Feiken Blog

Preventive Measures for Common Bearing Problems

Post By: September 26, 2022 0 Comment

How to prevent bearing contamination

Symptoms:

  • ✧ High vibration and wear (caused by denting of the raceways and balls).

Prevention:

  • ✧ Always keep your hands, work areas, tools, and fixtures clean.
  • ✧ Keep bearings in their original packing until they are ready to be installed, and keep grinding operations away from bearing assembly locations.
  • ✧ Seals are essential because faulty or damaged seals cannot protect bearings from foreign contaminants.

How to prevent misalignment

Symptoms:

  • ✧ An unusual rise in bearing or housing temperature.
  • ✧ Heavy wear in the cage ball-pockets.

Most prevalent causes:

  • ✧ Bent shafts.
  • ✧ Dirt or burrs on the shoulders of housing or shaft.
  • ✧ Shaft threads are not square with shaft seats.
  • ✧ Locking nuts with faces that are not square to the thread axis.

Appropriate corrective actions:

  • ✧ Perform inspections of shafts and housings for runout of shoulders and bearing seats.
  • ✧ Use of ground threads solely on hardened shafts and single point-turned or ground threads on non-hardened shafts.
  • ✧ Using lock nuts of the highest precision grade.

How to fix overloaded bearings

Appropriate corrective actions:

  • ✧ Reduce the weight that the bearing can handle or redesign it with another bearing with greater load capacity.
  • ✧ Add bearings or alter bearing size to relieve pressure on each individual bearing (if high axial or radial loads are the cause of overloading).
  • ✧ An angular contact bearing can be optimised for a particular type of load by adjusting the contact angle.

How to cure overheating

Symptoms:

  • ✧ Discolouration (from gold to blue) of the balls, rings, and cages.

Causes:

  • ✧ Insufficient lubrication or cooling.
  • ✧ Inadequate heat paths.
  • ✧ Heavy electrical heat load.

Cure:

  • ✧ Additional lubricant cooling.
  • ✧ Sufficient heat path.
  • ✧ Thermal or overload controls.

How to solve normal fatigue failure

Symptoms:

  • ✧ Fracture on the running surfaces and the subsequent removal of tiny, discrete particles of material.

Solver:

  • ✧ Replace the bearing or re-design it to use a bearing with a longer calculated fatigue life.

How to extend the life of lubricants

Symptoms:

  • ✧ Discolouration (blue/brown) of balls and ball tracks.

Lubricant life extension:

  • ✧ Correct the improper fit.
  • ✧ Control preload better.
  • ✧ Cool the shafts and housings down.

How to prevent corrosion

Symptoms:

  • ✧ Discolouration (red/brown) of ball areas, bands of balls, raceways, and cages.

Prevention:

  • ✧ Diverting corrosive fluids away from bearing areas and, whenever possible, using integrally sealed bearings.
  • ✧ The use of external seals in addition to internal seals should be taken into consideration if the environment is hazardous.
  • ✧ It is also recommended to use stainless steel bearings.
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Ball vs Roller Bearings

Post By: September 24, 2022 0 Comment

The two fundamental types of rolling bearing are distinguished by two basic types of rolling element. The two basic types of rolling bearings are shown below:

  Ball bearing

  Roller bearing

Are rolling bearings better? 

With minimal friction, rolling bearings support and guide rotating or oscillating machine elements – such as shafts, axles, or wheels – and transfer loads between machine components. Rolling bearings provide high precision and low friction and therefore enable high rotational speeds while reducing noise, heat, energy consumption, and wear. They are exchangeable and cost-effective machine elements that typically follow national or international dimension standards.

Ball Bearings Roller Bearings
A ball bearing is a spherical unit that serves the same purpose as a roller bearing. A roller bearing is a cylindrical unit that is used to provide low-friction movement for a bushing or bearing block.
Balls make point contact with the ring raceways. Rollers make line contact with the ring raceways.
The contact point becomes an elliptical area with increasing load acting on the bearing. The contact line becomes somewhat rectangular in shape as the bearing’s load increases.
A ball bearing can accommodate high speeds due to the low rolling friction provided by the small contact area, but this puts limits on its load-carrying capacity. A roller bearing can support heavier loads but slower speeds than a ball bearing of the same size due to the larger contact area and resulting increased friction.
Pros:
⚫ Low friction.
⚫ Can handle pure radial loads, pure axial (thrust) loads, and combined radial and axial loads.		 Pros:
⚫ Able to carry greater loads without deforming or failing.
⚫ More varieties of roller geometry for different types of operations.
Cons:
⚫ Noisy at times.
⚫ Incompetent at handling large weights.
⚫ Easy to get damaged by shocks.		 Cons:
⚫ Very expensive.
⚫ Limited capacity for thrust loads.
⚫ Vulnerable to misalign from their original position.
Examples of applications:  
⚫ Fans.
⚫ Bicycles.
⚫ Elevators.
⚫ Gear boxes.
⚫ DVD players.		 Examples of applications:
⚫ Pumps.
⚫ Turbines.
⚫ Conveyors.
⚫ Rolling mills.

