EDITOR’S CHOICE
CARING FOR YOUR BEARINGS
SMB BEARINGS
Top tips for bearings maintenance when restarting your machinery
Across the Western world, factories are
restarting or stepping up their operations as
lockdown measures are cautiously eased.
Owners of machinery and their operatives
will be eager to know what to look out
for when restarting machinery after a
temporary shutdown. Here, Chris Johnson,
managing director at specialist bearings
supplier, SMB Bearings, provides us with his
tips for how to care for the bearings in your
machinery as you look to get your factory
running to capacity again.
Your factory equipment may have been idle
for a few weeks and now you are getting
ready to restart things or step up the level
of operations. You might be wondering
if there are any additional checks you
should make when caring for the rotational
elements in your machinery. Here are some
things you should bear in mind.
Corrosion is always something to watch
out for when maintaining your bearings.
Prior to lockdown, when machinery was
operational, it is likely that the factory was
well heated and ventilated. If the factory has
been shut down for a few weeks, perhaps
the environmental conditions are not as
ideal as they might have been previously.
In these cases, there is a slight increase in
the risk of condensation, which is a cause
of corrosion.
Contamination is another risk to stay aware
of. Particulate contaminants like dust can
negatively impact a bearing’s performance
and shorten its life span. For this reason,
it is good to keep the factory environment
clean and dust free to maximise the
performance and longevity of the rotational
elements in your machinery. However,
there is a greater risk of contamination
following a shutdown, compared with
normal factory usage where cleaning
schedules are adhered to.
Similarly, in machinery that is idle for a
sustained period there is the risk of the
grease stiffening. Remember, grease is
simply oil with a thickener added. If the
oil begins to leach out of the grease, then
the grease will stiffen, resulting in greater
rotational torque for your bearings. This is
unlikely to happen after just a few weeks of
lockdown however.
So, what checks should engineers and
operators be making as they restart their
machinery? Well, if you have the benefit
of digital technology like predictive
maintenance and vibration analysis, you
will be alerted to risks before they emerge.
In most instances though, and particularly
for smaller and medium-sized operations,
it is unlikely that you will have access
to expensive technology like this. If the
machinery is not yet smart, that doesn’t
mean you can’t be instead. Routine manual
checks to inspect bearing condition will
suffice.
You can inspect the rotational elements
visually, looking out for signs of corrosion
or other damage. You should also listen
carefully. If your bearings are getting
louder, that is usually a pretty reliable
indicator that something is amiss. Noise
could suggest a range of problems from
rough or damaged balls or raceways to
contamination or inadequate lubrication.
In summary, if you have adequately cared
for the bearings in your rotational elements
until now, you should have little to fear
when restarting your machinery after a
brief period of idleness. As always, look out
and listen out for possible signs of wear or
contamination. Pay particular attention if
you are noticing condensation in or around
the factory as this will increase the risk of
corrosion. And if ever you are facing any
doubt, just ask an expert – we are happy
to help!
At SMB Bearings we don’t just sell
bearings, we help solve your problems.
If you are having problems with your
bearings, you can visit our website or get
in touch with one of our experts today by
calling +44 (0)1993 842 555.
For further information, please visit www.smbbearings.com
18 PECM Issue 46