How Long Will a Bearing Last?

You can increase bearing life by monitoring the viberation going thru the bearing. A motor out of alingment, weak mounts, resistance on the outputside or maintance all contribute to bearing life. Don't you find it hard to create a model for bearing life when figuring in the varibles of resistance, lack of maintance, worn or non existance of supports, viberation from worn or overheated motors. Solid contaminats have actually help worn bearing when pressed into the worn edges.

One thing we have found saves us a lot of money is to provide larger above standard wiring for your motors so they are never starved for power when other equipment is started and it has lowered our replacement cost as our constant monitoring.

It depends on:

1. Correctness & exactness with which the bearing is mounted on the shaft (this limits the vibration loads to a good extent).

2. whether its being loaded in rpm terms based on the specifications of that bearing.

3. the lubricant being used.

4. preventing the contamination of the lubricant from metal debris / dust.

5. re-lubrication at suitable periodic intervals.

My experience is that with keeping the above 5 in perspective most bearings last many years, even beyond what the OEM may specify. If the above 5 are practiced the difference can be like: a bearing giving away in 1 years time may even perform without any major problem for 5 or more years. Its then more of a matter like: how much machine-life you want to derive from a bearing.

Regards, Kamalkumar R. Nariani.