Carter Manufacturing has many years’ experience in solving bearings problems for the most complex applications and our project record has included a vast array of different industries and applications. Carter is focused on solving customer engineering problems and working to find solutions tailored to individual applications.
In order to turn these revolutionary ideas into motion, Carter has forged strong relationships with specialist bearing manufacturers. Silverthin Precision Thin Section Bearings is one of those partners. Carter Manufacturing Limited is the European Master Distributor for the Silverthin product range and carry a comprehensive stock locally in our UK warehouse.
Mined, refined, forged, machined, heat treated, ground and assembled in the USA. It can be difficult to find products made by 100% American-owned companies. Silverthin thin section bearings stand alone among competitors in this regard.
Silverthin is a small manufacturer located in Preston, WA, USA about 30 minutes east of Seattle. This picturesque location serves as the hub of Silverthin’s manufacturing and sales operation. Management, purchasing, planning, quality, and operations are located in Preston, with some manufacturing processes and sales management located in California and Illinois.
Silverthins’ manufacturing capability provides strength and flexibility without sacrificing reliability. From raw material to a completed solution in your application, the Silverthin manufacturing team prides itself in delivering the right product and service every time.
Quality Made-in-the-USA raw material at the source of Silverthin’s supply chain is the beginning of the product’s strength. Rings and tube stock from the Midwest, balls from the Northeast and retainers from the Southeast, Silverthin stands out now more than ever as a domestically owned, domestically sourced, “Made in the USA” solution provider.
Reliability and flexibility are built into Silverthin’s thin section bearings from the very start. Blanking, hard turn, grinding and heat treat all take place at facilities in California and Washington. In many cases, a forging or semi-finished ring can be used to make various types of bearings to meet customers applications. Silverthin’s inventory of components stocked in Preston, WA allows it to deliver custom solutions in a fraction of the lead time of its competitors.
The assembly process starts with pairing of an inner and outer ring. A retainer is selected and balls are matched to a set of rings depending on the bearing’s intended radial play. Depending on requirements, additional inspection or testing may be performed by Silverthin’s quality team. All parts are hand-assembled so small runs, quick turn-around, and flexibility are the primary commonalities of Silverthin’s products and services.
An ISO class 6 clean room at the Silverthin headquarters provides washed, lubricated, and packaged product. Open bearings are shipped with a preserve oil to protect from corrosion. Sealed bearings are lubricated with a Mil spec general purpose grease. Lubrication options are available to customers with special requirements. Be sure to tell us if you have any needs for alternate lubricants.
Laser etching and marking include Silverthin branding, bearing part number and factory works order number ensuring that all Silverthin precision thin section bearings remain fully traceable. Silverthin’s assembled and packaged thin section bearing solutions are shipped to Carter Manufacturing for distribution to our Customers and Partners.
Sometimes applications demand special bearings in order to cope with the environment like ultra high vacuum. Silverthin are able to offer bearings in a wide variety of materials, coatings and lubrication combinations including ceramic materials to suit each application. Contact Carter engineering department to find out how we can help you revolutionise your ideas into motion.
Perfect for a range of applications, thin section bearings are often sought by those in the aerospace industry and for textile machinery and food processing equipment. Other thin section bearing applications include medical equipment, rotary polishing equipment, X-ray – MRI, semi-conductor equipment, rotary actuators, rotary work holding tables, indexing tables, machine tools and lathe accessories, radar equipment, robotics, radar drives, food processing equipment, bottling equipment, optical equipment, camera lenses, textile and knitting machinery, wire handling, winding and bonding equipment, gear boxes, rotary unions and rotary joints and clutch backstops to name just a few.
Give Carter Manufacturing a call on +44 (0) 1865 821 720 or Contact Us to discuss your requirements.