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RELIABILITY WIRE by www.reliabilitydirect.com 

"Your One Stop Shop for Condition Monitoring"

Vibration, Balancing, Alignment, Ultrasound, Oil Analysis & more...

Volume 4, Issue # 1 - January, 2003

In this Issue: 

New Products: New Additions to the RDI On-Line e-commerce catalog

Ask The Expert: 10 Tips to for Bearing Maintenance - SKF

What's Hot:  Top Selling Items from www.reliabilitydirect.com

Recommended Book:  Complete Guide to Preventive and Predictive Maintenance by Joel Levitt
Contest Winner: Shawn Crowe, American Refrigeration 

New Products:

Easy-Laser® BTA compact TM is the perfect tool for sheave and pulley alignment. Mounted in a few seconds, the laser line projected onto the targets allows you to quickly ascertain and correct the misalignment. It couldn't be easier!

Rugged and water resistant, ProVision Fiber Scopes are made of high impact ABS and flexible cable sheathing that obediently stays in a set position. Adjust the cable into any position and it will stay fixed in place, until you decide to change it. This feature allows one-handed focuses and light activation– freeing your other hand to work!

Our Precut Stainless Steel Shims are manufactured from the highest quality, corrosive -resistant stainless steel. The shims are dimensionally uniform and are marked for permanent easy to read identification. The shims come in a variety of standard assortments and each kit is offered in a sturdy metal carrying case with a removal tool.

Ask The Expert: 10 Tips for Bearing Maintenance by SKF  www.apptitudeXchange.com

  •  Handle with Care: Always handle bearings as the precision components they are. Small cracks and nicks will lead to poor bearing performance, and eventual failure. Do not bring sharp objects into contact with a bearing, and never pound directly on a bearing or a ring. do not install a bearing if it has been dropped or mishandled. Store bearings horizontally in a dry, clean location in their original packaging. Avoid exposing bearings to air-borne contaminants, as specks of direct in a raceway can lead to premature failure.

  • Inspect Shaft and Housing: Always inspect the shaft and housing for size and physical condition before mounting a bearing. Check for damage, remove nicks and burrs with emery paper, and wipe clean with a soft cloth. A shaft placed in a vise for a mounting should be protected from vise jaws with sheets of brass, copper, or soft metal.

  • Avoid Overheating: Never bring a flame in direct contact with a bearing during heat mounting operations. Hold a heated bearing stationary until it cools; otherwise, the bearing may creep away from its proper position.

  • Use the Right Tool: Induction heaters, oil injection kits and hydraulic nuts are among the specialized tools available for bearing mounting and dismounting. These tools speed up the process and lower the possibility of bearing damage.

  • Same Replacement Bearing: Replacement bearings should be identical to the bearings they replace. Bearing identification usually appears on the bearing and/or the packaging. Contact the manufacturer for part number verification if there is any uncertainty about the replacement bearing.

  • Watch Bearing Press Fit: In bearing press mounting operations, pressure should only be applied to the ring with a press fit. Pressure to the ring without a press fit damages the raceways.

  • Do Not Wash New Bearings: Bearing manufacturers take great care to package and ship bearings that are dirt-free and ready for specific applications. There is usually no need to wash bearings or remove their protective slushing compound. Exceptions arise when you use a polyurea grease or synthetic operating lubricant, as use of these lubricants may require removal of the slushing compound.

  • Proper Lubricant is Critical: Bearing manufacturers evaluate several factors before determining the type of lubricant required for specific bearings, so be sure to follow their recommendations. Check lubricant levels frequently and change lubricant at least once per year. Over lubricating bearings tends to be a frequent problem in the field. Temperature and contamination conditions influence the lubrication interval.

  • Rotate Idle Bearing: Bearings installed in equipment that is subject to vibration while the shafts are stationary may incur false brinelling damage. This can also occur when equipment is not properly protected during shipment and when stored improperly on a storeroom shelve. Brinelling can appear as bright polished depressions on the inner and/or outer races, as well as on the rolling elements. Guard against this by periodically rotating bearings.

  • Look for Danger Signs: Keep alert for these sure signs of improper bearing operation: excessive noise, or an increase in vibration and/or temperature. Bearing symptoms should be checked frequently for deterioration and possible removal. Troubleshooting instruments like hand held vibration pens and IR Thermometers can help to spot bearing problems.

This article and hundreds more can be found at www.aptitudeXchange.com. 

What's Hot:

MicroVibe is a low-cost, compact vibration test and measurement instrument made to be used with a PDA.  Packed full of advanced features, including user-selectable measurement units (English or metric), the instrument collects and stores Overall Vibration, Time-waveform, and FFT Spectrum Plots.  

 

The AccuTrak VPE represents state of the art technology for pinpointing leaks in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. The VPE is extremely sensitive to the ultrasonic sound of a turbulent gas leak. Additional applications include the detection of bearing wear, leaks in ductwork, leaking steam traps, as well as valves, vacuum leaks and electrical arcing.

 

TI-40N Ultrasonic Wall Thickness Gauge accurately measures wall thickness and the extent of corrosion of all metals, ceramics, glass and most rigid plastics - from only one side!

Recommended Book: This month's 5 Star Recommendation

Complete Guide to Preventive and Predictive Maintenance by Joel Levitt

A culmination of 15 years of research, teaching, and consulting, this book shares the best practices, mistakes, victories, and essential steps for success, which the author has gleaned from working with countless organizations. This in-depth resource is the first to give true emphasis to the four aspects of success in preventive maintenance systems--engineering, management, economic, and psychological -- thereby enabling readers to have a balanced view and understanding of what is happening in their organizations.

Contest Winner: Shawn Crowe, American Refrigeration

November Question #27: The hand-held TMEH 1 provides accurate feedback on oil condition in just two minutes. It detects mechanical wear and any loss of lubricating properties in the oil with a repeat accuracy less than 5%.

November Contest Prize: MT4 MiniTemp Infrared Thermometer

January Question: The CMCP1000 is a ______ _______ Vibration Monitor with an ________ _____________  packaged in an explosion-proof housing suitable for NEC Division I hazardous areas.

 

Send your answer to dgallagher@ghg.net, subject: January Question.

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