How to Prolong the Service Life of Bearings
How to Prolong the Service Life of Bearings
In the operation of machinery, the significance of bearings is beyond doubt. Maintenance, meanwhile, is crucial for ensuring that bearings can operate efficiently over an extended period. To prolong the service life of bearings, it is necessary to comprehensively optimize multiple aspects, including design and selection, installation, lubrication, maintenance, and the operating environment. I’ve got a set of tried-and-true slew bearing maintenance methods, and I’m eager to share them with you.
Correct Selection and Design
Match Loads and Speeds
– Select the type of bearing (such as deep groove ball bearings, tapered roller bearings, etc.) according to the actual load type (radial/axial/combined load) and magnitude.
– For high – speed applications, give priority to rolling bearings with low friction (such as angular contact ball bearings) or ceramic bearings.
Consider the Operating Conditions
– In high – temperature and corrosive environments: Select stainless – steel bearings or ceramic bearings.
– In dusty and humid environments: Choose bearings with seals (such as deep groove ball bearings with rubber seals).
Reserve a Life Margin
– Calculate the dynamic load factor (referring to the ISO 281 standard) to ensure that the theoretical life far exceeds the actual requirements.
Standardized Installation and Dismantling
Avoid Mechanical Damage
– Use special tools (such as hydraulic presses) for installation, and direct hammering of bearings is prohibited.
– Ensure that the tolerance fit between the shaft and the bearing housing meets the standards. An overly tight fit can cause deformation, while an overly loose fit can lead to slippage.
Alignment and Balancing
– Check the coaxiality of the shaft and the bearing housing to avoid uneven loading (calibrate using a laser alignment instrument).
– High – speed rotating shafts need to be dynamically balanced to reduce additional loads caused by vibration.
Clean the Installation Environment
– Clean the shaft, bearing housing, and tools before installation to prevent foreign objects (such as metal shavings, dust) from entering the bearing.
Scientific Lubrication Management
Select the Appropriate Lubricant
– Grease Lubrication: It is highly versatile and suitable for medium – to – low – speed applications (such as lithium – based grease, complex calcium sulfonate grease).
– Lubricating Oil: It is suitable for high – temperature, high – speed, or heavy – load scenarios (such as mineral oils or synthetic oils with ISO VG 32 – 100).
– For special environments: Use food – grade lubricating grease (certified by NSF H1) or high – temperature lubricating grease (such as polyurea – based grease).
Control the Lubrication Quantity
– The grease filling amount should be 30% – 50% of the internal space of the bearing. Excessive filling can cause overheating.
– Regularly replenish the lubricating grease (according to the operating hours or the recommendations in the equipment manual, for example, replenish the grease every 2000 operating hours).
Avoid Contamination
– Use clean lubricants, and the lubrication tools (such as grease guns) should be dedicated to prevent the mixing of impurities.
– Thoroughly remove the old grease when replacing the lubricant.
Daily Maintenance and Monitoring
Regular Inspections
– Vibration Detection: Use a vibration analyzer to monitor abnormal vibrations (to detect spalling and wear at an early stage).
– Temperature Monitoring: If the bearing temperature rises by more than 30°C above the ambient temperature, stop the machine for inspection.
– Noise Analysis: Abnormal metal friction noises may indicate poor lubrication or internal damage.
Seal Protection
– Check whether the seals are aged or damaged and replace them in a timely manner (for example, double – lip seals are better than single – lip seals).
– In a dusty environment, additional protective covers or labyrinth seals can be installed.
Preventive Replacement
– Develop a replacement plan based on historical operation data to avoid sudden failures.
Optimize Operating Conditions
Avoid Overloading
– It is prohibited to exceed the rated dynamic load of the bearing (refer to the bearing model manual).
– For applications with impact loads, select needle roller bearings or self – aligning roller bearings that can withstand impacts.
Control the Rotational Speed
– Avoid exceeding the maximum rotational speed of the bearing (for high – speed applications, light – series or ceramic bearings can be selected).
Environmental Control
– In high – temperature environments: Strengthen heat dissipation (such as air cooling, oil cooling) or select high – temperature – resistant materials (such as silicon nitride ceramics).
– In humid environments: Use bearings with anti – rust coatings or regularly apply anti – rust oil.
Common Misconceptions and Corrections
– Misconception 1: The more lubrication, the better.
→ Correction: Excessive lubrication can cause the grease to agitate and generate heat, accelerating its aging.
– Misconception 2: Tapping the outer ring with a hammer during installation.
→ Correction: Tapping the outer ring may cause the raceway to deform. Instead, apply pressure evenly to the inner ring.
– Misconception 3: Ignoring slight abnormal noises.
→ Correction: Abnormal noises are early signs of malfunctions and need to be investigated immediately.
If you adopt this set of maintenance methods of mine, the lifespan of the bearings can be significantly extended. It’s no problem to extend it from the original 1 year to 3 – 5 years. This can not only reduce the cost of frequent bearing replacements, including the cost of purchasing new bearings and the labor cost for replacement, but also minimize the losses caused by equipment downtime due to failures. It can improve production efficiency and make your equipment operate more stably and reliably.
I hope you can consider giving my methods a try. If you have any questions during the actual operation process, feel free to contact me at any time. I’m more than happy to help!