An innovative process to enable the automated manufacture of aluminium-tin alloy for machinery bearing elements

Oiltech轴承是一家总部位于英国的油膜轴承中小企业，其核心项目团队由Keith Chester博士(轴承企业所有者)、Ronald Scott(冶金专家和所有者，英国皇家科学院批准的测试机构)和Patrick Chester(轴承设计师/机械工程师)组成。机械轴承的国际市场过度依赖白色金属衬里轴承，以及依赖于铜铅合金的艰苦应用，铜铅合金对环境造成破坏，一旦磨损几乎无法修复。铝锡合金为这两种类型的轴承提供了一种环境友好、成本效益高的替代方案，但其加工系统复杂，不允许其用于薄壳轴承以外的用途。Oiltech正在开发一种自动化制造系统，该系统将使铝锡合金能够用于多种新的轴承设计和应用，从而造福于全球机械相关行业。精确控制的铝锡散装轴承材料将实现更高的运行温度和更小、更节能的机器，并显著加快交货和生产时间，同时节省高达50%的成本。该工艺将使大型涡轮机等机械中油膜轴承的寄生损耗节省10%的能源，并使在役轴承的系统级OPEX节省。在该项目成功完成后，将使用这种独特的方法研究一系列其他机会。在金属基复合材料中掺入石墨烯或石墨被认为是未来发展的潜在应用。

Oiltech Bearings is a UK-based oil film bearings SME with a core project team of Dr Keith Chester (bearing business owner), Ronald Scott (metallurgist and owner, UKCAS- approved test house) and Patrick Chester (bearing designer/mechanical engineer). The international market for machinery bearings is over reliant on white metal lined bearings and for arduous applications reliant on copper-lead alloys that are environmentally damaging and are almost impossible to repair once worn. Aluminium-tin alloys offer an environmentally friendly, cost-effective alternative for use on both types of bearing but its processing systems are complex and do not allow for its use beyond thin shell bearings.Oiltech is developing an automated manufacturing system that will enable aluminium-tin alloys to be used for multiple new bearing designs and applications to the benefit of machinery-related industries worldwide. Precisely controlled aluminium-tin bulk bearing materials will enable higher operating temperatures and smaller, more energy-efficient machines and markedly faster delivery and production times at cost savings of up to 50%. The process will enable 10% energy savings in the parasitic losses for oil film bearings in machinery such as a large turbines and enable system-level OPEX savings for bearings in service.On successful completion of this project a range of other opportunities will be studied using this unique approach. Incorporation of graphene or graphite into metal matrix composites are considered to be potential applications for future development.