The lightweight upper courtyard roller rudder support is suitable for rudder systems with small loads and minimal deflection of the rudder stock.

Production cycle: 7-35 days

Warranty period: 1 year

Certificates available: CCS type approval certificate, CCS product certificate, Korean KR, German GL, French BV and other certificates.

Definition and Function

The roller upper rudder support is a key component in the ship's rudder system, located at the upper part of the rudder stock. Its main function is to support the weight of the rudder stock and withstand the radial force generated by the rotation of the rudder stock. During the navigation of a ship, when the rudder blades rotate to change the ship's heading, the rudder stock is subjected to various complex forces. The roller on the rudder support can ensure the stable rotation of the rudder stock, allowing the operation of the servo to be accurately transmitted to the rudder blades, ensuring the accuracy and flexibility of the ship's turning.

Structural composition

Roller components:

The roller is the core part of the rudder bearing on the roller. These rollers are usually cylindrical and made of wear-resistant metal materials such as alloy steel. The surface of the roller needs to be precision machined to ensure high smoothness and accuracy, thereby reducing friction with the rudder stock. The number and arrangement of rollers will vary depending on factors such as the size and load-bearing requirements of the rudder stock. They are generally evenly distributed around the rudder stock and supported by rolling contact, converting the sliding friction between the rudder stock and the upper rudder support into rolling friction of the rollers, greatly reducing friction.

Bearing seat:

The bearing seat is used for installing and fixing roller components. It is usually a metal structure with sufficient strength and stiffness to withstand various forces transmitted from the rudder stock. The inner surface of the bearing seat is in contact with the rollers and it is necessary to ensure that the rollers can roll freely inside it. The shape and size design of the bearing seat should be compatible with the rollers and rudder stock, and its exterior is generally firmly connected to the structural components of the ship through bolts or other means to ensure the stability of the entire upper rudder bearing during ship navigation.

Lubrication and sealing device:

In order to ensure smooth rolling of the rollers and reduce wear, the rudder bearings on the rollers are equipped with lubrication devices. The lubrication device can be an oil cup, oil tank, or part of a centralized lubrication system, which provides lubricating oil to the contact area between the rollers and the bearing seat to reduce the friction coefficient. At the same time, the sealing device is used to prevent lubricating oil leakage and external impurities (such as seawater, dust, etc.) from entering the interior of the bearing. Sealing devices usually use rubber seals or labyrinth sealing structures, which can effectively protect rollers and bearing seats and extend their service life.

working principle

When the rudder stock rotates in the rudder bearing on the roller, the weight of the rudder stock and the radial force generated during the rotation are transmitted to the bearing seat through the roller. The rollers roll between the rudder stock and the bearing seat, and due to the rolling friction coefficient being much smaller than the sliding friction coefficient, the rudder stock can rotate with less resistance. The lubricating oil forms a layer of oil film between the roller and the bearing seat, further reducing friction and playing a role in cooling and buffering. The sealing device is located externally to prevent the outflow of lubricating oil and the entry of impurities, ensuring a good working environment inside the rudder bearing on the roller. For example, when a ship turns, the rudder stock drives the rudder blades to rotate, and the rollers in the rudder support on the rollers roll steadily, providing reliable support and low friction rotation conditions for the rudder stock, so that the steering instructions of the servo can be executed accurately and without error.

advantage

Low friction loss: The roller upper rudder bearing changes the friction mode between the rudder stock and the support structure from sliding friction to rolling friction, greatly reducing friction. This not only reduces the power required for the rotation of the rudder stock, improves the efficiency of the servo motor, but also effectively reduces the wear of the rudder stock and upper rudder support components, extending their service life.

Strong bearing capacity: By designing the size, quantity, and arrangement of the rollers reasonably, the rudder bearings on the rollers can withstand large radial forces. This makes it applicable to various types and sizes of ships, including large cargo ships, oil tankers, etc., to meet the support requirements of the rudder stock under different working conditions.

Good stability and accuracy: Due to the relatively stable rolling motion of the rollers and the precise installation position provided by the bearing seat for the rollers, the rudder bearing on the rollers can ensure high stability and accuracy of the rudder stock during rotation. This is crucial for accurately controlling the heading of ships and can effectively reduce errors in ship turning.

Disadvantages and countermeasures

High lubrication requirements: The normal operation of the rudder bearing on the roller depends on good lubrication. If the lubricating oil supply is insufficient, the oil quality deteriorates, or the lubrication system malfunctions, it may lead to increased friction between the rollers and the bearing seat, and even increased wear, roller jamming, and other situations. The response measures include regular inspection and maintenance of the lubrication system, ensuring the quality and supply of lubricating oil, and installing lubricating oil level monitoring devices and fault alarm devices to promptly detect and handle lubrication problems.

Complex structure and high cost: Compared to some simple sliding rudder bearings, roller rudder bearings have a more complex structure, including multiple components such as rollers, bearing seats, lubrication and sealing devices. This makes its manufacturing and installation costs relatively high. However, considering its superior performance and importance for ship navigation safety, from the perspective of long-term operation and overall ship performance, its cost-effectiveness is still relatively reasonable. In the design and procurement process, costs can be reduced through optimization of design and bulk procurement.

Application scenarios

Various types of large ships: In the rudder system of large cargo ships, oil tankers, container ships and other ships, due to the high force borne by the rudder stock, the support and rotation accuracy of the rudder stock are required. Roller mounted rudder bearings are an ideal choice. It can effectively support the rudder stock, ensuring accurate turning operations for ships during long-distance navigation and complex sea conditions.

Ships that require high steering accuracy, such as warships and high-speed passenger ships, need to quickly and accurately change course. The low friction, high stability, and high precision characteristics of the roller rudder support can well meet the requirements of their steering system, ensuring the maneuverability and navigation safety of the ship.