Introduction to Bearings

Effective iubrication significantly extends the service life of bearings

Grease is indispensable for the operation of rolling bearings, and the maintenance of any bearing relies on it. Some may ask: does more grease mean better? The answer is, of course, no. Below are some points to note regarding the use of grease in bearings.

When maintaining rolling bearings, excessive grease can actually cause significant harm. This is because grease possesses excellent adhesion, wear resistance, temperature resistance, rust prevention and lubricity, it can enhance high-temperature oxidation resistance, delay ageing, dissolve carbon deposits, prevent the agglomeration of metal swarf and oil contamination, and improve the machine's wear resistance, pressure resistance and corrosion resistance.

1. Bearing Installation The correct installation of rolling bearings affects their precision, service life and performance. Therefore, the design and assembly departments must thoroughly study bearing installation procedures. Installation should be carried out in accordance with operational standards.

The items covered by operational standards are typically as follows:

(1) Cleaning the bearings and associated components

(2) Checking the dimensions and machining quality of associated components

(3) Installation

(4) Inspection following bearing installation

(5) Application of lubricant

2. Monitoring of Basic Operating Conditions During operation, the basic external operating conditions of rolling bearings must be monitored regularly, such as temperature, vibration and noise measurements. These routine checks will enable the early detection of potential issues and prevent unexpected machine downtime, thereby ensuring production schedules are met and enhancing factory productivity and efficiency.

3. Relubrication of Bearings During operation, rolling bearings require proper relubrication to optimise their performance. Bearing lubrication methods are categorised into grease lubrication and oil lubrication. To ensure bearings function effectively, the lubrication method must first beselected based on the operating conditions and intended application. In terms of lubrication performance alone, oil lubrication offers superior lubricity. However, grease lubrication has the advantage of simplifying the structure surrounding the bearing.

4. Bearing Removal When a rolling bearing is nearing the end of its service life, it should be replaced.

Although the bearing can no longer be used, correctly removing the old bearing and promptly installing a new one plays a significant role in extending the service life of the new bearing.