Ultrasonic Inspection: Bearings

Introduction

Some of the most critical components in any industrial setting are bearings. Bearings are mechanical components used to reduce friction and provide load support for rotary or linear equipment. A single bearing failure can cause hours of downtime, including the identification and replacement of the failed component.

Statistics¹ show that:

• 30% of bearings have defects at the beginning of their lifecycle due to faulty installation or machine flaws such as shaft misalignment
• 10% of all bearings fail within the first 6 months due to faulty installation
• Installation defects decrease the predicted lifetime of a bearing 2 to 5 times
• Many of the costs and problems that result from defective and/or failed bearings can be prevented with a carefully implemented predictive maintenance program.

Many of the costs and problems that result from defective and/or failed bearings can be prevented with a predictive maintenance program. CTRL's ultrasonic sensors can be used to check and recheck bearings at the very beginning to verify that installation is correct, and provide the earliest indication of defects.

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1. A. V. Barkov and N. A. Barkova, "Condition Assessment and Life Prediction of Rolling Element Bearings", Sound and Vibration