Waukesha Bearings — Fluid Film and Magnetic Bearing Systems

Global sourcing of engineered fluid film bearings, active magnetic bearing systems, and brush seals by Waukesha Bearings (Dover Precision Components). Supplying modular MS thrust bearings, Maxalign journal bearings, and turbomachinery seals with engineering verification from SpareX.

Modular Tilting Pad Thrust Bearings MS Range

Waukesha Bearings modular tilting pad thrust bearings feature over 200 standard configurations designed for heavy axial loads in critical turbomachinery and naval gearboxes. The lever-free non-equalizing architecture provides compact dimensions and straightforward axial alignment.

Over two hundred standardized frame sizes tailored for medium and large rotor shafts
Heavy steel pad backing lined with high-purity tin-based whitemetal babbitt alloy
Center pivot spherical seating geometry engineered for dependable bi-directional rotation
Modular replacement thrust pads, calibrated leveling spacers, and rigid carrier rings

Directed Lubrication Tilting Pad Thrust Bearings

WBC Directed Lubrication delivers fresh oil straight to the leading edge of each pad. This system reduces parasitic power loss by over 50% at high sliding velocities without requiring shaft seals, improving thermal safety and expanding mechanical longevity in heavy turbomachinery.

Reduces hydrodynamic frictional losses by over fifty percent at elevated sliding speeds
Engineered oil injection nozzles supply cool lubricant directly into hydrodynamic films
Substantially lowers babbitt surface heat and elevates fluid hydrodynamic durability
Replacement calibrated spray bars, directed nozzle assemblies, and fluid connection fittings

Maxalign Tilting Pad Radial Journal Bearings

Maxalign journal bearings are built for large turbomachinery shafts measuring 300 mm and above. Patented spherical ball-and-socket pivots accommodate substantial angular shaft misalignment from thermal deflection and mechanical loads, preserving stable hydrodynamic fluid films.

Patented ball-and-socket pad pivots provide automatic alignment across dynamic angles
Suppresses high-amplitude lateral rotor vibrations at sliding speeds exceeding 100 m/s
Maintains elevated hydrodynamic oil film stiffness under specific loads above 3 MPa
Precision radial pads, spherical pivot sockets, alignment shims, and housing assemblies

Active Magnetic Bearing Systems (AMB)

Waukesha Bearings active magnetic bearing systems achieve completely contactless rotor support via electromagnetic levitation without lubricating oil. Engineered for high-speed compressors, turboexpanders, and hermetic drives, they thrive in harsh or subsea operating environments.

Completely oil-free operation eliminating process gas contamination in hermetic units
Precision radial and axial magnetic actuators maintaining dynamic rotor levitation
Real-time digital amplifiers and high-bandwidth feedback controllers managing vibration
Auxiliary rolling element catcher bearings, eddy-current gap sensors, and control boards

Engineered Brush Seals for Turbomachinery

Waukesha Bearings compliant brush seals dramatically curb working fluid leakage in steam turbines, gas turbines, and compressors. Dense metallic bristle packs accommodate dynamic radial shaft excursions while lowering parasitic flows several-fold compared to conventional labyrinths.

Reduces parasitic process gas and steam leakage by three to five times over labyrinths
Resilient metallic bristles manufactured from high-temperature nickel superalloys
Accommodates transient radial rotor excursions without sustained wear or shaft scoring
Segmented replacement bristle packs, retaining outer rings, and backing retention plates

Bearings Plus Upgrades, Rotordynamics & Retrofits

The Bearings Plus division provides custom bearing redesign, vibration remediation, and babbitt relining services. Through comprehensive rotordynamic modeling, engineers optimize hydrodynamic bearing geometries to match altered process demands and elevated duty cycles in machinery.

Detailed lateral and torsional rotordynamic modeling to eliminate machine vibrations
Precision babbitt rebabbitting, ultrasonic bond verification, and finish machining
Engineered bearing retrofits utilizing advanced TruTech polymer materials for heavy loads
Direct replacement bearing liners, equalizing links, pivot buttons, and seal rings

Fluid Film Bearing Product Portfolio of Waukesha Bearings

Waukesha Bearings, operating within Dover Precision Components, engineers hydrodynamic fluid film bearings, active magnetic bearing platforms, and compliant seals for mission-critical turbomachinery.

