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PCD Bearing Research

US Synthetic Bearings understands that meeting our customer's exact needs is crucial to a successful product. That's why we are dedicated to developing a close working relationship with each customer -- providing ongoing research and development designed to find the best solution possible. To ensure product quality is met, our engineering teams do extensive, rigorous testing in our in-house bearing testing facility. This ensures that the best products are developed for our customers, through extensive testing and evaluation.

Laboratory tests conducted by US Synthetic Bearings have validated the numerous advantages of PCD bearings:

• Low friction coefficients, even with full diamond-to-diamond contact
• Ability to operate in boundary, mixed-mode and hydrodynamic regimes
• Resistance to damage during starting and stopping (when operating in mixed-film or hydrodynamic regimes)
• Ultra-long life
• High load capacities

TEST MACHINE

US Synthetic Bearings has recently commissioned a new high capacity bearing test machine. This new machine is capable of several types of tests including wear tests (that last up to several months), capacity tests, friction tests, and fluid film tests. The results from these tests are used to improve the bearing products offered to our customers for their specific applications.

WEAR TESTING

During wear testing, we apply a high axial load for extended periods of time -- from hours to even months. The total diamond wear in the bearing is then measured and converted to a wear rate. Test results are then used to compare the relative wear resistance of different diamond blends, bearing insert geometries, and bearing insert configurations. The results of these wear tests help the US Synthetic Bearings engineering team design the best bearing possible for a given application. Wear test results are also used to predict bearing life in specific applications. The following are examples of wear test results:

CAPACITY TESTING

During performance testing, we test our bearings under constant speed, gradually increasing load until bearing failure occurs. Test parameters and bearing designs can be adjusted to meet the customer's design, speed, load, and cooling flow rate. The data gathered during this testing is used to generate pressure/velocity (PV) failure curves which define the safe operating envelope for a given bearing. Test results can also be used to predict required cooling flow rate, expected heat generation, and frictional loss in customer applications.

FLUID FILM AND FRICTION TESTS

During friction testing, we apply a constant axial load for the duration of the test, gradually increasing speed until the test is complete. Test parameters and bearing design can be adjusted to meet our customer’s design, load, and cooling flow rate requirements. The data gathered from these tests is used to generate Stribeck curves, which define the lubrication regimes (boundary, mixed film, and hydrodynamic) present at various speeds. This helps us understand and predict the expected friction coefficients associated with our bearings for each given application.

PROTOTYPE MACHINE SHOP

US Synthetic Bearings is committed to giving our costumers fast turnaround times on new bearing designs and bearing test results. For this reason, we have a skilled prototype machine shop dedicated to making new bearings quickly and at the highest level of quality. This helps our costumers make decisions quickly and with confidence.

ANALYSES

In addition to laboratory testing, our engineering staff uses finite element models and proprietary bearing design tools to help predict field performance.