Service life of SKF/NSK bearings in reducers
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Hello everyone: Our company’s old workshop’s kettle reducer bearings need to be replaced. These bearings are designed to operate for 24 hours continuously; they are original parts as required by the contract. They have been in use for over 7 years, and regular oil changes have helped maintain their condition. However, bearings do have a limited service life, and it’s not possible to keep using them indefinitely just because they are well-maintained. Therefore, we plan to replace all of these bearings. Other workshops that started operating more recently also want to carry out such replacements. But there are many factors that affect the operating time of bearings, and there is also a specified range for their usable lifespan; thus, it’s difficult to determine exactly when it’s time to replace them So are there any other factories with similar experience that can share it? Thank you, reducers Lexno, SEW. The manufacturer states that the operation manual does not cover this
My suggestion isn’t about whether it’s useful to you. This situation is a good thing, as it allows things to be summarized and put into writing; it mainly serves as a means of smoothing things over. To decide whether to replace the bearings, one should first check whether the speed of this equipment shows any abnormalities during normal operation. It is also necessary to consider whether there is enough time to carry out the replacement in case problems arise during production, and whether the next scheduled system maintenance will provide an opportunity to assess the condition of the bearings. Such bearings are usually provided by the manufacturer; if the manufacturer has identical spare parts, they should be replaced, with the replaced ones kept as spares, or replaced after damage occurs (in cases where the damage can be detected without causing any other damage to the equipment). Unless it is a bearing from the same manufacturer provided by the original producer, it’s best not to replace it, as it’s uncertain whether the quality of the replacement will be on par. It is not feasible to use data from other organizations as a reference, as the lifespan of equipment depends not only on its quality and the operating environment but also on the proper way it is used and on the effectiveness of maintenance practices, which vary from one case to another. Therefore, a comprehensive argument is necessary. The key issues are the quality of the bearings, as well as the disassembly and installation processes required to replace them; in some cases, it is also necessary to adjust the clearance between the gears. In short, it’s best not to replace the bearings unless it becomes apparent that they are damaged. It’s just a suggestion.
There are many factors that affect bearing life