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Though often viewed as a messy, auxiliary process that has been followed since the Industrial Era to some, bearing lubrication is actually a crucial technology that can make or break your manufacturing processes at your facility.

These include "the type of machine, bearing type, size, temperature, load conditions, speed range, operating conditions (such as vibration and horizontal/vertical orientation of the shaft) and external environment," according to Efficient Plant Magazine.

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In most cases, the best place to start selecting the right lubricant is to follow the bearing manufacturer's recommendations.

Now that we've learned more about the different types of methods you can apply the lubricant, let's dive in to the proper application procedure.

Over time, lubricant in a bearing will naturally lose its lubricating properties, but it's still crucial to pay careful attention to the quality of the original lubricant and to take the above steps we've outlined to preserve the bearing, and it's intended lifespan.

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Here are three common lubrication mistakes you could be making and how to avoid them (or fix them) so you can be confident in your bearing's health.

Still not sure where to start? Here's a handy chart that goes into more detail about common bearing lubricant types & common applications.

In this first step, you need to remove any existing oils, anti-corrosion coatings and greases. This part is essential because the operating life and reliability become more critical and help eliminate any potential incompatibilities.

While lubricating a bearing once a week or every month seems like a practical task to do, it's actually causing your bearings more harm than good.

It's important to remember that regardless of which type of lubricant you chose, it will naturally lose its lubricating properties over time and if not maintained properly with the help of an experienced lubrication service, will eventually lead to bearing failure.

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These charts are great reference tools, however, it's essential to keep in mind that the free space information presented in them is generalized.

The manufacturer usually applies the oil with special equipment, however the amount added to the bearing is not specified.

In fact, the lack of proper bearing lubrication is commonly regarded as one of the most common causes of bearing failure.

5/16 .3125. 7.938. 21/64 .328125 8.334. 11/32 .34375 8.731. 23/64 .359375 9.128. 3/8 .375. 9.525. 25/64 .390625 9.922. 13/32 .40625 10.319. 27/64 .421875 10.716.

Grease is needed in bearings for one reason— to prevent and reduce friction. If the lubricant is doing its job well, you don't need continue changing it or adding more.

Loss of lubricant - if a bearing isn't re-greased with proper intervals and the proper amount of grease, loss of lubricant and lubrication can result and contribute to equipment failure.

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When operating equipment at heavy loads and high speeds, you need to protect the equipment from high temperatures as a result of fiction by supplying a high flow of oil.

It's no secret that proper lubrication has the largest impact on bearing life. In fact, it's an industry-wide understanding that at least 80% of bearing failures are related to lubrication and contamination issues. [source]

The oil's viscosity correlates to the film thickness it can create, which is crucial to the separation of the rolling and sliding parts of a bearing.

As a general rule, bearings run the coolest and with the least amount of friction when a minimum amount of the lightest-bodied lubricant that will keep the bearing surfaces apart is used, according to knowyourparts.com.

Doing so will ensure smooth-sailing for your facility and prevent unplanned downtime, lost revenue, and decreased operating efficiency due to bearing failure that stemmed from lubrication issues.

Over-lubrication can increase internal friction, which leads to extra heat generation while under-lubrication can lead to wear or lubrication starvation due to contact surfaces not having enough lubrication.

Start by monitoring the bearing's friction level with ultrasound as new grease is applied, one shot at a time (and slowly, of course). [source]

It's common for bearing companies to provide pre-coated products with an oil film or anti-corrosion coating. As long as the coating has both a micro-thickness and is compatible with your chosen lubricant, then pre-cleaning might not be needed, according to Guide to Proper Bearing Lubrication Procedures by Klüber Lubrication.

Lubrication mistakes can be far-reaching. Common side effects of incorrect lubrication include overheating or excessive wear, which can lead to bearing failure. And that can lead to unexpected downtime and lost revenue at your facility.

As we've discussed already, too much grease builds up and eventually causes increased friction and pressure, and that causes excess heat. Too little of grease has the same life-shortening effect on bearings too.

