US Synthetic Bearings (USA, a division of Dover; NYSE: DOV) has launched the industry's first commercially viable lineup of radial bearings, based on synthetic diamond technology.

US Synthetic diamond thrust bearings

Craig Cooley, US Synthetic Bearings Division General Manager, said: "Our radial bearings offer truly disruptive advances with longer life, reduced size, and increased lateral load-carrying capacity. A single installation can save many thousands of dollars in rig time."

The company's bearing lineup includes radial bearings and thrust bearings, primarily for the oil and gas drilling industry. The bearings are designed for use in down hole motors, turbines, rotary steerable systems, drilling tools, heavy industrial equipment, and a variety of pump applications. Pump applications include extreme conditions transfer pumps, electric submersible pumps, stationary pumps, and injection pumps.

US Synthetic thrust bearing assembled

US Synthetic points out their synthetic diamond bearings can last 4 to 10 times longer than standard tungsten-carbide bearings, using mud or process fluids for lubricant, eliminating the need for seals or special lubrication.

Founded in 1978, US Synthetic began as a small diamond grit manufacturing company. It eventually became the leading supplier of polycrystalline diamond cutters (PDCs) for oil and gas exploration. The bearing division was launched in 2000.

The bearing bodies themselves are machined from stainless steel. The antifriction surfaces placed into the bodies are polycrystalline diamond pads that have been built up on tungsten carbide substrates, then formed, precision machined, and placed with high precision. Available sizes range from 1" to over 10" OD.

US Synthetic radial bearings

Other advantages of PCD bearings include their relatively small size for the load-carrying capacity, allowing tight packaging and exposure to extreme conditions. Also, because the bearings do not rely on rolling elements and have no moving parts, they have fewer failure modes and operational limitations.