The way a bearing is maintained and handled has a huge impact on its performance. Proper maintenance and handling leads to longer bearing life, minimized downtime, and greater productivity, which ultimately leads to cost savings and lower cost of ownership for your business. Here is a simple 8-point checklist for ensuring your bearing is always handled in the correct way and thus, optimizing performance. 

1. Handle Bearings with Care 

Bearings are precision components. As such, they should be handled and stored in a proper manner to avoid the entry of contaminants. Bearings should be stored horizontally in a clean and dry environment with their packaging intact. Care should be taken to avoid exposing bearings to airborne contaminants, as just a tiny speck of dirt in a raceway can cause premature bearing failure. Do not hammer, pound or apply direct force on a bearing or its outer ring. This can cause the rolling elements to be damaged and misaligned. Bearings should also not be installed if they have been dropped or mishandled, as little cracks and scratches can result in poor performance, and subsequently, premature bearing failure.

Do not remove bearings from their original packaging until ready to use, as they can be exposed to airborne contaminants like dust and dirt.

2. Inspect the Bearing Housing and Shaft

Before mounting a bearing, inspect the housing and shaft for physical condition or damage. Use a soft cloth to wipe the surfaces clean, and ensure any nicks and burrs are removed. 

3. Apply the Correct Mounting Method

When mounting bearings, the correct method to use depends on the type of bearing and type of fit. Bearings with cylindrical bores are normally mounted through press-fit method (mounting by pressing the bearing on the shafts) or shrink fit (heating the bearing to expand its diameter). Bearings with tapered bores can be mounted directly on tapered or cylindrical shafts with the help of tapered sleeves. Take note that pressure should only be applied with a press fit. Applying pressure without a press-fit to the ring will damage the raceways. 

Read More: Your Guide to Bearing Mounting- Methods & Tools

4. Prevent Direct Heating or Overheating

The maximum permitted temperature of bearings depends on the heat treatment of the material. Temperatures above the heat limit can permanently deform or soften the bearing steel, thus reducing load carrying capacity and leading to eventual failure.

Never heat a bearing using an open flame. Bearings should ideally be heated with induction heaters.

For more information on induction heaters, click here.