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Bearing for Motorcycles and Automotive

Post By: September 24, 2022 0 Comment

Motorcycles make extensive use of bearings. Motorcycle bearings’ functions are to ensure durability and facilitate a smooth ride due to their property to reduce friction and vibration. These bearings support the movement of the motorcycle’s major rotating components, such as the wheels, engine, and gearbox, by lowering friction, functioning smoothly, and ensuring that the engine’s motive power is consistently transferred to the wheels.

Bearings for motorcycle engines and transmissions must have extremely high stiffness and excellent anti-dust qualities since they have to deal with numerous external incursions under high rotation speed and are subjected to shock loads at high temperatures. Durability in the face of mud and water is also important because wheel bearings in motorcycles are used for a variety of road conditions.

There are an average of around 100 to 150 bearings in a vehicle with a conventional engine, and a number of between 20 to 30 bearings are built into a single motorcycle based on the model and its structural elements.

The following are some examples of vehicle parts that utilise various bearing types:

Wheels

Wheels can be equipped with ball bearings to support mobility. The bearings are installed in the cage and help the wheels to operate properly.

Engine

The crankshaft and other rotating engine components are supported by a variety of bearings during operation of the piston engine in cars. Different bearing types, including ball bearings, tapered roller bearings, and ball thrust bearings, are employed in such circumstances.

Transmission

The transmission, which turns engine energy into motion through gears, is the most important component in a car. In these situations, the shaft is supported by bearings so that the desired force can be applied, controlling the speed. Such applications might make use of deep groove ball bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, and tapered roller bearings depending on the axial and radial loads.

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Bearing for Mining and Cement Industry

Post By: September 24, 2022 0 Comment

Cylindrical rolling bearings, spherical roller bearings, deep groove ball bearings, and tapered roller bearings are among the different types of bearings that are used in the mining industry. Some of the difficulties that bearings in the excavation and processing equipment in the mining industry face include debris, severe misalignment, heavy loads, and large variations in speeds. Therefore, in the mining industry, bearings with extremely robust properties are needed to handle harsh operations and environment.

Bearings for mining industry must have specific requirements which are; high load capacity, simple and easy mounting and dismounting, high operating reliability, and minimal maintenance requirements. Some of the mining equipment that employs bearings are trucks, stackers, conveyor belts, loaders, excavators, crushers, and long wall shearers.

The manufacturing of cement also requires exceptional performance because cement is one of the most significant building materials and has one of the hardest processing environments. Spherical roller bearings are mostly used in the cement industry because of their features of having a significantly higher bearing load capacity and a longer expected lifespan. Because the failure of a single component can have a huge impact on the entire cement manufacturing process, the sustainability and reliability characteristics of the bearings are of the utmost significance.

Examples of applications of bearings in the cement industry are roller pressers, conveyors, clinker coolers, as well as vertical and horizontal mills.

FEIKEN bearings meet the requirements (reliability, durability, and toughness) to withstand the crucial processing and challenging conditions in both the mining and cement industries, which involve the presence of dust, debris, grit, water, heavy loads, very high temperatures, and corrosive environments.

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Stages of Bearing Failure

Post By: September 24, 2022 0 Comment

Bearings do not last forever as they can be damaged. They also have a shortened lifespan if the right preventative measures are not followed through in the facility.

So, how do you know if a bearing is about to fail?

At Stage 1 of bearing failure, the bearings are still considered within normal operation. They are still functioning normally, but small pits begin to form in the bearing race and the rolling elements’ impact will be audible at ultrasonic frequencies. Vibrations at ultrasonic frequencies ranging between 20,000 and 60,000 Hertz (Hz) indicate that there is a bearing-to-raceway contact caused by a lack of lubrication.

This stage can be avoided beforehand by checking the lubrication levels and making any necessary amendments.

At Stage 2 of bearing failure, bearings exhibit advanced micro-pitting as a result of increased friction from the low bearing lubrication. In this condition, resonance detectable in the range of 2,000 to 8,000 Hertz (Hz) will be generated. At this stage, it is best to replace bearings in extremely critical machines.

