Manufacturing process for filament wound thrust bearing

Abstract

A process for making an individual thrust bearing assembly having an inner race and a filament wound outer race integrally formed on the inner race for rotation relative thereto and to resist axial thrust loads and the bearing made thereby. To perform the process a mandrel is provided. An inner race that includes an outer peripheral surface having a bearing quality finish and one or more annular inner race axial thrust resisting areas is mounted on the mandrel. The formation of the outer race is initiated by applying a hardenable thixotropic resin to the outer peripheral surface of the inner race to fill the annular inner race axial thrust resisting areas and to form outer race axial thrust resisting areas mating with the inner race axial thrust resisting areas. The outer race is completed by applying an overlayment of filament wound fibers on the peripheral surface after application of the thixotropic resin to provide an unhardened elongated cylindrical member having an exterior surface of desired outside dimension with the annular inner race axial thrust resisting areas filled with the thixotropic resin. The cylindrical member is hardened to form a hardened outer race wherein the annular outer race axial thrust resisting areas comprise the hardened thixotropic resin.