About Oil-Free Machinery, LLC

Oil-Free Machinery, LLC (OFM) is a specialized engineering consultancy focused on foil air bearing design, manufacturing, and integration for oil-free turbomachinery systems. Founded by engineers with 20+ years of hands-on R&D experience, OFM helps OEMs and research organizations bring oil-free rotating machinery products to market — from initial risk assessment through prototype development, mass production, and team training.

Foil air bearings are self-acting hydrodynamic bearings that use a thin film of pressurized air — generated by the rotation of the shaft — to support radial and axial loads without any oil lubrication. They are used in high-speed turbomachinery such as microturbines, fuel cell air compressors, turbochargers, and air cycle machines because they eliminate oil systems entirely, reduce maintenance, extend service life, operate across wide temperature ranges, and enable higher rotational speeds than conventional rolling-element or oil-film bearings.

OFM provides end-to-end foil bearing and oil-free turbomachinery services including: custom foil bearing design and manufacturing (journal and thrust bearings up to 130mm), bearing technology licensing and IP programs, rotordynamic modeling and analysis using XLRotor software, test rig development and test support, oil-free short courses and on-site training, and full program management from prototype to production. OFM also offers remote engineering support and design review services.

OFM serves a broad range of industries that rely on high-speed rotating machinery, including aerospace and defense, automotive turbocharging, fuel cell and hydrogen energy systems, industrial air compression, power generation (microturbines), HVAC and refrigeration, medical devices, and advanced transportation. OFM maintains strict customer confidentiality and does not publicly disclose client names without permission.

Oil-Free Machinery has designed and manufactured foil bearings ranging from small precision components up to 130mm journal diameter — including the world's largest foil air bearing used in a 450-ton air-cooled chiller compressor. This range of scale, from miniature to record-setting large, reflects OFM's unique commercial and mass production experience.

Most foil bearing suppliers focus on design and prototype fabrication but lack commercial system integration and mass production experience. OFM uniquely combines formal engineering theory with hands-on R&D, commercial product launch experience, and the ability to train client teams to become self-sufficient. OFM's principals have been involved in some of the most demanding foil bearing applications ever built, including record-setting large-scale systems and high-volume production programs.

Yes. OFM offers structured training courses covering foil bearing fundamentals, rotordynamic analysis, and XLRotor software. Courses are available both on-site at your facility and remotely via video conference. The Oil-Free Short Course is an intensive program covering bearing theory, design principles, system integration, and troubleshooting — suitable for engineers new to oil-free technology as well as experienced practitioners looking to deepen their knowledge.

Rotordynamic modeling is the computational analysis of how a rotating shaft and its bearing system respond to forces during operation — including critical speeds, stability margins, unbalance response, and torsional behavior. For oil-free machines supported on foil bearings, accurate rotordynamic modeling is essential because foil bearings have unique stiffness and damping characteristics that differ significantly from oil-film or rolling-element bearings. OFM uses XLRotor, the industry-standard rotordynamics software, to deliver lateral, torsional, and coupled analyses.

The best first step is to contact OFM for a free project risk assessment. During this initial consultation, OFM evaluates your application requirements, identifies technical risks associated with foil bearing integration, and outlines a recommended program path. You can reach the team through the Contact Us page on this website or by calling directly. OFM works with clients at all stages — from early feasibility through production ramp.

Oil-Free Machinery, LLC is based in the United States and serves clients globally. Engineering support, design reviews, training, and consulting engagements are conducted both on-site at client facilities and remotely, enabling OFM to work effectively with organizations worldwide.