There are clear benefits to optimizing your bearing lubrication and avoiding these three mistakes. Doing so will extend the life of your bearings, cut down on grease consumption, and decrease time spent re-lubricating when it's not necessary.

Grease adheres to bearing surfaces better than oil, has a longer lifespan, and is less likely to run off or be ejected from rotating parts. [source]

The proper fill quantity of a grease lubricated bearing is frequently specified as a percentage of the bearing's free space, therefore, it's important to determine the free space correctly.

According to the National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI), the grease's consistency class indicates how the grease will flow and disperse within the bearing.

The correct lubricant quantity can be determined by the operating speeds, design, reservoir volume, and the extent of sealing or shielding found in the application.

Many different methods can be used to apply oils and greases, however, there are four standard methods that are typically used to supply lubrication to bearings.

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Published engineering data - Manufacturers may have done the work for you by determining the free space for a number of their "catalog bearings." This means a simple email or phone call to the manufacturer's engineering department can get you the answers you need.

An easy fix here is to use an ultrasound with a digital decibel metering. You can use a device that provides multiple condition indicators– if you have that available to you.

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If you're looking for lubrication services to help you meet your customers' specifications, Bearing and Drive Systems has over 200 types of grease and oil in stock from all of the top companies to meet your needs. Get a quote today and we can take some of your burdens with our 30+ years of experience and knowledge and be your "go-to" for lubricant optimization.

This method works best for applications that operate with low speed or have available lubricant cavities because they don't require an extremely accurate measurement of the free space.

It requires selecting the right lubricant for each application (like we discussed above), applying it correctly, and sticking to a lubrication schedule that meets the equipment's needs.

"Engineers express fluid resistance to flow in Saybolt Universal Seconds (SUS) and centistokes (mm2/sec, cSt). The difference in viscosity at different temperatures is the viscosity index (VI)."

Grease incompatibility - It's crucial to stay with the same grease (or a compatible substitute) for the entire life of a bearing. Not all greases are compatible with each other.

Bearing lubrication is vital for preserving the performance and lifespan of rolling element bearings. Lubrication helps separate moving parts relative to one another, such as rollers and raceways or balls, to prevent wear and tear and friction.

Oil lubricant is generally used for high speed or high-temperature applications that require heat transfer away from working bearing surfaces. The oils consist of either natural mineral oil (with additives that prevent oxidation and rust) or synthetic oil.

It also can be pre-lubricated, which eliminates the need for an external lubrication system and means less maintenance in the future.

Excess lubrication - This occurs when excess grease causes the temperature to increase excessively in a bearing, which normally only happens in open face bearings.

In addition to providing that separation, it also dissipates frictional heat (which prevents overheating and deterioration of the lubricant) and protects against other known issues like corrosion, moisture, and other contaminants.

Proper fill quantity ensures that all contact surfaces have a suitable lubricating film. This step is crucial because, as we've discussed already, over- and under-lubrication are both detrimental to bearing operating life.

The proper application procedure is as important as selecting the right lubricant. The most important areas in applying a lubricant include bearing cleaning, lubricant fill quality, and bearing run-in.

With this type of lubrication, the bearings are spattered with oil by moving parts that are regularly dipped in the lube oil. This method is preferred when rotation is not fast enough to churn up the oil.

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Simply put, this method (often called a gravity feed system) "consists of a loosely covered cup or manifold of oil placed above the bearing that meters out oil at a set interval," according to Tech Transfer.

The cam/follower system is commonly used in internal combustion engines to provide the required motion of the valvetrain.

This type of lubrication was applied by hand in the past, but it actually poses risks like over- or under-lubricating. Drip feed lubrication systems are more commonly used for these applications to supply the correct amount of oil at the right intervals.

You can monitor, measure, and trend friction levels with ultrasound  instead of re-lubricating a bearing on a schedule so you can know exactly when it's the right time to grease, according to Maint World.

In systems where low loads and low-to-moderate speeds are expected, bearings of this type require small quantities of oil that are applied at regular intervals.

