DF Sales&Marketing
Oil Tech Moderator
how to kill a bearing
I continue to be amazed at the shameful way many abuse—”make that kill”-their bearings. Designed and lubricated in accordance with their actual operating conditions, the bearings often outlive their parent machine’s usefulness. Unfortunately, there’s no thrill in this scenario. So, to bring in some excitement, we overload our equipment, speed it up, run it 24/7 and forego proper maintenance. If, however, you really want to kill a bearing outright, the following modi operandi are quite effective.
Tactic #1. Death by design: because virtually all bearings must be lubricated, some savvy designers specify centralized automatic lubrication systems, knowing they will lubricate bearings better, reduce energy and triple bearing life. Knowing this, we can kill a bearing three times faster (and look like cost cutting heroes) by encouraging to opt out of centralized lube systems in favor of grease nipples.
If machines are already in service, we can promote our purchasing departments as cost cutting heroes by letting them ignore like-for-like replacement policies and specify inferior-quality bearings [and greases which are lower in “price”] Which is really a “false economy.”
tactic #2. Death by kindness: virtually all bearing designs rely on lubricants to stay alive. Paradoxically, the grease gun, designed in 1916 to save bearing lives, has been used to kill them ever since. We can take advantage of this “lethal weapon” knowing that by design, a bearing only requires 30% to 50% of its cavity to be filled with grease to provide an optimal lubrication state.
Because most grease gun operators mistakenly believe they must witness grease discharge from the bearing during greasing, once again we can be assured of the bearing’s early demise. After all, if a little grease is good, a lot of grease is much better—right? To reinforce this concept, let’s see to it that our grease gun operators remain untrained on proper procedures.
Tactic #3. Death by neglect: conversely, in the bearing-killing business, a bearing with little or no working lubricant is a highly desirable state. Adopting a neglectful strategy by allowing lubrication pms to be missed or incomplete is a very effective way to put an end to a bearing.
Tactic #4. Death by contamination: because bearings are neither dirt–nor water-tolerant, adopting a number of contamination tactics can effectively (and rapidly) reduce their lives. It’s easy.
Never clean your grease gun tip or grease nipple before and after use; never clean and/or change oil filters; never reinstall the fill cap after filling a reservoir; always use shared (non-dedicated) open containers, funnels, hoses, etc. When it comes to storing, transporting and transferring lubricants—and never clean them after use; always point a water hose directly at a bearing or reservoir. Don’t encourage personnel to do otherwise, either.
Tactic #5. Death by ignorance: because many oils and grease are incompatible with each other—especially synthetics—staying ignorant about their compatibility is a must if you want to dispatch bearings in short order. Adopting a policy of silence regarding lubricant compatibility and (as noted in tactic #4 above) improper handling techniques will serve you well in your bearing-killing efforts.
Granted, these five tactics have been offered tongue-in-cheek. Remember that knowing how to kill bearings can help you prevent their early deaths. With more than 70% of equipment failures somehow attributable to ineffectual lubrication, isn’t it time to implement a best practices lubrication management program?
proper bearing cleaning and maintenance [ for real ]
Proper bearing cleaning can mean the difference between good performance and bearing failure, according to skf. If cleaning is done improperly, the bearing, shaft or housing May become damaged, creating a more costly repair. While it is important to handle any bearing with extreme care, skf recommends following the procedures when cleaning bearings:step 1: to begin the cleaning process, soak the bearings in a metal basket suspended in a clean container or tank holding a recommended solvent. Soak the bearings overnight if possible. Do not rest the bearings directly on the bottom of container as they May not clean as efficiently due to sediment on the bottom.
Step 2: after dirt and grease are removed, rinse the bearings in another clean bucket of solvent. They should then be thoroughly dried. The safest method is natural air drying, but compressed air, which is free from condensed moisture, May be used to blow out the bearings, but only after all dirt and chips have been removed. If you use compressed air, do not allow bearings to spin and always wear safety glasses to protect your eyes.
Step 3: after cleaning, inspect the bearing for nicks, leftover dirt and damage. Bearings which are considered “good” May be used again, however, if re-assembly cannot be done immediately, they should be protected.
Step 4: dip the clean bearings in a protective lubricant or coat all surfaces with a light grease coating. Rotate each bearing to work the grease thoroughly in and around the roller and on the races. Wrap the bearings in waterproof paper and place each in a clean box or carton. If cartons are not available, just wrap them in waterproof paper. Mark the outside of each package to identify the bearing enclosed.