The maintenance of self-aligning roller bearings for elevators needs to start from multiple aspects such as cleaning, installation, lubrication, condition monitoring, storage, replacement, and environmental adaptability. The specific methods are as follows:
1. Cleaning and Cleaning
Keep Clean: self-aligning roller bearings are very sensitive to impurities, and small particles such as dust and metal shavings entering the bearing can increase friction, wear, and even cause the bearing to jam. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a clean and tidy working environment for bearings as much as possible. For some high-precision equipment, bearings may need to be used in special environments such as dust-free workshops. Regular cleaning: Clean the bearings regularly according to the frequency of use and working environment of the equipment. When cleaning, appropriate tools and cleaning agents should be used, such as specialized bearing cleaning agents or solvents such as kerosene, to avoid using highly corrosive cleaning agents that may corrode bearing materials. The cleaning tool can be a soft bristled brush, clean cotton cloth, etc., gently wiping the surface and internal ball bearings, raceways, and other parts of the bearing to remove oil stains and impurities. Cleaning steps: When cleaning bearings, it can be divided into two steps: rough cleaning and fine cleaning. During rough cleaning, use a brush or other tool to remove lubricating grease or adhesive from the oil, but be careful not to rotate the bearing in the oil to prevent foreign objects from damaging the rolling surface. During precision cleaning, the bearings should be slowly rotated in oil and carefully cleaned of all parts. After cleaning, anti rust oil or grease should be immediately applied to the bearings to prevent rusting.
2. Installation and disassembly
Correct installation: The installation of bearings must be carried out according to the correct methods and steps.
. Before installation, ensure that the installation surface is clean and flat, and that the fitting dimensions with the bearings meet the requirements. For interference fit bearings, heating bearings (using specialized heating equipment such as bearing heaters) or cooling installation components can be used to facilitate installation, but attention should be paid to temperature control to avoid damaging the bearings. During the installation process, it is important to avoid applying excessive impact force to the bearings to prevent deformation.Be careful when disassembling: When disassembling bearings, appropriate tools such as bearing pullers should also be used to avoid rough disassembly using tools such as hammers that may damage the bearings.
. During the disassembly process, attention should be paid to recording the installation direction, serial number, and other information of the bearing for reference when reinstalling or repairing.III. Lubrication Management
Choose the right lubricant: There are many types of lubricants, including lubricating oil, lubricating grease, etc. The selection of lubricants is determined by factors such as different types of bearings, working environments, and operating speeds. For example, high-temperature environments may require the use of high-temperature resistant synthetic lubricants or greases; High speed bearings may be more suitable for lubricating oil with good fluidity to ensure adequate lubrication. At the same time, compatibility between lubricants and bearing materials should also be considered.
Control lubrication: Proper lubrication is key.
. Insufficient lubrication can lead to increased bearing wear, while excessive lubrication may cause problems such as heating and leakage. For bearings lubricated with grease, the filling amount is generally about 1/3 to 1/2 of the internal space of the bearing; For oil lubricated bearings, it is important to ensure that the oil level is within the appropriate range and that the oil can circulate smoothly to all parts of the bearing that require lubrication.Regularly replace lubricants: Lubricants will gradually deteriorate, become contaminated, or lose their lubricating properties during use.
. Regularly replacing lubricants can ensure that bearings are always in good lubrication condition. The replacement cycle depends on the operation of the equipment, and can generally refer to the recommendations of the equipment manufacturer or determine whether replacement is needed based on changes in the color and texture of the lubricant.IV. Condition Monitoring
Regular Appearance Inspection: Regularly inspect the appearance of the bearings to see if there are signs of wear, cracks, corrosion, etc. Monitoring operating status: By monitoring parameters such as temperature, vibration, and noise during bearing operation, the health status of the bearing can be determined. Tools such as temperature sensors and vibration analyzers can be used. Generally speaking, during normal operation of bearings, the temperature will remain within a relatively stable range. If the temperature suddenly rises, it may indicate that the bearing has malfunctioned, such as poor lubrication, overload, etc. Abnormal vibration and noise may also be signals of internal component damage, imbalance, and other issues in bearings.
Fifth, Storage and Preservation
Suitable Environment: If bearings need to be temporarily stored, a suitable environment should be selected.
. It should be placed in a dry and well ventilated place to avoid moisture and rust. You can apply a layer of rust proof oil on the surface of the bearing and package it with rust proof paper or plastic film to prevent oxidation.Avoid heavy pressure and collision: During storage, it is important to prevent the shaft from being subjected to heavy pressure and collision, especially for high-precision bearings where small deformations may affect their performance.
. Bearings can be classified and placed in dedicated shelves or storage boxes to ensure their safe storage.Sixth, replace in a timely manner
Replace when the service life is reached: If the bearing has indeed reached its service life, please replace it with a bearing of the same or higher quality as the original bearing.
. In the long run, low-quality alternatives may lead to greater losses. Replace when abnormalities occur: Bearings rarely fail without any warning signals, and excessive noise, vibration, and temperature rise may be signs of deeper problems. If any abnormal operating conditions occur in the bearing, it should be monitored more closely and the cause should be identified. If it cannot be restored to normal, it should be replaced in a timely manner.7. Environmental adaptability maintenance
Dust environment: In dust/particulate matter environments (such as mining machinery and cement equipment), contact labyrinth seals or composite sealing structures should be used to prevent dust from entering.
. At the same time, regularly use compressed air to blow the outside of the bearing seat, and after disassembly, use kerosene or specialized cleaning agents to thoroughly clean foreign objects in the raceway.High temperature conditions: In high temperature conditions (such as metallurgical rolling mills, drying equipment), infrared temperature measurement devices should be installed to ensure that the operating temperature does not exceed the design limit.
. Using GCr15SiMn material or surface nitriding treatment, molybdenum disulfide grease is preferred for high-temperature environments. Install circulating water cooling channels in the bearing seat and install heat dissipation fins at the shaft end to reduce heat conduction.High humidity/corrosive environment: In high humidity/corrosive environments (such as ship equipment, chemical pump bodies), WD-40 rust inhibitor should be sprayed quarterly, and gas-phase rust preventive oil should be injected when it is not in use for a long time.
. The outer ring is coated with alumina ceramic layer, and the retaining frame is made of polytetrafluoroethylene material. Install a 45 ° inclined drainage hole at the bottom of the bearing seat to prevent liquid retention. Vibration and shock environment: In vibration and shock environments (such as electric locomotive axle boxes and crushers), a four point contact ball bearing structure should be used, and the preload should be controlled at 20% to 30% of the axial clearance. Install polyurethane shock absorbers inside the bearing seat, and hydraulic buffers should be installed when the impact load exceeds 30g. Install acceleration sensors to monitor vibration values in real-time (recommended ≤ 4.5mm/s RMS).