A wind turbine gearbox, in particular planetary gearbox, has at least one gear which is mounted on an axle, wherein a sliding surface is arranged between the gear and the axle. The sliding surface is arranged on at least one layer of a deposition welded material made from a sliding bearing material. Furthermore, a method produces the wind turbine gearbox.

A Plain bearing having an outer ring and an inner ring, the outer ring and the inner ring providing respectively an inner surface and an outer surface intended to cooperate with each other for the relative movement of the outer and inner rings, the inner surface of the outer ring and the outer surface of the inner ring each including a coating including at least one layer. The hardness of the coating on the inner surface of the outer ring is less than the hardness of the outer ring, and the hardness of the coating on the outer surface of the inner ring is greater than the hardness of the inner ring.

A sliding member includes an overlay layer made of a resin on a side of a sliding surface of a bearing alloy layer. When a valley void volume Vvv (μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2) in the sliding surface of the overlay layer is defined as Vv1, Vv1 is in a range of 0.015≤Vv1≤0.200.

A bearing component such as a bearing ring includes a metallic base body and at least one alloy steel coating on the base body, the coating being applied to the base body by deposition welding. The base body is preferably non-alloy steel or cast iron, and the alloy includes at least one carbide-forming transition metal such as niobium, tantalum, zirconium, titanium, hafnium, tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, or manganese. The coating can form a raceway of the bearing component or a structural element such as a flange. Also a method of forming such a bearing component is provided.

A hydrodynamic bearing in the form of a flex pad bearing includes configurations structured to change a bearing characteristic. One form of the bearing includes a nonlinear back wall that includes a circular arc and a transition, where the back wall extends radially outward of a ligament. The bearing can include an opening for the deposit of a weighted mass, wherein the opening can threadingly receive a threaded weighted mass. In one form a sidewall that includes the back wall segment can have an average outer radius which determines a thickness of the flex pads.

A wind turbine gearbox, in particular planetary gearbox, has at least one gear which is mounted on an axle, wherein a sliding surface is arranged between the gear and the axle. The sliding surface is arranged on at least one layer of a deposition welded material made from a sliding bearing material. Furthermore, a method produces the wind turbine gearbox.

Methods for manufacturing bearings and wear resistant surfaces usable in various downhole tools are described herein. A housing is provided. A laser configured for insertion into the housing, such as an inner diameter laser, is used to connect a fusible material to the inner surface of the housing or an insert disposed therein to form a hard facing layer on the inner surface. Simultaneously or independently, the laser can be used to connect the fusible material to the outer surface of a mandrel within the housing to form a second hard facing layer. The present methods thereby produce durable radial bearings having extended operational life, which can be produced within a bearing housing, or externally for transport and installation in existing bearing housings.

A hydrodynamic bearing in the form of a flex pad bearing includes configurations structured to change a bearing characteristic. One form of the bearing includes a nonlinear back wall that includes a circular arc and a transition, where the back wall extends radially outward of a ligament. The bearing can include an opening for the deposit of a weighted mass, wherein the opening can threadingly receive a threaded weighted mass. In one form a sidewall that includes the back wall segment can have an average outer radius which determines a thickness of the flex pads.

A sliding member includes an overlay layer made of a resin on a side of a sliding surface of a bearing alloy layer. When a valley void volume Vvv (μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2) in the sliding surface of the overlay layer is defined as Vv1, Vv1 is in a range of 0.015≤Vv1≤0.200.

A hydrodynamic bearing in the form of a flex pad bearing includes configurations structured to change a bearing characteristic. One form of the bearing includes a nonlinear back wall that includes a circular arc and a transition, where the back wall extends radially outward of a ligament. The bearing can include an opening for the deposit of a weighted mass, wherein the opening can threadingly receive a threaded weighted mass. In one form a sidewall that includes the back wall segment can have an average outer radius which determines a thickness of the flex pads.