In order to maintain the original performance of rolling bearings and use them in good condition for as long as possible, the bearings must be inspected and maintained regularly to prevent failures, ensure reliable operation, and improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Regular maintenance should be carried out according to the operating conditions and operating standards of the machinery. The content includes monitoring the operating status, replenishing or replacing lubricants, and regular disassembly and inspection.

Maintenance items during operation include the rotational sound, vibration, temperature, lubricant status, etc. of the bearing. If an abnormal state is found during operation, use Table 2 as a reference to find the cause and take corresponding countermeasures. Carefully inspect the removed bearings as necessary. For matters after disassembly, please refer to the previous item 5. Bearing inspection.

Bearing abnormality detector
Predicting abnormal conditions of bearings during operation is extremely important in production.

The bearing abnormality detector can monitor the condition of the bearing during operation. Once an abnormality occurs, it will immediately alarm or automatically shut down the machine. It can prevent failures and achieve scientific maintenance.

Bearing damage and countermeasures
Generally speaking, the fatigue life can be achieved by using bearings correctly. However, if accidental early damage occurs, it can no longer be used. Unlike fatigue life, this early damage is called a failure or accident. It is mostly caused by poor considerations in installation, use, and lubrication, foreign matter invading from the outside, or insufficient research on the shaft and bearing seat.

Bearing damage, such as scratches on the ring ribs of roller bearings, may be caused by insufficient lubricant, inappropriate grades, defects in the oil supply and discharge structure, foreign matter intrusion, bearing installation errors or excessive shaft deflection. It may also be caused by a combination of the above reasons.

Therefore, it is difficult to know the real cause of the damage only by investigating the bearing damage. However, if we fully understand the machine, working conditions and peripheral structure of the bearing, we can clarify the circumstances before and after the failure, and then analyze the bearing damage and various related causes, we can prevent similar failures from happening again. Table 3 gives representative causes and countermeasures for bearing damage.