Graphite Slide Bearings
FLUOROGOLD® Slide Bearings
Teflon® / Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
High Temperature Applications for Graphite Slide Bearings
Graphite will be specified when the functioning environment the bearing will be located in has an ambient or operating temperature up to 1,000°F. Typical Structural and Miscellaneous steel location will never exceed even 400°F, so Graphite Slide Bearings will not be called for unless there is an additional heat source.
For Graphite to be necessary the slide bearing will be located in either:
- An enclosed area where enough heat is generated and retained that the atmosphere will rise to an ambient temperature between 400 and 1,000°F under normal operating conditions.
- A structure or mechanism that will produce extreme temperatures causing heat to radiate outward through steel members to the bearing surface. Examples of this are Coke Ovens and Blast Furnaces.
Construction is similar to standard Teflon® or Fluorogold® Slide Bearings. Carbon Steel backing plate, Glue layer and Graphite. (Fig. 1) Due to the elevated temperatures this slide bearing will operate under the Graphite Sliding surface is also mechanically secured to the backing plate. This can be done with a countersunk screw or rivet. (Fig. 2) To assure the screw is secure the backing plate is normally increased to at least 1/4" thick. As well the graphite will usually be from 1/4" to 1/2" thick.
Typical call outs will follow the same format as Fluorogold® and Teflon®/PTFE Slide Bearings.
Example:
GP-5025-CS
(Graphite-.50" Thick, .25" Thick - Carbon Steel)
