cleaned without damage or performance reduction.

Screw Conveyor Bushings for Reliable Service

GRAPHALLOY® Type 1017 Self-lubricating Split Bushings, available from Graphite Metallizing Corp., are ideal for screw conveyor applications.  

GRAPHALLOY bushings with long life and low friction characteristics have a history of solving bushing problems for screw conveyors. These bushings contain no oil to contaminate the conveyed materials and are particularly suitable for screw conveyor installations including agitator or batch mixers. Type 1017 bushings are split to provide for easy installation along the conveyor.  

Type 1017 bushings can withstand dust, chemical attack, caustic liquids and high temperature environments. They provide superior performance in continuous duty operations and in applications where maintenance intervals are infrequent, or where useful life must be prolonged. 

GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy formed from molten metal, graphite and carbon, is insoluble in most industrial liquids and is not affected by submersion in most acids, alkalies, hydrocarbons or liquid gases.  GRAPHALLOY does not deform under load and maintains dimensional stability.

GRAPHALLOY products work where oil-based lubricants oxidize and where plastic bushings fail or prove troublesome. GRAPHALLOY bushings are applied in refineries, paper mills, waste-to-energy plants, glass plants, steel mills and power plants.  Grades are available for temperatures to 750˚F (400˚C) in air, and special grades provide reliable service up to 1000˚F (535˚C) and higher in non-oxidizing atmospheres.

GRAPHALLOY bushings and bearings are a proven solution for even the most challenging plant maintenance and new equipment design requirements.

Self Lubricating Bushings Offer Dependable Performance

Graphite Metallizing Corp. announces the 117 Series of GRAPHALLOY® bushings which deliver dependable performance in high temperature applications. GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy, is formed from molten metal, graphite and carbon. It is a uniform, solid, self-lubricating bushing and bearing material. The 117 Series excels in bakery ovens, heat treat furnaces, glass plants, potato chip and bagel factories, dampers, stokers and wherever grease, oil and plastic bushings fail or prove troublesome.

In addition, the 117 Series of GRAPHALLOY bushings provides a convenient, pre-engineered solution for plant maintenance and new equipment design requirements. The 117 Series is available in two primary grades for high temperatures, both with FDA acceptance as well as for low temperatures.

All GRAPHALLOY products work where oil-based lubricants oxidize or where plastics fail. Many grades are suitable for temperatures to 750°F in air, and special grades provide reliable service up to 1000°F and higher in non-oxidizing atmospheres.

Specialy Materials Help Improve Pump Reliability and Save Energy

GRAPHALLOY® allows for reduction of clearances

Efficiency degradation in pumps can be related to three areas. Worn clearances between the wear rings of the impeller and the casing can increase leakage and drop the volumetric efficiency of the pump. Rough, rusty and damaged internals increase friction, reducing hydraulic efficiency. Finally, rubs, galling, friction in the mechanical seals and bearings, can result in the reduction of mechanical efficiency.

Together, these three pumping problems reduce the available flow, lower pressure and/or require more power consumption. These three issues also make a pump less reliable. Pump efficiency and reliability are often intertwined.

Click here to continue reading this article from Pumps & Systems

GRAPHALLOY® at International Exhibitions

Graphite Metallizing Corporation will be sponsoring a booth at the following international exhibit:

Middle East Turbine Symposium (METS)
February 13 -16, 2011
Doha, Qatar
Booth #520

Graphite Metallizing Corporation just returned from the SEPEM Industries exhibition in Douai, France.

GRAPHALLOY® Introduces NSF® Certified Grades For Pumps

Used in Pump Bushings and Bearings for Vertical and Horizontal Pumps

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, the manufacturer of self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY® bushing materials, is pleased to announce that NSF® International, has just certified two grades of GRAPHALLOY material for use in municipal well pumps and water treatment plant applications.

The two newly certified GRAPHALLOY Grades are certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 61 - “Drinking Water System Components/Health Effects” - and approved in the category for Multiple Water Contact Materials (MLTPL) up to 180˚F.

