Fluoroglide® PTFE Skidways
We offer a range of skidway plates to suit all customer requirements.
At Fluorocarbon we have acquired a worldwide reputation for the design and manufacture of bonded PTFE/metallic Fluoroglide® skidway plates based on the proven PTFE slide-bearing technology.
Fluoroglide® skidway plates are used in many construction yards throughout the world to assist in skidding oil jackets, modules and heavy structures.
Jackets and Decks with weights up to 30,000 tonnes have been successfully loaded out on Fluoroglide® skidway plates.
Product Advantages
- PTFE has the lowest coefficient of friction of any known solid 'engineering material' including lubricated metal
- There is no stick-slip action.
- Fluoroglide® Slide Bearings have near infinite life since chemicals and weather have no effect on PTFE - moisture absorption is less than 0.01% even under icing conditions or immersion, and the material is chemically inert
- No maintenance is required. Fluorinoid® PTFE will never cold weld to itself and therefore requires no lubrication
- Fluoroglide® Slide Bearings are easily installed, either pre-assembled or on-site
- Fluoroglide® Slide Bearings are less bulky than alternative assemblies
- There is no possibility of fatigue failure
- Electrical and thermal insulation minimises galvanic corrosion and heat transfer
- Vibrations are dampened
- Small particles which may become embedded do not cause binding of the surfaces
- Fluoroglide® Slide Bearings can accommodate some misalignment in construction without setting up stress corrosion along a leading edge, as can occur in conventional bearings
TS 2530-STD Skidway Plate
Typical Assembly:
- 2.5mm PTFE pad bonded to 3mm Carbon Steel with 25mm welding lip
Typical size:
- Carbon Steel 500x2000
- PTFE 450x1950
Method of installation:
- Tack welding to skid beam
JS 2530-SP Dimpled Skidway Plate
Typical Assembly:
- 2.5mm Dimpled PTFE pad bonded to 3mm Carbon Steel with 25mm welding lip
Typical size:
- Carbon Steel 500x2000
- PTFE 450x1950
Method of installation:
- Tack welding to skid beam
FLUOROGLIDE® FL914 TIMBER SKID SHOES
Our range of Fluoroglide® timber skid shoes are manufactured from Green Heart timber sourced from British Guyana. The timber is graded to HS grade as defined on BS5756:2007 by suitably qualified graders with no wane permitted.
Typical properties for Fluoroglide® FL914 Green Heart timber:
- Tension parallel to grain- 13.8 N/mm2
- Compression parallel to grain-23.0 N/mm2
- Perpendicular to grain when fully supported- Min 10.6N/mm2
Average density- 1080
FLUOROSLIP® LUBRICATION SYSTEM
Fluorocarbon have a range of proven lubricating systems available:
- FL414 Specially formulated liquid silicone system. Is used for the reduction of friction during load out of heavy structures. This lubrication system is stable with no changes to viscosity by environmental temperature fluctuations during the long construction period.
- FL614 PTFE membrane system, positioned between the Fluoroglide® skidway plates and timber skid shoe. The advantages are the prevention of the FL414 being absorbed by the Green Heart Timbers, the membrane is forced into the grain structure of the Green Heart Timbers which results in PTFE sliding against the lubricated (FL414) Skidway Plates.
- FL916 Wax spread onto the skidding surface of the timber skid shoe. The wax solidifies in the timber surface structure preventing the absorption of the FL414 during the construction period.
ON-SITE CONSULTANCY
To guarantee a successful load-out with a low coefficient of friction it is essential to have a series of quality control checks in place at each stage of manufacture:
- Fluorinoid special grades of Virgin and Filled (reinforced) PTFE
- Choice of protective corrosion-resistant coating on exposed metallic surfaces
- Daily pre-treatment of the metallic backing plate ready for controlled bonding
- Choice of Epoxy bonding systems to suit the environment, temperature etc
- Choice of protective corrosion-resistant metals and coatings
The following steps will provide an indication of the slide-bearing requirements for a particular application:
- Determine the total load of the structure - this will indicate the total slide-bearing area required at a suitable bearing pressure and temperature.
- Decide the number and positions of the slide bearings according to the rigidity and function of the structure.
- Take account of operating environment and specify grades of steel for backing plates.
- Consider any unusual conditions affecting the slide bearings, such as the need for additional thermal insulation, vibration pads and deflection of the slide bearing surface.
- Decide the most appropriate method of mounting the slide bearings.
- Select the types of slide bearings required from the recommended design chart and specify their dimensions.
Successful Loadout of an offshore, ice-resistant, stationary platform onto a barge