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.

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.

Kirk Staller Joins Graphite Metallizing Corporation

Graphite Metallizing Corporation, the manufacturer of self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY® bushing materials for pumps and process equipment, has appointed Kirk Staller as Sales Engineering Representative for the Mid-West United States and Ontario, Canada. Staller holds a B.S. degree from Purdue University and has over twenty years experience in the industrial market place, much of it with a manufacturer of centrifugal pumps. He will be based out of his Michigan office.

“We are pleased to have Kirk join our team,” stated Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing. “His extensive experience with industrial machinery will help our customers use GRAPHALLOY to achieve greater equipment reliability.”

Graphite Metallizing Corporation of Yonkers, NY has been solving tough bearing problems for over 100 years. The company began in 1913 when two engineers developed a method for putting molten metal into carbon to create a new material called GRAPHALLOY, a graphite/metal alloy.

Used in the manufacture of bushings, bearings and other components for machinery and process equipment, 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 use in food service equipment. NSF® International has certified two grades of GRAPHALLOY material for use in municipal well pumps and water treatment plant applications.

GRAPHALLOY bearings have operated for 20 years and longer in some applications. 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.

Solving Subpar Pump Performance by Finding the Right Material

A petrochemical manufacturing plant recently faced material-related issues with two fractionator pumps at its performance products plant in Texas. Pump performance was gradually falling off to a point where the pump could not keep up with demand.


By Eric Ford, Vice President, Graphite Metallizing Corporation
Pump Engineer, November 2014 

A petrochemical manufacturing plant in Texas was experiencing frequent pump failures, as often as once every year, on their Worthington model 3UNX-105 multistage pumps. The pumps were being used to transfer Tert-Butyl alcohol at a temperature of 110°F, suction pressure of 10 psi, and a discharge pressure of 500 psi. The fractionator had an operating pump, an installed spare pump, and spare rotors in a warehouse as backups. A spare rotor would be installed into the failed pump, while the damaged rotor was pulled from service and sent for repairs.

The Area Maintenance Engineer started looking for a longer-lasting option to reduce costs. While the pump was originally supplied with stainless steel bushings and impeller wear rings, these were subject to galling on start-up, and during upset conditions. An upgrade to PEEK material resolved the galling issue, but over time the resin binder started to break down allowing critical clearances to increase and pump performance to drop off. The repair shop suggested switching to a higher,more expensive grade of PEEK.

This idea was rejected as there was no guarantee that the new PEEK material would hold up any better as it had not been tested or used in this service before. After more research, the decision was made to replace the bushings and wear rings with nickel-filled GRAPHALLOY^® graphite/metal alloy components, which allow the graphite layers to slide against each other resulting in excellent dry lubrication, is stable chemically, unaffected by ordinary solvents, and can withstand high temperatures without deformation or burning.

The pump internals are 300 series stainless steel. The supplier provided wear rings that were finish machined and installed into the pump’s 300 series stainless steel housings. The new material was installed into the eye and hub-side stationary rings, as well as the throat, throttle and center bushings. The first GRAPHALLOY-fitted spare rotor was installed into the pump. The damaged rotor with the PEEK bushings was sent to the shop and fitted with new graphite-based components.

The pump has been through several start/stop cycles and over a year in continuous service without any indication of increasing wear ring clearance or degradation. It has exceeded the runtimes of the previous bushings

Click here to learn more about GRAPHALLOY.

GRAPHALLOY Bearings: A Component of Power Generation at The Geysers

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.

Click here to read more...

 

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

GRAPHALLOY® Bushings: Well-Suited to Cold, Wet Applications

Freezer conveyors are not a problem for GRAPHALLOY.

A seafood processing plant in the Southeast was running a conveyor in their freezer area to "flash-freeze" fresh seafood. The environment is a difficult one: the temperature is cold (28 degrees F/-2 degrees C) and wet and the system requires frequent wash down. The conveyor bearings were being replaced every other month.

The plant maintenance superintendent contacted GRAPHALLOY about the problem. It was determined that the current bearings could not hold lubrication under these conditions and, as a result, breakdowns were occurring frequently.

GRAPHALLOY 4-bolt flange block assemblies were installed and have been running successfully for more than five years. The company has since placed orders for additional flange assemblies for their freezer conveyor and fish wash down lines. GRAPHALLOY continues to work with the plant maintenance superintendent to identify other opportunities on their fish processing conveyors.

 

The self-lubricating qualities of GRAPHALLOY bushings are well-suited to cold, wet applications. Once again, GRAPHALLOY bearings work when others fail.

Bearings that Withstand Harsh-Run Conditions in Paper Plant

When a paper mill suffered repeated failures of the original bronze bearings furnished with the equipment, the maintenance staff switched to graphite-metal alloy bearings.

The move was made to GRAPHALLOY^® self-lubricating bushings designed specifically to withstand the intermittent dry-run conditions of the paper mill’s stock tank agitators, where varying stock levels sometimes eliminate all lubrication.

The mill uses 15 pulp stock agitators to produce manufacturing papers and labels. Each unit has a horizontal shaft driving a 54 inch, 4 blade shockless propeller made of stainless steel. The original bushings were made of bronze and had graphite plugs that were expected to provide self lubricating properties.

One of the GRAPHALLOY bushings was installed. During the plant’s shut down six months later, this bushing was inspected and showed no wear. In another six months, the bushing once again showed no wear. Eight additional GRAPHALLOY bushings were then ordered and the new bushings were installed on all remaining agitators.

After two years, the bushings were still operating well and no measurable wear was apparent on those installed 18 and 24 months prior.

Mill management expects to save at least $40,000 per year by reducing purchases of replacement parts and the labor required for replacement of the previous bushings. Additional benefits are expected by freeing up maintenance staff who previously spent a significant portion of their time addressing the agitator problems.

Click here to read more about GRAPHALLOY bushings.