How to Extend Bearing Service Life?
Bearings are fixed parts required for mechanical operation, which can keep the shaft at the center and guide the gearing of other parts.
Bearings have a limited service life, and improper use or other factors will accelerate bearing damage, so regular replacement and maintenance are indispensable. If you don’t want to worry about this anymore, you can use the following 7 ways to effectively reduce the risk of damage to mechanical equipment and prolong bearing life.
- Proper Lubrication
Regular replenishment or replacement of correct, high-quality lubricants, keeping the bearings lubricated is primary, and the oil film surface can minimize the wear of the parts when they are in contact. For equipment operating at high speed, the lubricant can also take away the heat generated by the internal friction of the bearing to achieve the effect of heat dissipation and cooling. The lubricant can use oil or grease, try to choose the lubricant recommended by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
Of course, the lubricant also has a fixed lifespan. When the lubricant loses a certain viscosity and lubricity, it will cause churning, or the bearing will stop suddenly and cause system shutdown. Therefore, it is also necessary to pay attention to the replenishment of lubricant.
- Mount the Bearings Correctly
Since the correctness of the bearing installation directly affects the life and mechanical precision, so the correct method and special tools should be used in the process of mounting and dismounting the bearing.
After installation, it is also necessary to check the installation position, whether the radial clearance of the bearing is just right to rotate flexibly without vibration, whether the lubricant can flow into the bearing smoothly, and confirm whether there is light leakage around the bearing and the shoulder. If there is no light leakage, it means the installation is correct; if there is light leakage around the shoulder, it means that the installation is incorrect, and the bearing needs to be adjusted to make the two close.
- Prevent Pollution
Clean bearings: Bearings are precision components and should be stored horizontally in a clean, dry environment to avoid exposure to any air pollutants. Even the slightest contamination can impair performance, so keep the packaging intact and airtight until ready to use.
Clean lubricant: In addition, under long-term use, the lubricant will also contain pollutants. In order to prevent the bearing from being worn by particles, the only way to keep it clean is to replace it with new lubricant. - Appropriate Seal Type
The bearing needs to have good sealing performance. If the sealing is not good, dust particles, liquid and other pollutants will enter the bearing, resulting in wear of parts, and due to the leakage of lubricant, it will seriously cause product and environmental pollution. Choose a suitable seal type can help preventing these problems.
Whether it is temperature or lubricant, there are many factors that affect the sealing type of the bearing, mainly divided into contact seals, non-contact seals, and labyrinth seals.
- Contact seals: Also known as the lip seal, pressure is exerted on the inner ring of the bearing so that the seal and the bearing come into contact. Since it is in the form of direct contact, there is no gap between the seal and the rotating shaft, and it is easy to generate heat due to friction during rotation, so it is only suitable for medium and low speed operating environments.
- Non-contact seals: The seal is fixed on the outer ring and will not exert pressure on the bearing of the inner ring. There is no contact between the seal and the bearing parts. There is a gap between the seal and the rotating shaft, so there is no friction and wear problem under normal operating conditions, and it can also prevent overheating.
- Labyrinth seals: A more complex labyrinth seal is a bearing isolator that combines contacting and non-contacting sealing elements in one assembly. A labyrinth seal consists of a stationary and rotating part that interlocks the two, and its structure creates small tortuous gaps that make it difficult for substances to escape or penetrate the bearing. Labyrinth seals combine the advantages of contact and non-contact seals, providing the sealing capabilities of contact seals without the frictional overheating problems like non-contact seals.
However, you get what you pay for, and the price of labyrinth seals with high complexity is of course higher than other seals. Therefore, the most suitable seal type must be evaluated according to the equipment and operating environment.
- Adjust Load and Bearing Size
If the bearings do not match the load requirements, wear problems will still occur during high-speed operation, which can be solved by changing the total load of the system or using suitable bearings.
- Prevents Rust and Corrosion
Exposure to water for a long time will cause rust and corrosion, and may even fall off during operation, and affect the performance of the mechanical system, so special attention should be paid to dry storage, and gloves must be worn when handling to avoid contact with sweaty hands.
- Inspection and Maintenance
Finally, be sure to take regular maintenance and inspections, such as checking the degree of wear, cleaning the bearings with cleaning oil (gasoline, kerosene), etc., so as to ensure the best performance of the bearings and prevent any abnormal conditions of parts or equipment. This is one of the most basic ways to extend bearing life.
Pump Maintenance Points: Pump Maintenance Guide
However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and here comes an easier and more cost-effective way to solve the above bearing problems!
PTCXPUMP Sealless Magnetic Drive Pump that Can Be Safely Applied
In the use of the pump, in order to reduce the frequency of replacing parts as much as possible, it is recommended to use the PTCXPUMP sealless magnetic drive pump. Compared with the traditional mechanical seal pump, the sealless design can effectively avoid leakage, and there will be no fluid leakage or work safety problems. This aspect is also helpful for improving efficiency.
The bearing part is made of SiC (silicon carbide) material, which has excellent corrosion resistance and high wear resistance. The patented design of the internal flow channel of the bearing allows the fluid to pass through the interior quickly, which not only has the function of instant lubrication, but also can quickly take away the mechanical heat generated by the operation. Since the chemical fluid is not easy to remain, the problem of the pollutants mentioned above is reduced, and there is no need to replace the bearing frequently like ordinary bearings, and at the same time, the possibility of the shaft being stuck due to fluid crystallization is greatly reduced.
In addition, it is made of engineering plastic or metal, which has excellent corrosion resistance and is suitable for transporting highly corrosive liquid such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid and acetic acid or flammable and explosive fluids.
PTCXPUMP sealless magnetic drive pump has various models to meet your various operating requirements.
Contact us and our professional team will work with you. According to the actual operating conditions, to select the best pump for you. By choosing the correct type of pump to extend the pump service life, so as to reduce production costs.
