| Quantity: | |
|---|---|
Product Description
The tilting pad is a key design feature in high-performance white metal (Babbitt) bearings, specifically engineered to overcome oil whirl instability common in rotating machinery. Unlike a fixed liner, each pad is an independent segment that is pivot-supported, allowing it to freely tilt and swivel in response to dynamic operating conditions.
 |  |
| Tilting Pad | Tilting Pad |
This self-adaptive capability is its core advantage. As shaft speed and load change, each pad automatically adjusts its angle to form an optimal converging oil wedge. This ensures the formation of a stable, high-pressure hydrodynamic oil film for effective lubrication. The tilting action inherently dampens vibrations and suppresses destabilizing forces, promoting exceptional rotor stability at high speeds.
Therefore, tilting pad white metal bearings are the preferred choice for critical, high-velocity applications such as steam and gas turbines, compressors, and high-power gearboxes, where reliability and precise shaft positioning are paramount.
The machining process for tilting pads in white metal bearings is a precision operation. It begins with forging or casting a steel pad backing, followed by precise machining to achieve the required outer geometry, pivot location, and pad thickness.
The key step is applying the white metal (typically a tin- or lead-based Babbitt alloy) to the pad's inner surface. This is done through a controlled casting process where the pre-heated steel backing is placed in a mold, and the molten white metal is poured to form a perfectly bonded lining. After casting, the pad undergoes critical finishing. The white metal surface is precisely machined, often by boring or facing, to achieve the exact inner radius, surface finish, and oil groove patterns specified for optimal hydrodynamic film formation. Finally, each pad is individually balanced and may undergo hand-scraping for the finest performance alignment within the bearing assembly.
 |  |
| Tilting pad | Tilting pad |
