Bearing Lubrication: Challeges Faced and Steps For Lubrication
Share
Bearings are rotating and rolling elements used in machines. Bearing Lubricants are important as Lubrication forms the vital parameter in bearings and it affects the life of the bearing. Let us see what are the preventive measures for the healthy life of bearings.
Frequently Asked Questions- Bearing Lubrication
Some of the most common methods of lubrication to bearings are as follows: 1.Drip oil feed lubrication 2.Splash oil feed lubrication 3.Force oil feed lubrication 4.Grease lubrication
The important role of bearing lubricant is to keep moving parts separated which are relative to one another, i.e; Balls, Rollers & Raceways in order to minimize the friction and prevent wear.
Overheating in Bearings often is the result of overfilling the bearing or too frequent greasing intervals. Seals usually get damaged due to overfilling. Sometimes bearings also get overheated due lack of grease supply. To overcome all these issues Add a small amount of grease and monitor the temperature change. Also, try to Decrease greasing frequency.If the grease starvation is occurring try to know the reasons and also try softer grease.
Lithium based grease is very god as a wheel bearing grease at it has high tolerance of extreme temperatures and good water resistance.
An average sealed wheel bearing lasts up to 85,000 to 100,000 miles some can also last up to 150,000. though on must keep on checking and maintain wheel bearing every 25,000 to 30,000 miles.
A standard wheel bearing with appropriate lubrication practice is said to last for about 75,000 to 1,50,000 miles.
The actual lubricant for the rolling bearing is oil, which can be mineral oil or synthetic oil. Different types of additives are added to the oil to influence the required properties and build layers that protect the metal surface.
Each end of the pulley is supported by bearings on the shaft, which require lubrication. Lubrication of pulley bearing is just simple bearing lubrication, pulleys rotate smoothly with negligible vibration and rotation is slow.
No, Fully ceramic bearings can run completely dry, they do not need lubrication as they are non-porous and frictionless.
Bearings are vital elements in many types of machinery as they help in reducing friction and allowing the moving parts to move smoothly. The bearings consist of the following parts:
Lubrication is the heart of bearing and bearing lubricants improves the life of the bearing by reducing friction, wear, and promotes a healthy life to the equipment and rotating parts.
The most important equipment of any industry is bearings, For example, Every industry has electric motors which can make machines inoperative when the rolling elements (bearings) fail. This occurs due to challenges arising from improper lubrication and the use of incompatible bearing lubricants.
Bearing Lubricants: Challenges For Bearing Lubrication
Loss of Bearing Lubricant:
Re-greasing interval plays an important role in the loss of lubrication. The bearing should be lubricated with appropriate bearing lubricants at specific intervals with the exact amount of bearing grease.
If the oil is separated from the thickener by overheating, there would a loss of lubricant or loss of lubrication which can lead to equipment failure.
Incompatibility with grease:
All greases available are not always compatible with each other. There is a need that we should stay with the same grease or always check the compatibility of grease before a replacement and we should substitute with compatible bearing grease to prevent bearing failure.
Incorrect grease:
While selecting a grease for bearing we should always check the parameters since some bearings are designs for general purpose grease and few are for extreme pressure grease. The requirement changes with the design of bearing and application. One should smartly choose grease for the bearings.
Degradation of grease:
Common types of grease degradation are hardening of grease, breakdown of grease caused by excessive heat, separation of oil form grease.
Excess lubrication:
It is a challenge mainly faced with open face bearings when surplus grease can cause an excessive temperature increase in the bearings due to churning and also it can be pushed back into the windings of the motor which may lead to overheating and deterioration of the electrical insulation on the winding.
As we studied, re-greasing is a major factor for bearing failure. Further, we will see tips for better lubrication and re-greasing of bearing which will lead to healthy bearing resulting in healthy equipment and type of machineryy.
Also read- Top 5 Myths about Bearing Lubrication
Let Us Understand The Proper Procedures And Steps For Correct Re-Greasing
- A bearing should be re-greased when the machine is operational and hot or when the machine is stopped and the grease is still hot since during the working condition, the grease will be less viscous.
- Make sure that the grease gun has the right grease for bearing which is to be re- greased otherwise it can lead to incompatibility issues.
- We should be careful to clean the surrounding areas and drain fittings to ensure contaminants are not introduced in the bearing cavity.
- Always drain fitting to avoid over greasing, so that excess grease can escape from bearing.
- Remove drain plug for a time period of the re-greasing process
- While the motor is in operational condition, add recommend qty of grease or add grease slowly till the time it begins to move into relief tube
- After the excessive grease has come out, reinstall the drain plug and clean the drain area
Upon installation of the motor, observe noise and vibration to establish a baseline. At frequent and regular intervals check these measurements. If any significant change is observed, it should result in an inspection of bearing lubrication. The temperature plays an important role and it should be checked and monitored over time. An increase in trend could symbolize the need to replace bearings, bearings are over greased or renew grease. Finally, make note if there is any high- frequency noise or vibration level as it may be a sign of trouble in bearing lubrication.
As we try to understand the challenges face in bearing lubrication and steps and procedures of bearing lubrication, we are left with the proper selection of bearing lubricants. You can rely on MOSIL for the same. With an expert and qualified team, we will help you to understand the need for lubricant of your bearing based on the application. MOSIL has a wide range of grease with combinations of mineral and synthetic base oils with varied thickeners and additives to fulfill all your requirements.
