Premature bearing failure is the single biggest issue faced by many industries during the operation of their machinery and equipment. These early breakdowns pose a headache to many, as it leads to an increase in machine downtime, and ultimately resulting in an overall loss in the cost of operation. But in fact, most of these failures can be easily prevented by adopting best practices for bearings maintenance. According to SKF, there are 4 factors that contribute to these untimely breakdowns:
16% Poor fitting
Poor fitting accounts for around 16% of all premature bearing failures, often caused by brute force and being unaware of the availability of proper fitting tools. Individual installations may require mechanical, hydraulic or heat application methods for correct and efficient mounting or dismounting. Poor fitting of bearings may cost you and it is very important that fitting is performed in a professional manner. It is also worth pointing out that poor fitting is not only limited to just bearings, the housing and shaft alignment and fit is also a crucial element in determining the life cycle of bearings.
36% Poor lubrication
Improper lubrication practices are responsible for 36% of early bearing breakdowns. Inevitably, any bearing that lacks proper lubrication will seize before reaching its natural fatigue limit. As bearings are usually positioned in a machinery where there is restricted access, the neglected lubrication in this area further aggregates the problem.
14% Contamination
A bearing is a precision component that can only operate efficiently when both the bearing and its lubricants are completely isolated from contamination and approximately 14% of all premature bearing seizures stems from contamination problems. Furthermore, bearings that operate under harsh conditions are especially susceptible to contamination as they are exposed to substances such as dust, chemical and other particles.
Together, improper application of the lubricant and contamination make up half of the proportion of premature bearing failures and these causes are easily preventable by implementing effective lubrication system; using SLS recommended greases, tools and techniques in which all help to significantly reduce machine downtime.
34% Fatigue
Sudden or unexpected failure is one of the most alarming situation that an operation could encounter. This happens when machines are overloaded, neglected or incorrectly serviced where bearings suffer detrimental outcome, resulting in 34% of all premature bearing failures, which is why reactive maintenance is not the best idea for you bearing maintenance strategy. However, this encounter can be avoided as neglected or over-stressed bearings indicates early warning signs, which can be detected and interpreted using condition monitoring equipment. In the long run, it is best to plan a maintenance program to prevent any future unpredictable breakdowns. For better understanding about the different maintenance programs, you could read more about the difference between predictive and preventive maintenance and their benefits, and how proactive maintenance may just be the most comprehensive maintenance program yet.
Not sure where to start?
Not a problem! You can start by downloading our 8-Point Bearing Maintenance Guide for some quick and easy tips on how to optimize the performance of your bearings.
SLS provides a wide range of tools and services that provides quicker and more cost effective solutions that could achieve maximum machine uptime. Our friendly and experienced engineers are able to assist you in the best possible way. Book a free consultation with us with just one click.