When should I change my ball bearing?
Patrick Czaja | 11. February 2021
Change the ball bearing? This should be done, when …
- the bearing clearance caused by wear has reached an unacceptable level, for example, when the shaft “sags”.
- the cage is worn and in danger of falling out.
- the bearing rings are broken due to excessive impact forces.
- the running surface of the bearing rings are visibly damaged.
- the ball bearing is blocked, for example, due to coarse dirt.
- the balls (glass) are broken.
- “previously unheard of noise emissions” occur.
- no more bearing clearance is present due to deposits on the balls.
For our xiros polymer ball bearings, however, this does not always mean that a new bearing has to be fitted. If there is a blockage due to coarse dirt accumulation, it may be possible to rinse or blow out and the ball bearing can continue to be used. This applies if there is no damage to the bearing rings and balls.
Each customer defines the wear limit for themselves depending on the field of application. For applications that require high precision or positioning accuracy, maintenance intervals should be shorter. For users who use xiros guide rollers, for example, a higher level of acceptance can apply, as only simple guiding tasks need to be performed.
Our polymer ball bearings have a radial bearing clearance of approx. 0.05 to 0.15mm. They owe this characteristic to their smooth operation as well as low breakaway torque. The open design also makes them very easy to clean. The wear limit for the tests and data basis of our service life calculator is defined as 0.2mm (increase in radial clearance). Up to this value of additional 0.2mm radial clearance, igus can guarantee perfect operation with its ball bearings; always tested in the in-house ball bearing test laboratory.
See for yourself. Order our sample box of xiros polymer ball bearings.