Bearings & Wear Parts

TENMAT WORKING DOWN UNDER

Since Bearing and Thermal Resource  was formed from the ashes of the old BTR company, TENMAT LTD  has worked with them on many projects to help keep the Australian Naval fleet at sea, in particular HMAS Sydney. 

HMAS Sydney (FFG 03) is an Adelaide class guided missile frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The frigate is one of six modified Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates ordered from 1977 onward, and the third of four to be constructed in the United States of America. 

Laid down and launched in 1980, Sydney was named for the capital city of New South Wales, and commissioned into the RAN in 1983. During her operational history, Sydney has been involved in Australian responses to the 1987 Fijian coups d'état and the Bougainville uprising. The frigate has been deployed to the Persian Gulf on five occasions in support of United States operations during the Gulf War, War in Afghanistan, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and has completed at least two round-the-world voyages. 

Sydney was expected to remain in service until 2013, but its life span has been extended until a suitable replacement can be launched. 

For the stern tube bearings, TENMAT FEROFORM T12 staves have been used since they replaced the original metal rubber version over 25 years ago. The naturally lubricious material helps to reduce the break out friction at start up, meant the captain at the time of first trial did not know they had cast of, and subsequent sea trials gave a 1 % saving in fuel usage and 1 knot better top end speed.

by Dave Hill