Damage Assessment and Judgment of Industrial Bearings
Introduction
Industrial bearings are essential components in modern machinery. From factory production line equipment to industrial machines and even automobile engines, all make use of mechanical bearings to slowly transfer rotational movement. With their use, high-speed rotation can be slowed while the bearing support manages the burden of load and torque. As such, the high-speed rotational energy of the parts is converted into transmitted energy, providing increased durability when compared to friction-based motion solutions. As such, given enough maintenance, industrial bearings often enjoy a longer product life and thus ensuring better cost-efficiency for producers.
However, due to their important role as well as constant usage, industrial bearings may wear out without proper care and maintenance. Delays in bearing replacement can turn into potentially serious problems. As such, early damage assessment and judgment on one’s bearings are crucial to ensuring safety and efficiency.
In this article, we will be looking at the various ways to assess the damage of one’s industrial bearings as well as judging their overall condition. By knowing how to perform bearing damage assessment and judgment, producers can better realize when maintenance is necessary and prevent potential damage before it’s too late.
How to Assess Bearing Damage
To understand how to assess bearing damage one should first understand the nature of their typical failure. Most bearing failures are caused by improper lubrication and lack of maintenance, the introduction of external contaminants or an improper installation and application.
Other failures in bearings may be related to more minor issues such as: Overloading, partially sheared balls, scratches, pecks, rust, dirt or foreign objects in the assembly and as well as foreign material in the lubricant. The following methods can be used to both assess and judge the current state of a bearing.
Visual Assessment
One of the most direct methods of assessing bearing damage is a simple visual assessment. During regular inspection, one can inspect their bearings for signs of usual wear and tear, any signs of rust, or foreign objects inside or outside the bearing. Even if it does not appear that the bearing is damaged, any further inspection should be carried out by a professional to ensure the safety and longevity of their bearings. This can also be done through non-destructive methods such as ultrasound, infrared thermography and acoustic emission testing.
Rotational Load Test
A traditional method used to assess the condition of a bearing is to measure the rotational load of the bearing under a static load in comparison to the expected rating of the bearing. This test is most often performed to evaluate the damage of a bearing that has already been installed. The standard procedure is to slowly apply a load to the bearing and then measure the load the bearing is able to support. It is then compared against a standard value provided by the manufacturer.
Vibration Analysis
A final method used to assess the condition of a bearing is not one typically done in layman’s inspection, but one that is highly recommended to be performed by a professional technician. It is known as vibration analysis, which is an effective tool for diagnosing bearing failure. By use of accelerometers and control systems, their high-frequency vibrations and data can be evaluated for patterns related to normal wear and tear or abnormality.
Conclusion
By understanding the various methods of damage assessments and judgment of bearings, producers can get a better idea of their machines’ well-being and durability in the long-term. The key is to catch any irregularities early on, before they are too late to be fixed. With regular inspections, one can better ensure the longevity of their machines and bearings as well as its cost-efficiency. Thus, proper maintenance and timely replacement of industrial bearings are essential to any modern machinery.