At Stage 3 of bearing failure, bearings show obvious defects. Harmonic frequencies and sidebands will appear on the spectrum. When the bearings are taken off, the defects in the raceways or rolling components are easily visible. Therefore, it is advised to replace the bearings in both critical and non-critical machinery at this stage.

At Stage 4, a noticeable noise floor increases at all levels, which then creates a random, broad spectrum. This stage also indicates that the bearings are nearing the end of their lifespan. Bearing failure is almost inevitable, and no machine should ever be pushed to this limit.

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Proper Handling of Bearings

Post By: September 24, 2022 0 Comment

Keep Your Bearings Clean

Cleanliness is very important when handling bearings. Contamination caused by foreign particles like dirt, sand, water, and chemical compounds may result in bearing failure, which will result in disruption of oil film, reduction of lubricant fluid flow, and corrosion.

Therefore, it is crucial to prevent the entry of these contaminants into bearing components by keeping the surrounding areas and environment as clean as possible.

Food and smoking are also prohibited near any bearings. Also, be sure to keep your hands, tools, and fixtures clean all the time!

Use Proper Tools

Proper bearing handling requires the use of proper tools; avoid general-purpose tools and never use your bare hands.

Proper tools should always be used when mounting and dismounting. The tools for mounting should make sure that the bearings are mounted squarely on the shaft and into the housing. The tools used for the bearing work must also be kept pristine, clean, and burr-free.

Moreover, do not clean housings and shafts with shop rags or cotton swabs because they may contaminate the bearings. Instead, it is best to use clean room wipes or clean room swabs.

Careful Handling

Bearings should be handled with care. One of the methods for handling bearings carefully is by keeping your hands as clean as possible. It is recommended to wear gloves such as latex gloves, talc-free finger cots or talc-free surgical gloves.

This is to prevent skin oils, moisture, and acid from hand from depositing and staining the bearing surface, which would cause etching and corrosion to the bearings. Hence, bearings must be kept in dry places in a dry environment.

Besides that, users should never subject a bearing to shock or impact load. If a bearing is dropped to the floor and subjected to excessively powerful impacts, it will break, crack or become brinelled, which means dents in the raceways.

Lubricate accordingly

Proper lubrication with the correct quantities of the appropriate lubricant is very important to prevent bearing failure. Besides acting as a seal against contaminants, bearing lubrication serves as a surface protection against corrosion, heat transference provider, and barrier between sliding surfaces and rolling contact.

However, lubrication can either be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how much lubrication a bearing needs. This is because over-lubrication can increase friction and pressure, which will then lead to excess heat.

Similarly, under-lubrication will cause friction caused by direct contact between metals, which will result in destructive heat production. Therefore, sufficient viscosity at operating temperature is essential for good lubrication, which will help to preserve the bearing’s performance and rolling element bearings’ lifespan.

Two types of lubricants commonly used for bearings are oil lubricant and grease lubricant.

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Bearing for Paper Making Machinery

Post By: September 23, 2022 0 Comment

FEIKEN bearings are utilised in a wide variety of industries, including the agricultural industry, aerospace, automotive, large-scale equipment, household appliances, and the paper-making industry. 

The types of bearings that are commonly employed in many paper making machines are spherical roller bearings. They are capable of accommodating both radial loads and axial loads.

Bearings in the paper production process exist in different functions depending on the production demands. They may be utilised to help with the rolling and unwinding of paper materials, but for slitting machines and rewinders, bearings of high speed and high precision are the most suitable.

The bearings (rolling bearings) in paper machines must be able to adhere to strict specifications like high speed, high temperature, humidity, shaft deflection, and long-term operation throughout the initial stage of paper production.

Because paper making machinery operates in hot conditions, bearings are vulnerable to several kinds of damage, such as early abrasion and creep from bearing variance. High temperature operating conditions also make paper making machine bearings susceptible to issues like inner ring fracture, which can cause work halts.

Not to worry, FEIKEN bearings provide the necessary requirements for the paper making industry under a variety of operating circumstances. Our bearings have a long lifespan, excellent hardness and dimensional stability under high temperatures, and superior resistance to inner ring fractures. 

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Mounted Bearing

Post By: September 23, 2022 0 Comment

Machines with exposed rotating shafts typically require mounted bearings. Mounted bearings are mechanical assemblies that have a bearing mounted inside a housing for convenience of installation and added support. Mounted bearings, also known as bearing units or bearing blocks, offer ways to support rotating shafts and reduce friction between the shafts and stationary machine parts. In applications where the shaft is perpendicular to the unit, mounted bearings are face or surface mounted. In an existing bearing housing, bearing inserts are utilised to replace worn or damaged bearings. At the ends of conveyors, mounted bearings serve as take-up units, while at intermediate points, they serve as flanged units. The bearing configurations can be rolling-element or journal bearing.

