In keeping with the company’s commitment to improved energy efficiency, leading mechanical engineering firm Mechanical Solutions Inc. (MSI) of Whippany, N.J., announced its recent acquisition of the technology, tooling and rights associated with the Foster-Miller (F-M) Foil Bearing.



Representing extraordinary value for MSI’s customers, this technology will facilitate decreased machinery energy consumption and will assist MSI in its ongoing efforts to serve as a leader in green energy sustainability initiatives associated with the engineering industry. The F-M foil bearing technology is part of a larger acquisition recently completed by MSI that also includes the F-M TEI (Turbonetics) Turbine / Generator set, unique radial steam turbines which offer comparatively small size and high efficiency versus traditional steam turbine designs.



F-M’s foil bearing technology will be integrated into MSI’s existing business of developing new turbomachinery for manufacturers. In addition, MSI plans to continue F-M’s business of supplying the foil bearings to existing designs. A type of air bearing, foil bearings have been used primarily in aircraft auxiliary power units and other high-speed turbomachinery. In many new applications this technology is able to replace bulky and expensive traditional oil lubrication systems, while facilitating the additional key benefits of decreased energy usage, high temperature capability and reduced maintenance. Foil bearings are an enabling technology for faster, more compact, and lighter turbomachines.



Ideally suited for use in hostile environments or oil-free systems, these bearings are more resilient and tolerant of misalignment and high speeds than are solid-pad gas bearings.



“We are extremely excited to acquire the Foster-Miller foil bearing technology,” stated William Marscher, president and chief technology officer of MSI. “For machines that operate at high speeds or extreme temperatures, conventional bearings can’t match the performance of the Foster-Miller foil bearing. We are confident that this pioneering technology will help our clients to realize significant cost-savings through reductions in energy consumption, and will enhance the environmental friendliness of our clients’ operations.”



Oil-free operation is attained through the use of a hydrodynamic-compliant foil between a machine’s stationary vs. rotating components, which generates a load-carrying film energized by the rotation of the shaft it supports. This bearing levitates a rotating shaft with two main elements: a top foil and a bump foil. The smooth top foil provides a scuff-resistant start/ stop surface and captures air to support the bearing, while the flexible bump foil provides an even support for the top foil and can be tailored for the required stiffness of the bearing.



This proprietary design ensures a self-adjusting bearing with inherent internal damping. It adapts to shaft misalignment, variations due to tolerance build-ups, centrifugal shaft growth and differential thermal expansion. The self-adjusting capability makes these bearings reliable and durable. Foil bearings operate over a wide range of temperatures and operating speeds and are highly tolerant to contaminants such as dust and dirt. Since no seals or lubrication are required, they can operate in extreme temperature or caustic gas environments.



Foil bearing technology has been used for a number of years in low-temperature applications which have ranged from magnetic disk drive read/ write heads in computers to the air cycle machines that maintain the air pressure in commercial aircraft cabins. Recent advances in bearing design, high-temperature surface coatings, and computer modeling are paving the way for new applications of these bearings.



“Foil bearings can enable oil-free and trouble-free operation in a wide variety of 21st-century high-speed machines,” stated Marscher.



About Mechanical Solutions Inc.

Mechanical Solutions Inc. (MSI) has offices in Albany, N.Y.; Baltimore, Md.; Canaan N.H.; and Littleton N.H., in addition to its headquarters location in Whippany, N.J. A leading mechanical engineering firm, MSI provides design, analysis, and testing services worldwide to manufacturers, equipment users, and U.S. government agencies for a diverse range of products. MSI is an expert in machinery design, rotordynamics, computational fluid dynamics, finite element analysis, and comprehensive mechanical testing which includes telemetry and experimental modal analysis, for example. In each of these technical disciplines, MSI possesses in-depth experience. Key applications in MSI’s extensive background have included turbines, compressors, fans, pumps, biomedical devices, defense products and electronics packaging.

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