Bearings: The "Joints" of Industrial Equipment — Daily Maintenance Guide

Bearing damage is mostly caused by long-term lack of maintenance. Doing well in the following 3 daily tasks can effectively reduce the risk of failures by 80%.

Grease is the "blood" of bearings, which can form an oil film between rolling elements and raceways to reduce metal friction. It is necessary to select suitable grease according to equipment working conditions (e.g., special grease resistant to temperatures above 150℃ for high-temperature environments, waterproof grease for humid environments) and follow the principles of "timing, quantification, and cleanliness": For ordinary equipment, check the lubrication status every 3 months and completely replace the grease every 12 months; the filling amount should be 1/3-1/2 of the internal space of the bearing—excessive filling may lead to poor heat dissipation, while insufficient filling cannot form an effective oil film. When replacing, it is necessary to first clean the residual old grease inside the bearing with absolute ethanol to avoid chemical reactions caused by mixing old and new greases.

Dust, metal debris, and moisture are the "natural enemies" of bearings. Daily inspection is required to check whether the sealing rings and dust covers of bearing end caps are intact—if cracks or deformation are found, they should be replaced in time; for equipment operating in dusty and high-humidity environments, protective covers can be added, and compressed air should be used regularly to blow off debris around bearings to prevent foreign objects from entering raceways and causing wear.

Simple tools can be used to predict bearing failures: Place a stethoscope close to the bearing housing—if abnormal noises such as "buzzing" or "clicking" are heard, it may be due to poor lubrication or component wear; measure the temperature with an infrared thermometer—if the bearing temperature exceeds 70℃ under normal working conditions or 80℃ for high-speed equipment, the machine should be shut down for inspection; turn the shaft by hand—if uneven resistance or a sense of seizure is felt, it may be due to abnormal clearance or journal deformation.