5 Tips for Maintaining Ball Bearings

Modern applications and equipment use ball bearings during the manufacturing process. These ball bearings are essential for reducing friction when any type of movement occurs in an application. For example, every day spinning devices like fans, fidget spinners, etc., have different types of ball bearings. Similarly, aircraft, centrifugal pumps and railway engines also have top-notch ball bearings. Mentioned below are three of the most commonly-used ball bearings used in various industries:

• Angular

Angular contact ball bearing are utilised in applications with thrust loads in one direction. During the manufacturing process, different angles, ranging between 0 and 45 degrees, are applied to this type of bearing in order to transfer the load. These ball bearings are perfect for supporting combined loads in pumps, electric motors, and vehicle clutches.

• Axial

These types of ball bearings are used to manage axial loads only. Axial ball bearings are either categorised as single-direction or double-direction. The best characteristic of an axis ball bearing is that it can operate at high speed without making any noise.

• Deep-Groove

One of the most widely-used ball bearings across a number of industries, deep-groove ball bearings are self-retaining in nature. Just like angular ball bearings, they are able to manage axial and radial loads. Therefore, unnecessary noise does not occur with these ball bearings.

It is almost impossible to use a mechanical product without bearings. Keeping this in mind, here are five tips for the proper maintenance of ball bearings:

1. Handle with Care

One of the most rewarding tips to note is that ball bearings should be handled with a lot of care. This means that angular contact, axial or deep groove bearings must be used and stored in such a way that contaminants do not damage them in any shape or form. Besides this, it is best to keep ball bearings in a horizontal position in a dry space. This will ensure that the ball bearings can be durable for a long period of time.

2. Pay Attention to Lubrication

A lot of manufacturers recommend greasing ball bearings on a regular basis. This is because lubrication of ball bearings is a great way to keep its performance long-lasting and durable. Most malfunctions in bearings occur due to a lack of proper lubrication. Hence, it is imperative to apply industrial grease on bearings.

3. Use the Right Tools

A lot of people do not realise that rudimentary industrial tools should not be used for mounting or dismounting bearings. This is because they can cause unwanted damage to ball bearings. Hence, your cost of maintenance will increase eventually. To avoid this problem, it is best to use the right tools such as bearing pullers, bearing fitting toolkit, hydraulic nuts, etc.

4. Avoid Overheating

When you use heat in and around bearings, it is wise to check the temperatures beforehand. This is because every bearing has a maximum level of heat that it can bear. So, if the temperatures cross this limit, the making material of a bearing can soften and get permanently damaged.

5. Prevent Corrosion

Like most industrial tools, water, humidity and sunlight can be harmful to bearings in a big way. This is because exposure to these elements can lead to corrosion of bearings very quickly. This corrosion can reduce the lifecycle of bearings. It is suggested to focus on the climatic conditions of a unit so that humidity levels are controlled properly.

By taking these tips into consideration, the proper maintenance of bearings can be done without facing any hassles.