While it's not a difficult process, it does require following specific guidelines that aren't done properly. As a result, many plants or facilities have inadequate lubrication programs and bearing failures.

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Grease is typically applied with special equipment that deposits the grease between the balls, which forces it inside and around the ball or roller raceway interface. Unlike oil, grease is normally denoted as a percentage (e.g. 30% fill), which represents the actual grease volume compared to the free internal space inside the bearing. [source]

Grease degradation - Common types of grease degradation include oil separation from the grease base, chemical breakdown due to excessive heat, and grease hardening.

Published reference charts - Manufacturers have also developed generalized bearing free space charts, which help you calculate a specific bearing's free based on the inner diameter and design configuration.

Proper run-in procedure is crucial to the bearing and lubricant's performance in the application where high speeds, fill quantities, and specific pre-loads are critical.

Viscosity is one of the key characteristics when specifying the right oil for a bearing. A good rule of thumb: low-viscosity fluids are thinner like water, and high-viscosity fluids are thicker like molasses.

Audible feedback alone doesn't work because it's too subjective to pull any real conclusions since no two people hear the same thing. It's also too difficult to remember what a bearing could've sounded like months ago based on memory alone.

Grease lubricants are made up of three components: additives (usually rust inhibitors), a base oil, and a thickener. When you are selecting a grease lubricant, it's important to note that the viscosity of the base oil (referred to as "base oil viscosity") determines how the lubricating film develops.

Greases do not leak out as easily as oils, however, since they are so viscous, they cannot be pumped continuously through equipment to remove heat.

While some bearing applications use oil as a lubricant, grease is the lubricant of choice for 80 to 90 percent of bearings.

In a force fed lubrication system, an oil pump pressurizes the oil, which is then directed to the rotating component. Examples of systems that use this method include boiler feed pumps, compressors, gearboxes, and turbine generators.

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Although they are similar, these two types of oils offer unique properties and cannot be interchangeable. Mineral oils are more common than synthetic oils.

Bearing lubrication, although a simple concept, can have its challenges and requires following specific guidelines to ensure it's done correctly.

A common type of splash feed lubrication is an oil ring system. This type of method reduces bearing operating temperature and is great for applications running at higher speeds and temperatures.

Rule of thumb equation - This method is one of the more complex ones to determine fill quality, and it's also worth noting that this method is exactly that, a 'rule of thumb' with limited accuracy.

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Incorrect grease - Make sure to use the correct grease for your application. Some applications need non-extreme pressure (non-EP) or general purpose (GP) grease, while others may require extreme pressure (EP) grease, according to Machinery Lubrication.

Now that we've gone over applying best practices for bearing lubrication, let's find out the three lubrication mistakes you could be making that are ruining your bearings.

The base in synthetic oils is usually polyalphaolefins (PAO), polyalkylene glycols (PAG), esters, and silicones for cold and low torque conditions.

You'll want to listen to the bearing and try to measure the drop in friction as the grease begins to flow into the bearing. Keep note as the decibel level approaches a minimum value and stabilizes, add single shots, and if the decibel level begins to increase even slightly, you can stop because your job is done.

According to Guide to Proper Bearing Lubrication Procedures by Klüber Lubrication if done correctly, run-in procedure will:

Since greases are semi-solid lubricants, they are often used when the lubricant needs to stay in one place or stick to a part, and are ideal since they are less maintenance.

If you want to learn more about what a bearing failure is and the different types you can come across in your facility, download our guide "What Causes Bearing Failures and Preventative Measures You Need to Know."

Simply put, using an ultrasound device that doesn't give measurement feedback to listen to a bearing sounds like a great idea in theory, but it's just going to hurt you in the long run.

As we've touched on already, bearing lubrication plays a critical role in the lifespan and performance of bearings because it helps separate parts moving parts in order to minimize friction and prevent wear.

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Because we take extending the life of your bearings enormously,  we put together this in-depth guide to discuss the different types of lubricants, the best methods for bearing lubrication, proper procedure for applications, and mistakes you might be making to ensure the long service life of your bearings.

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