Designed around lubricant rheology, operating speeds, and rotor weight, these assemblies safeguard turbocompressors, steam turbines, and naval drives under severe mechanical demands.

The engineering portfolio spans modular MS series thrust bearings with proprietary WBC Directed Lubrication, heavy-duty Maxalign tilting pad radial bearings for shafts 300 mm and above, integral squeeze film dampers (ISFD), contactless active magnetic bearings (AMB), and metallic brush seals.

Engineering Merits of WBC Directed Lubrication Technology

Traditional flooded lubrication incurs parasitic churning and drag when high-speed thrust collars rotate through an oil-filled housing.

The patented WBC Directed Lubrication design eliminates flooded bearing cavities by delivering pressurized, cooled oil directly to the leading edge of each tilting pad through precision nozzles.

This architecture slashes power loss by more than 50% at elevated sliding velocities, curtails total lubricant flow demands by 25–40%, and substantially lowers peak babbitt running temperatures. Cooler metal prevents whitemetal thermal fatigue and elevates overall machinery efficiency.

Bearing Lining Materials: Whitemetal Babbitt and TruTech Polymers

For mainstream power generation and process compression, high-purity tin-based whitemetal babbitt remains the worldwide standard due to its superior embeddability, conformability, and seizure resistance.

Waukesha Bearings applies babbitt to precision steel backings using centrifugal lining with 100% ultrasonic bond verification, keeping running metal temperatures well within safe operating limits.

For extreme duties involving heavy specific unit loads, elevated thermal gradients, or aggressive sour gas exposure, Waukesha engineers deploy advanced TruTech polymer liners based on proprietary PEEK formulations.

TruTech components demonstrate outstanding chemical resistance and low startup friction.

Spherical Pivot Alignment in Maxalign Radial Journal Bearings

Large-capacity turbomachinery trains with spans over several meters experience shaft deflection due to thermal expansion and mechanical torque. Standard cylindrical pivots can develop edge loading under angular slope, compromising hydrodynamic film thickness.

Maxalign tilting pad journal bearings solve this through a ball-and-socket spherical pivot design.

The spherical seating allows each pad to tilt freely in both axial and circumferential directions, automatically accommodating shaft slope while maintaining peak hydrodynamic film stiffness. This eliminates localized edge pressure, suppresses subsynchronous vibration, and prolongs rotor life.

Contactless Active Magnetic Bearing Systems for Critical Machinery

Where process gas purity, extreme cryogenic temperatures, or subsea hermetic conditions rule out oil lubrication, Waukesha Bearings active magnetic bearing (AMB) systems provide contactless rotor support.

Radial and axial electromagnetic actuators levitate the rotating shaft in a precisely controlled electromagnetic field.

High-bandwidth digital controllers sample rotor orbit positions thousands of times per second via inductive sensors, tailoring electromagnetic forces to quench dynamic unbalance in real time. Auxiliary rolling element catcher bearings ensure fail-safe rotor touchdown during power interruptions.

Rotordynamic Analysis, Re-babbitting and Bearings Plus Retrofits

Operating through its specialized Bearings Plus engineering arm, Waukesha Bearings provides comprehensive aftermarket overhaul, rotordynamic modeling, and upgrade retrofits for installed turbomachinery.

When plants re-rate compressors or shift operational duty cycles, engineers re-evaluate hydrodynamic damping and stiffness.

Services include precision re-babbitting of worn journal shells, custom pad profile redesigns to eliminate oil whirl, and drop-in bearing retrofits using existing pedestals. SpareX assists maintenance departments with technical sizing, vibration diagnosis, and turnkey component procurement.

Waukesha Bearings and model names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the equipment for which we source parts. SpareX is not an official dealer, distributor or representative of Waukesha Bearings and is not affiliated with the trademark owner. Origin, documents and warranty are stated for each item in the quotation.