To allow the bearings to maintain performance comparable to the initial ones in the long term, and to be able to promptly identify some anomalies that could compromise the quality of performance or – even worse – cause failures and damage to the structure, it is advisable to carry out some maintenance operations on a scheduled basis. which should serve as best practices to ensure the best standards of efficiency and effectiveness.
How to check bearings
The bearing check must be carried out during its operational phase, so that any anomalies in noise levels, the temperature reached or the vibrations produced can be intercepted. Through the use of special machines (stethoscope and thermocouple) it is in fact possible to quickly identify noise and temperature deviations, useful for intercepting potentially harmful situations, which it would be advisable to try to resolve quickly.
Bearings in soft parts and grease
In cases where the consequence is mounted on a moving part and, therefore, it is not possible to control noise or temperature using the devices that we quickly introduced in the previous paragraph, it will still be possible to carry out a periodic inspection of it, with the application of new grease and observe its operation.
Speaking of grease, we remember that – although lubricant is an essential accessory for the correct functioning of bearings – it is not necessary to exaggerate the quantities to ensure good use: the amount of lubricant will in fact depend on the type of bearing, its dimensions, the number of rotations performed, operating conditions and other specific characteristics indicated in the user manuals. Also bear in mind that the frequency of applying and refilling the lubricant also depends on the type of grease itself: some types actually require quite long lubrication intervals compared to others.
Finally, with regard to oil lubrication, it is more convenient to limit yourself to maintaining an oil level equal to that of the housing indicator: if the quantity is lower than the expected level, it will be enough to top up. It is also necessary to periodically evaluate the possibility of replacing the oil: the frequency of this intervention depends on the operating conditions and, in particular, the operating temperature of these components.
Disassembly and replacement
If during these control phases the bearing presents anomalies that require additional checks, it will be necessary to disassemble the element. We will talk about bearing disassembly in specific detail. For now, just remember that if dismantling the bearing reveals the presence of damage, flaking and other damage to this component, it may be appropriate to replace it.
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