Bearing Life
Bearings are essential components in most machinery and are used to reduce friction and support mechanical loads. From bridges and buildings to cars and airplanes, bearings are everywhere. Having a thorough understanding of the bearing life and the effects of the environment is essential in order to extend the service life of the machinery.
Bearing life is determined by the number of revolutions it takes for a bearing to fail due to fatigue from loads and rotations. Factors that can affect this are bearing design, pre-load, material, operating conditions, and environment.
Bearing design is the most important factor that affects bearing life. Design can either enhance or reduce the load capacity by a large amount, depending on the engineering used. The pre-load of a bearing also plays an important role, as pre-loading the bearing reduces clearance, minimizing amplitude of vibration and increasing the rated life. Material choice is also important, as different materials have different load thresholds and frictional properties. The operating conditions of the bearing also plays an important role in its life. The speed, wear, misalignment, contamination and lubrication can all have various effects on the bearing.
Dust, humidity, temperature, and vibration all play an important role in the bearing’s life. This is due to the fact that each of these environmental factors can cause contamination, corrosion, wear, and potentially failure. Dust and other contaminants can act as abrasives, causing wear and affecting lubrication. High humidity can cause rust on bearings as well as affect lubrication, potentially leading to failure. Temperature can increase the bearing temperature, resulting in increased wear and reduced life. Vibration over a long period of time can cause wear to bearings, resulting in the loss of the load capacity and eventually failure.
In order to increase bearing life, preventive maintenance is key. Actions like inspecting bearings, ensuring they are properly lubricated and keeping them away from dust and other contaminants are essential.
In conclusion, bearing life is determined by several factors including the bearing design, pre-load, material choice, operating conditions, and environment. Dust, humidity, temperature, and vibration all play a role in the bearing’s life, with contamination, corrosion and wear being the primary effects. To ensure bearings last for their intended life, preventive maintenance is paramount.
