Tips For Proper Bearing Maintenance

Bearings are used in many different things. If not taken care of, the device will not work as well as it could, and if it goes too long without being checked, it could cause damage. 

Because of this, we have put together tips and tricks for maintaining roller bearings to ensure they last longer, have less downtime and increase productivity. These will save your business money in person-hours and repair costs. 

Tips to take care of your roller bearings

1. Proper Handling and Storage

They should be handled and stored properly to keep moisture, dust, or dirt from entering the bearings. First, bearings should be kept horizontally in their original packaging in a clean, dry area at room temperature. 

When bearings are handled without reason, like when their wrappings are taken off too soon, corrosion or other problems can happen. Bearings are small, fragile parts that need to be handled with care. So, parts that have been dropped shouldn't be used since that could cause them to break down too soon. 

2. Regular Inspection of the Shaft and Housing

Regular inspections of the shaft and housing ensure that the bearing is good enough to work. Wipe the surfaces clean with a soft cloth and make sure to get rid of any nicks or sharp edges.

3. Proper Mounting

You should mount your bearings correctly, depending on the bearing and how it fits. Depending on the type of load, the speed, and the amount of vibration, radial ball bearing rings can be mounted in several ways, from a loose slide fit to a tight press fit. 

The rolling elements could be damaged if you put pressure on the wrong ring when putting something together. You should also avoid fits that are too tight or loose, a bad finish on the bearing seats, and shafts or housings that are not round.

4. Choose Your Replacement Carefully

When a bearing has reached the end of its useful life, you should replace it with one of the same quality or better quality than the original. A low-quality alternative is more likely to break and could cause more expensive equipment to break down in the long run.

5. Corrosion Prevention

When water or humidity sits on ball bearings for a long time, rust and corrosion can happen. When this happens, the bearings will wear out faster than they should, which will hurt your performance and productivity. Then, that will make your operating costs go up. When working with bearings, you should always wear gloves.

6. Call in the experts

Lastly, if you are not sure, ask an expert. A ball bearings specialist can tell you the best way to take care of your bearings and help you figure out the problem if there is one. It can be as easy as sending the problematic bearings to a professional who will look at them and lubricate them if necessary.

Conclusion

Proper roller bearing maintenance is necessary if you want your equipment and machinery to work as well as possible. Using these tips and tricks of Bearing Centre, your bearings will last longer and perform better, saving you money on operating costs, downtime, and repairs.