Bearings & Wear Parts

TENMAT SUPPORTING THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION 

Volunteers are the heart of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and there are 40,000 in the UK - on lifeboats, at stations, on beaches, and in fundraising.

The RNLI has saved more than 139,000 lives since its foundation in 1824. The charity was founded, with royal patronage, as the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck after an appeal made by Sir William Hillary who lived in Douglas on the Isle of Man, and had witnessed the wrecking of dozens of ships from his home.

The name was changed to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1854, and cork lifejackets were first issued to crew members in the same year.

Slipway stations

In locations where the only way to launch a lifeboat is over rocks or where there is a large tidal range, a slipway can be used. The launch is rapid but, on return from a service, the lifeboat must be carefully reversed to the bottom of the slipway and a cable attached before being winched back up into position ready for the next launch. TENMAT Feroform F21 is specified due to both its frictional properties and wear characteristics. It is important to be able to winch the boat back up the slipway easily and also to have a material with sufficient wear life. It is also suitable to work in a saline environment.

There are approximately 15 stations of this type in the UK and TENMAT are specified to provide the slipway pads. The characteristics of TENMAT Feroform F21 make it an excellent material for the application.

by Julian Greenhalgh

Bearings & Wear Parts

TENMAT : KEEPING THE 2012 OLYMPICS RUNNING

In preparation for the 2012 Olympic games held in London from July 27 through August 12, London Underground have been investing and working at the maintenance and replacement of escalator machines in the tube stations of Victoria, Kings Cross, Tottenham Court, and many others.

TENMAT Railko NF22S escalator chain bushes have been specified by London Underground for their resilience, self-lubrication, and fire-resistance.

This long-life reinforced composite material is capable of working under high loads, in dusty environment, without the need for greasing, while ensuring sufficient resistance to fire.

by Sylvain Mas

Bearings & Wear Parts

TENMAT HELP OLD LADY BACK TO SEA

When Thames Ship Repair was faced with over hauling and updating the steer gear on an old Tug Boat they contacted TENMAT for help, first contact was our Web Information request page.

The Sea Challenge II based in the Port of London England was built by Gutehoffnungshütte Sterkrad in1969 in Germany.
Originally fitted with grease lubricated Cast Iron bearings on a Kort Type Nozzle steering Gear ( Ducted Propeller), with an estimated weight of the steering gear was 3.1/2 tonnes.

After discussions with Thames ships on how much of the original gear was to be reused, it was proposed that TENMAT LTD would supply FEROFORM grade T14 bushes and thrust washers in a semi finished state, this would allow other work to be carried out on the boat and on the steering gear. This would allow for the bush bore to be finish on site once the final sizes were known.

Close communication between the yard and TENMAT technical department meant that sizes were agreed and even modified within minutes as metal changes evolved so that the final machining could be done which allow the bushes to be fitted and the boat launched as quickly as possible.

by Julian Greenhalgh

Bearings & Wear Parts

TENMAT REACHES NEW HEIGHTS WITH THE ARIANE ROCKET

TENMAT is a leading manufacturer of specialized, high performance, engineering composite materials and components with over 100 years' of experience serving the global market place.

Over the last number of years TENMAT have supplied Feroglide bearings for the Ariane Rocket Space programme.

The bearings are in a critical application positioned between the booster rocket and the main rocket. They are designed to last less than a minute as the rocket is launched into space and the TENMAT bearings which are situated next to an explosive bolt are destroyed after 45 seconds when this is activated. This operation effectively detaches the booster rocket from the main rocket, destroying the bearing with the main rocket carrying on into space and the booster rocket falling into the sea.
TENMAT have a programme of orders for the coming years demonstrating the confidence in TENMAT quality products and showing commitment and support to space research both for today and the future.  

by Julian Greenhalgh

TENMAT Company News

TENMAT AND SORED-UPM FORGE HIGH TEMPERATURE PARTNERSHIP IN FRANCE

TENMAT is world renowned for their High Temperature Insulation materials in both Electrical and Thermal environments. Materials such as Sindanyo and Arclex are world renowned. Sored-UPM is a company who offer a complete range of non metallic composite solutions in thermal, electrical and electro thermal applications.