NSF certification is the result of Graphite Metallizing’s rigorous product testing to ensure the highest quality GRAPHALLOY products for the market. These newly certified grades are used in the manufacture of pump bushings and bearings for both vertical and horizontal pumps.

GRAPHALLOY is currently the product of choice for many deep well water pump applications in the western U.S., Hawaii and around the world.

NSF International is the independent, not-for-profit/non-governmental organization that provides materials evaluation, standards testing and product certification services involving public health and safety issues.

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, a global leader in the manufacture of self-lubricating bushings and bearings for almost a century, produces GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy bearing material used in the manufacture of self-lubricating bearings and components for pumps, machinery, and process systems.

GRAPHALLOY® Bearings FDA Accepted for Food Processing Applications

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, the manufacturer of GRAPHALLOY^® bearings and bushings, announces that FDA accepted grades are available for food processing and commercial baking applications.

GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy, is formed from molten metal, graphite and carbon. It is a uniform, solid, self-lubricating bushing and bearing material. GRAPHALLOY is widely used in bakery ovens, dryers, roasters, mixers, conveyors, freezers, sterilizers, grills, pumps, bottling plants and packaging equipment — anywhere grease/oil lubricated bearings or plastic bearings might fail.

Self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY bearings and bushings perform in temperature extremes of -450˚F to +750˚F and above (-240˚C to +400˚C and above) where conventional materials often fail. GRAPHALLOY bearings require minimal maintenance and can reduce downtime, resulting in uninterrupted production of food contact equipment. With a low coefficient of friction and high strength, GRAPHALLOY bearings deliver long life and are not subject to seizures, binding or sudden failure.

Equally important, GRAPHALLOY does not contain oil or grease and can be immersed in liquids without causing contamination of equipment or packaging. GRAPHALLOY bearings also withstand steam cleaning and pressure washing operations without any loss of lubrication or bearing performance.

GRAPHALLOY bushings are also used in municipal water systems, refineries, paper mills, waste-to-energy plants, glass plants, steel mills and power plants. Many grades are suitable for temperatures to 750˚F (400˚C) in air and special grades provide reliable service up to 1000˚F (538˚C) and higher in non-oxidizing atmospheres.

How will Graphalloy handle our jet fuel pump application?

The principal bearing issue for Jet fuel is its very low specific gravity which makes jet fuel a poor lubricant.

Graphalloy bearings have many applications in very low gravity pumpages (lng, ethane, propane, benzene, CO2 etc.). Graphalloy is excellent for these applications because in these low specific gravity fluids Graphalloy provides a margin of safety allowing moving parts to contact without galling or seizing.

We have a history with aircraft fuel gear pumps (from memory I think these go back to the 60's). Our primarily pump business is in high HP centrifugal boiler feed and process pumps (vertical and horizontal) where low lubricity, flashing or run dry conditions are a possibility. Graphalloy bearings will allow the pump to survive an upset. So we have lots of related experience and are confident that the materials can handle a jet fuel pump but we encourage you to do you own testing in as close to real world environment as possible.

We mostly supply finished bearings/bushings and generally these are custom sized for a specific manufacturer's equipment. Pumps are a large part of our bushing applications. The key Graphalloy material advantage is the ability to run dry or in very light fluids (jet fuel for example) without galling. This permits the pump to run dry for a period and then re-establish pumping without failing. (FYI http://www.graphalloy.com/html/pump.html ).

For a metal pump, the usual design is to install, with a press fit, directly into the housing of the pump. The bushings can be supplied with a metal backing but this is normally not necessary. One advantage to the press fit installation directly into the housing of the pump is that as the temperature of the housing changes the bearing can be designed to maintain both secure mounting and a constant clearance to the shaft over a wide range of operating conditions.

In order to proceed to a design, our engineers will need: pump cross sections and dimensions on housing and shafts, materials of construction, rpm, expected loads and pumpages.