Pros/Benefits:

  • • Have long service life.
  • • Quick and easy to mount.
  • • Reduced vibration and noise levels.
  • • Accommodate any initial misalignment.

Examples of Types of Mounted Bearing

1. Pillow block bearings (Plummer block bearings)

Pillow block bearings, also known as plummer block bearings, are the most prevalent type of mounted bearing that have a housing and an insert bearing, which are usually self-aligning. Pillow block bearings are often designed for lighter loads and less rigorous applications. Typically, pillow blocks come with a bearing installed, and to make bearing replacement and disassembly simple, split housing designs by FEIKEN are also offered. Pillow block bearings can be used on inclined, horizontal, or vertical surfaces. They safely permit rotation of the inner ring while keeping the outer ring stationary.

2. Flanged bearings

Flanged bearings, a type of mounted bearing, usually mounted on vertical surfaces with the shaft making a right angle through the machine frame, are often used in light-duty applications. They are used for conveyors, baggage systems, food processing machinery, and several other light-duty industrial applications. This type of bearing consists of a cylindrical cartridge with a flange at one end for better mounting and support.

Applications in which mounted bearings might be used:​

Printing
Conveyors
Agricultural
Shaft Linkage
Food and Beverage Processing
Mechanical Power Transmission Systems
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Cylindrical Roller Bearing

Post By: September 22, 2022 0 Comment

A cylindrical roller bearing is a bearing that supports a load by placing rolling components, such as balls or rollers, between two bearing rings known as races. The relative motion of the races causes the sliding and rolling resistance of the rolling parts to be relatively low.

Cylindrical roller bearings, also known as rolling bearings, have line contact between the rollers and raceway and a high radial load capability. They are superior to other types of bearings in terms of their resistance to heavy loads and impact loads. The inner ring and outer ring are separable, making mounting and removing easy. For example, single-row cylindrical roller bearings, the most popular type and separable for easier mounting and dismounting. Although it may not be able to support the radial load of certain applications, other types of cylindrical roller bearings, like double-row and multi-row cylindrical roller bearings, do have greater radial load capacity and are able to transmit axial load in one direction.

FEIKEN cylindrical roller bearings are heat-stabilised up to 150 °C (300 °F).

The factors limiting the permissible operating temperature for cylindrical roller bearings are:

  • • The rollers and bearing rings’ dimensional stability
  • • The lubricant
  • • The cage
  • • The seals

Industries that use cylindrical roller bearings:

  • • Mining
  • • Pumps
  • • Petroleum
  • • Automotive
  • • Agricultural Machinery
  • • Steel Production Equipment
AdvantagesDisadvantages
◾ Heavy radial loads.
◾ Low friction resistance.
◾ For high-speed applications.
◾ Accommodates axial displacement.
◾ Inner Rings with interchangeable design  are available.
◾ Light weight, compact structure and narrower axial size.		◾ High initial cost.
◾ Great noise at very high speeds.
◾ Low resistance to shock loading.
◾ Complex bearing housing design.
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Types of Bearing Accessories

Post By: September 22, 2022 0 Comment

Types of Bearing Accessories

Bearing accessories can improve the performance and potential of many machines that depend on the bearings to operate.

Adapter and withdrawal sleeves

Adapter and withdrawal sleeves are used to hold bearings with a tapered bore onto cylindrical shaft seatings. They make mounting and dismounting bearings easier and help with the simplification of bearing arrangement design.

Locating rings

Locating rings are typically in the centre of the mould and are used to centre and align moulds in presses. In order to ensure that the nozzle on the moulding machine will connect with the sprue bushing and allow the plastic to flow into the mould, locating rings are used to position the injection moulds on the stationary plate (injection side).

Lock nuts and washers

Lock nuts are devices that, when properly threaded onto a bolt, can withstand being loosened. They exist in two varieties; surface-bearing lock nuts and prevailing torque lock nuts. Meanwhile, lock washers are utilised to keep the nut and bolt from rotating, slipping, or coming loose. Lock washers are used in a variety of applications, including basic household products as well as railway and maritime machinery.

Nilos rings

Nilos rings are made to keep ball and roller bearings clean and clear of dust, dirt, debris, and other abrasive contaminants. They help prevent bearing failure caused by contamination and increase bearing service life in even the most demanding operating conditions. Nilos rings can accommodate a variety of single and double-row bearings, including deep groove ball bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, spherical roller bearings, and tapered roller bearings.

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Feiken Bearing

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