Sored-UPM has a modern machining facility in beautiful France just south of historical Nancy. Rapid response to customer needs is a major strength. Sored-UPM have more than 1000 satisfied customers.

Whilst there have been commercial relationships for a number of years, TENMAT and Sored-UPM have recently decided to join forces and focus on supplying the demanding and vibrant French market. This collaboration is yielding great success with sales in 2011 already well in advance of previous years.

Particular areas of application expertise include the famous French Glass industry, Foundries and Induction Heating systems in general. Materials are capable of withstanding up to 700 degrees Centigrade and electrical insulation options as well as purely thermal are offered.

by Peter Sharp

Passive Fire Protection

TENMAT TAKE THE HASSLE OUT OF PROJECT SPECIFIC FIRE TESTING

Over the past 12 months there has been a significant demand for the fire testing of fire protection products in specific types of wall and floor constructions, this is particularly so for major construction projects when generic test data is simply not good enough.

Unlike many manufacturers of fire protection products, TENMAT embrace the need for project specific testing and work closely with a number of International Fire Test Centres to ensure that the fire testing can be carried out in a timely fashion.

As in other aspects, TENMAT work in partnership with its customers to not only arrange the fire testing but also supply and install the components to provide the best possible service.

For your next major project, take all of the guesswork out of the fire protection approval, ask TENMAT about a project specific specification, it will certainly save a great deal of potential delay and worry at the end of the project when the inspectors ask for the relevant test data.

                         

by Christpher Thompson

Passive Fire Protection

TENMAT FIREFLY 109 PIPE AND VENT DUCT FIRE SLEEVES PASS THE MOST ONEROUS EUROPEAN FIRE TEST STANDARDS FOR 2 HOURS

The latest European Standard, EN1366-3, can require plastic pipes and ventilation ducting to be tested in the open / open or uncapped / uncapped scenario. This means that the fire test is undertaken with the pipe or duct fully open to the test furnace so that the fire can travel straight through the service and cause an almost instant failure if the fire seal does not react quickly.

At a time when other Fire Protection Manufacturers are complaining that this element to the standard is almost impossible to pass, TENMAT have completed yet another full scale test on a wide range of plastic pipes and ducts achieving a successful 120 minute result. The services were tested both uncapped / uncapped and uncapped / capped to cover a variety of site conditions including ventilated waste pipe systems.

The European Test Standards are to be the only available option for future testing and TENMAT can offer product to these most onerous standards today, again TENMAT lead the field in fire safety.

Please click here for more information on TENMAT Firefly 109 Pipe Sleeves and Vent Duct Sleeves.

by Christpher Thompson

Passive Fire Protection

TENMAT RAISES THE BAR FOR FIRE PROTECTION OF 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES

A mixture of very tight specification and competitive edge helped TENMAT to win both the fire protection contracts for all plastic pipe work and the ventilation ductwork across the athletes village.

Tight specification

The high profile nature of the Olympic fire protection contracts meant that this was always going to be a project which was won on technical merit.
Several fire tests with exactly the same wall constructions as used in the athletes village were arranged to demonstrate that the TENMAT pipe and duct sleeve products would outperform other more traditional products in the same applications.
Testing was also undertaken for ductwork subjected to the latest European standards which is significantly more onerous than the British standard due to the requirement of the ducts to be open into the test furnace, again the TENMAT products reigned supreme.

                     TENMAT Vent Duct Sleeve                  TENMAT Pipe Sleeve

Competitive edge

It was found that each TENMAT pipe or vent duct sleeve replaced two standard collar type products, as the TENMAT sleeves protect both sides of the wall with just one sleeve, and therefore the overall materials costs were found to be highly competitive.
The speed and ease of installing the TENMAT sleeves also met with enthusiasm from the installers which helped to both meet tight budget and completion targets.

by Christpher Thompson