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The world’s largest 30-meter bearing was created. The Danish manufacturer of ship cranes, pipe laying equipment, and drilling rigs, Huisman, produced the world’s largest bearing at its plant in China.
The 30-meter diameter assembly unit is designed to install the world’s largest cargo crane, which Huisman is currently building.
The largest sample
Such cranes with a carrying capacity of 10,000 metric tons with the possibility of launching an arrow to 48 meters and lifting cargo from a depth of 100 meters will be built in two copies, after which they will be installed on a semisubmersible ship “Sleipnir”.
This self-propelled semi-submersible ship owned by the Dutch company Heerema Offshore Services will become one of the largest crane ships in the world after the completion of its construction. It will be used to service offshore oil and gas facilities.
Such a huge bearing is needed as an alternative to the usually used lower swivel frames or large gears, which provide the lift systems with a turn around their axis. The advantage of using such a bearing will be a significant reduction in the operating weight of the crane, very precise control of the rotary system and ease of maintenance.
The first such bearing was now created and the creation of the second will begin in March this year. Prior to this, the world’s largest bearing was considered to be a 14-meter diameter assembly unit, which in 2012 was also produced by Huisman for its cranes.
A little bit about bearings
Bearings are technical devices that are part of the supports used in the rotation process of the axles. They perceive the two-typed loads applied to the shaft or axle and transmit these loads directly to the frame, body or structure’s parts. In doing so, they must also hold the shaft in space, providing rotation, swing or linear movement with minimal energy loss. The quality of the bearings largely depends on the efficiency, performance, and durability of the machine.
Bearings act as axle and shaft supports
Such bearings are widely used now:
- contact (having friction surfaces) – rolling and sliding bearings
- non-contacting (without friction surfaces) – magnetic bearings.
By the form of friction, people distinguish:
- sliding bearings in which the supporting surface of the shaft or shaft itself slides on the working surface of the bearing
- rolling bearings in which rolling friction is used due to the installation of balls or rollers between the movable and fixed bearing rings.
A sliding bearing has cylindrical hole into which an insert or sleeve of antifriction material (often used in non-ferrous metals) is inserted along with a lubricating device. Between the shaft and the bore of the bearing bush, there is a gap that allows the shaft to rotate freely. For the successful operation of the bearing, the clearance is pre-calculated.