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Bearings are indispensable core components of mechanical equipment, bear the important role of supporting the rotating body, reduce friction. However, if the bearings lack scientific maintenance, it is very easy to wear, corrosion or overheating lead to equipment failure, and even cause safety accidents. This article will be from the daily maintenance to professional skills, comprehensive analysis of the main points of bearing maintenance, to help you improve equipment reliability and reduce maintenance costs.

• Importance of bearing maintenance

1.Reduce wear and prolong life

Regular maintenance removes contaminants, replenishes lubricants, avoids direct contact with metal surfaces, and reduces the rate of wear.

2.Reduce energy consumption, improve efficiency

Good lubrication can reduce friction resistance, make the equipment run more smoothly, reduce energy waste.

3.Prevent sudden breakdowns

By monitoring vibration, temperature and other indicators, potential problems can be detected in advance, avoiding equipment downtime or scrap.

•  The core steps of bearing maintenance

1. Daily inspection and cleaning

Inspection content:

Appearance: Observe for cracks, corrosion or plastic deformation.

Clearance: rotate the bearing by hand and check whether it is loose or stuck (abnormal resistance may indicate ball/raceway damage).

Sealing: check for broken seals to prevent lubricant leakage or impurity intrusion.

Cleaning method:

Disassemble while hot after stopping the machine (to facilitate removal of adhering oil) and wipe the surface with a non-woven cloth.

Stubborn oil stains can be soaked in paraffin or special cleaning agent, prohibit the use of petrol (easy to destroy the lubrication film).

After cleaning, it should be dried thoroughly to avoid rust and corrosion caused by water residue.

2.Scientific lubrication management

Lubricant selection:

Grease: suitable for low-speed, heavy-duty scenarios (such as motor bearings), need to choose lithium-based, composite calcium-based and other types according to the operating temperature.

Lubricant: suitable for high-speed equipment (such as machine tool spindles), need to match the viscosity level (refer to ISO VG standard).

Lubrication Tips:

Use grease gun or automatic lubrication system, avoid overdose (overdose will lead to seal expansion or temperature rise).

Lubrication period: General industrial bearings should be replenished every 3~6 months, and the harsh environment (high temperature, dusty) should be shortened to 1~2 months.

Note: different brands of lubricants can not be mixed, need to thoroughly clean up the old oil.

3. Environmental and installation controls

Dust and moisture protection:

Install dust cover or labyrinth seal in dusty environments and clean up the dust accumulated around it regularly.

Use rust-proof bearings (e.g. made of stainless steel) or apply rust-proof grease in humid environments.

Standardised mounting:

Adopt hot mounting method (heat the bearing to 80~100℃ and then set it into the shaft centre), and strictly prohibit tapping (easy to damage the cage).

Check the axial preload after installation to ensure that the bearing inner and outer rings are evenly stressed.

4. Operational condition monitoring

Vibration Detection:

Abnormal vibration may indicate raceway spalling or cage deformation. Regular testing with a vibration analyser and spectrum analysis can pinpoint the type of failure.

Temperature monitoring:

Normal operating temperatures are usually below 70°C. If the temperature continues to rise above 15°C, it is necessary to stop the machine for investigation (possibly due to poor lubrication or overload).

Oil analysis:

Regular samples are taken and sent for inspection, and changes in the concentration of metal debris can be detected through iron spectrum analysis to prejudge the wear trend.

• The maintenance strategy in special scenarios

High temperature environment:

Choose high-temperature resistant grease (such as polyurea-based grease), and install a heat shield to reduce heat transfer.

Frequent starting and stopping of equipment:

Shorten the lubrication cycle, give priority to the use of lubricants containing extreme pressure additives to enhance impact resistance.

Corrosive media:

Use ceramic bearings or surface nickel-plated treatment, lubricants with rust inhibitors (such as benzotriazole).

• The common misunderstanding and response measures

Myth 1: The more lubrication, the better

Excessive lubrication will lead to friction heat, accelerate the oxidation of grease. Should follow the ‘small amount of time’ principle.

Misconception 2: only change without repair

Slight wear can be adjusted through the clearance or supplemental lubrication to restore performance, heavy damage (such as raceway pitting) need to be replaced in a timely manner.

Myth 3: Ignore dynamic balance

High-speed bearings need to be periodically corrected dynamic balance, to avoid centrifugal force aggravate wear.

• Maintenance records and professional support

Establishment of files: Records of each maintenance time, replacement parts models, testing data, easy to trace the failure pattern.

Professional collaboration: For precision bearings (such as angular contact ball bearings, spindle bearings), it is recommended to contact the manufacturer or a professional organisation for condition monitoring.

Bearing maintenance is a key part of the whole life cycle management of equipment. Through scientific lubrication, cleaning, monitoring and preventive maintenance, it can not only significantly reduce the failure rate, but also save more than 30% of maintenance costs for enterprises. Remember: the cost of preventive maintenance is always less than the cost of accidental repair. Take action now to make your equipment run at zero downtime!