Usury and friction represent two common modes of bearing failure. But what are they represented and recognizable by? And what are the causes of these prejudices?
Let's start with abrasive wear : this term refers to the removal of material, with a consequent reduction in the size of worn parts. Externally, the weathered surface appears worn and, compared to the surrounding areas that are not affected by these anomalies, presents typical “steps”.
The causes of abrasive wear they can be numerous. Clearly, the most common is represented by the presence of abrasive particles in the bearing, either pre-existing or introduced during the assembly phase or during the introduction of the lubricant. Furthermore, it cannot be excluded that abrasive particles could have entered through the seals or could be generated by wear itself.
Furthermore, among the main determinants of abrasive wear in bearings there is the same abrasive action of iron oxides that can be caused by corrosion, or even by the irregular movement of the rollers, when they are not positioned parallel to the axis. Furthermore, it is not possible to exclude poor or insufficient lubrication or lubrication that has lost its original characteristics from the list of causes.
Another particular type of wear is represented by friction . Compared to abrasive wear, frictional wear occurs on the contact surfaces between two metals, when they are pressed against each other, and are subject to small alternative slips, imperceptible to the human eye. Based on this premise, it is understandable that one of the most typical situations of frictional wear may concern the contact surfaces between the bearing and the shaft or the bearing and the support.
Following frictional wear, debris will remain in the same contact area, in turn favoring the wear process: rust, oxidation of debris, interference from insufficient adjustment, are just some of the main determinants that can be the basis for the appearance of anomalous wear. caused by friction.
Among other main characteristics of the causes of frictional wear, there is also irregularity in the bearing seat, shaft and/or support, due to poor finishing or corrosion. As for the micromovements that can favor friction, these can be caused or favored by vibrations, or by the small elastic deformations of the rings produced by the passage of the rolling elements.
Note that technically, abrasive wear is called “ wearing ”, while wear caused by friction is educationally defined as “ wear wear ”.
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