GRAPHALLOY® Keeps Dryer Oven Chains Rolling

Keeping their gypsum board dryer oven running was a problem for a manufacturer of construction materials until they redesigned the chain guide to include self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY^® cam followers.

The oven has a drag chain conveying system - with a speed of eight feet per minute - to move the gypsum wall boards through the oven. The temperature in the oven is 550°F. The drag chain was kept on track by chain guides made of carbon steel plates. Over time, the chain guides would wear down, fall onto the gypsum wall boards, destroy the product and shut down the oven. 

The manufacturer wanted to design a chain guide system that would not wear down and certainly not fall into the product. They needed something to support the chain. The manufacturer considered using standard cam followers but was concerned that they wouldn’t survive the oven’s high temperature. In addition, they wanted to avoid using grease to minimize frequent maintenance.

They contacted engineers at Graphite Metallizing Corporation to help with the new design. Self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY Bronze Grade Cam Followers Type 1217 were proposed. The manufacturer then developed a chain guide system that had the chains roll over the cam followers instead of the steel plates.

After testing this solution for ten months, the board manufacturer declared it a success. They converted their entire oven to GRAPHALLOY. These cam followers have now been in operation for over one year without the need for replacement. The manufacturer also saved time and money on reduced maintenance because they no longer need to grease their bearings.

To learn more about GRAPHALLOY Cam Followers, please click here.

High Temperature Bearings for Ovens, Conveyors, Furnaces and Dryers

GRAPHALLOY^® High Temperature Bearings are ideally suited to applications where temperatures are too high to permit the use of oil or other lubricants. These bearings will not soften at extreme temperatures or extrude under load. Many grades are suitable for temperatures to 750°F (400°C) in air. In addition, special grades provide service up to 1000°F (535°C) and higher in non-oxidizing atmospheres.

GRAPHALLOY - a graphite/metal alloy – bearings can be used in bakery and industrial ovens, glass plants, conveyors, dryers, kilns, kiln cars, stokers, soot blowers, oil guns, gypsum board and veneer dryers.

The GRAPHALLOY bearing product line for extreme and high temperatures includes:

• Screw Conveyor Bearings
• 2-Bolt Pillow Block Bearings
• Inserts for Pillow Blocks and Flange Blocks 

Click below for examples of how GRAPHALLOY bearings have solved problems, reduced costs and downtime and increased productivity in high temperature applications:

• Cam Followers for Glass Ceramic Manufacturer
• Replacing Ball Bearings in High Temperature Oven Carts
• High Heat Spells Problems for Traditional Bearings

Visit www.graphalloy.com for more information.

GRAPHALLOY® Eliminates the Need for Grease and Keeps the Ovens Running

Glass ceramic is ideal for use in a variety of appliances because it is resistant to temperature extremes. This unique material is well-suited for use in cooktops and doors for microwave ovens and fireplaces.

Constant greasing and frequent failures drove a major manufacturer of glass ceramic to seek a better solution. The manufacturer was experiencing problems with their production ovens and dryers. Stud-type cam followers with grease lubrication were being used. The cam followers needed replacement after six months because the grease was failing at the high temperature (428° F/220° C).

After learning about the run dry, self-lubricating properties of GRAPHALLOY®  bearings, the manufacturer contacted Graphite Metallizing Corporation and requested a design solution. Eight standard GRAPHALLOY metric cam followers were installed for testing.

After five months, this manufacturer had already realized significant savings because of reduced maintenance costs and the elimination of high cost, high temperature grease. They were so pleased with the performance of the GRAPHALLOY cam followers that they ordered an additional 200 to retrofit their current ovens.

These GRAPHALLOY cam followers have now been in operation for over one year without the need for replacement or the constant greasing of the original equipment.

The manufacturer plans to retrofit additional ovens in plants worldwide with GRAPHALLOY cam followers.