Trelleborg Sealing Solutions pushes the boundaries of composite technology with the launch of Orkot® C620, an innovative ultra-low friction bearing material with five times the compressive strength of other Orkot materials for aerospace applications.

A high-specification thermoset composite, Orkot® C620 meets the requirements of the most demanding high-load applications across all market sectors including aerospace. Though strong and light, it withstands high loads and stresses over a long service life.

Mark Hampton, Product and Innovations Manager, says: “Orkot® C620's optimized properties provide customers with a step change in composite bearings, offering a unique combination of ultra-low friction and a compressive strength of 470 MPa, five times the strength of standard Orkot® materials. It is both stronger and has better friction characteristics than competitor composite materials, and can even challenge many metallic bearings for strength, offering industries such as aerospace the lighter, lower-friction solutions they increasingly demand.

“Featuring a strong glass fiber backing with a low-friction Orkot® lining, it builds upon regular Orkot® composite formulations with a unique compound where the properties of the different layers increase load capacity and strength. It does this without compromising weight while reducing friction and eliminating maintenance to maximize efficiency and service life. This is critical in industries like aerospace where every kilo counts as manufacturers focus on 'lightweighting' to reduce fuel requirements and improve the sustainability of flying.”

Because of its unique characteristics, Orkot® C620 is an attractive solution across a wide variety of aerospace applications. It is ideal for landing gear applications, providing the required strength of a comparable metal bearing with significant weight reduction, increasing fuel efficiency and allowing for more passenger and luggage capacity. Its ultra-low friction makes flying smoother for passengers and its durability reduces airlines' lost revenue from downtime.

Orkot® C620 also delivers outstanding performance in offshore and marine applications. For offshore wind turbines, it reduces maintenance requirements for deep-sea mooring connections and provides electrical isolation, enhancing corrosion resistance while resisting high loads from rough ocean currents. In wind turbine pitch cylinders it provides a very low coefficient of friction, allowing smooth operation at high loads and low speeds.

For floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) mooring infrastructure, Orkot® C620's advantages include low wear rates in fairhead and tensioner applications, and low friction and minimal stick-slip, making it ideal for slow movements in FPSO turrets and swivel stacks. In mid-water arches, it is strong enough to withstand high loads on supporting risers, cables and umbilicals.

A number of applications for cranes also benefit from the properties of Orkot® C620. The material's inherent degree of flexibility allows it to compensate for shaft misalignments and be customizable to the design envelope of the application. In slewing bearings it provides excellent stick-slip properties to ensure smooth movement of the boom and load.

Orkot® C620 also excels in off-highway applications like excavators. It withstands high loads in boom pivots when excavating large volumes of material. Its low stick-slip means that hydraulic cylinder pivots bearing heavy and valuable loads can be more efficient and operate more smoothly, while its durability extends the service life of track rollers and undercarriages in dynamic applications by reducing wear. In bucket linkages it resists impacts of up to 200 KJ/m², demonstrating resilience in applications that experience shocks and vibration. Orkot® C620 Wear Rings in hydraulic cylinder rod guides reduce stick-slip to manage an excavator's sharp and repetitive movements.

Orkot® C620 has been extensively tested for its mechanical properties, thermal expansion and fluid compatibility, and meets standards including AS 9100, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Bespoke customer testing for specific customer requirements is also available.