Paper 13100-272
Paper 13100-272
Innovative solution for upgrading commercial bearings for use in cryogenic instruments
On demand | Presented live 20 June 2024 
Abstract
Infrared instruments for astronomy require many bearings for motion that must move in cryogenic conditions. There are poor and expensive options for this, and the companies with qualified bearings only supply after a long time. To attend these constrains, the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) started to develop a procedure to upgrade commercial bearing to operate to cryogenic conditions.
The initial attempts involved sprinkling molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) inside the bearing without disassembling it after cleaning. However, this method prevented uniform lubrication, leading to potential failures. The IAC mechanical team diligently refined the procedure, which included disassembling the bearings and replacing the cage by a technical polyamide cage.
This innovative approach significantly enhances efficiency; however, it comes at a higher cost due to high price of some technical polyamides such as Vespel. Additional research and testing have demonstrated that the pre-lubrication the bearing races with MoS2 significantly increases bearing life, although it involves a laborious process.
In recent years our focus has been on exploring more cost-effective material and how to improve bearing life.
This presentation discusses these techniques and the selected material for bearing preparation and presents the results of the latest cryogenic temperature life tests conducted on the produced bearings, along with the conclusions reached.
The initial attempts involved sprinkling molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) inside the bearing without disassembling it after cleaning. However, this method prevented uniform lubrication, leading to potential failures. The IAC mechanical team diligently refined the procedure, which included disassembling the bearings and replacing the cage by a technical polyamide cage.
This innovative approach significantly enhances efficiency; however, it comes at a higher cost due to high price of some technical polyamides such as Vespel. Additional research and testing have demonstrated that the pre-lubrication the bearing races with MoS2 significantly increases bearing life, although it involves a laborious process.
In recent years our focus has been on exploring more cost-effective material and how to improve bearing life.
This presentation discusses these techniques and the selected material for bearing preparation and presents the results of the latest cryogenic temperature life tests conducted on the produced bearings, along with the conclusions reached.
Presenter
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (Spain)
My professional journey commenced in 2001 when I joined the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) as a mechanical engineer. In the early years, I played a pivotal role in the design, calculation, and AIV processes of the infrared spectrographs developed at the IAC, including projects such as LIRIS, EMIR, and GRIS. Subsequently, I actively participated in the FP6 design studies for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). This phase involved my contributions to VLT MASSDIMM, VLT SCIDAR, WEB, APE, and the design proposal for the M1 mount. After that I contributed to specific work packages for the European Solar Telescope (EST). Evolving into a senior engineer, I became an integral part of the design team for the GTCAO LGS laser launch telescope and after that I was assuming responsibility for the Pre-Optics subsystem of the HARMONI instrument designed for the ELT. Presently, I hold the esteemed position of heading the Mechanical Engineering department at the IAC.
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