by Blake Sandnes
Bearings play a crucial role in various industrial applications, including roller mills. They are used to support rotating equipment and facilitate the smooth operation of machinery. In a roller mill, bearings allow the rollers to rotate at high speeds and support the grinding load.
A faulty bearing can cause serious operational issues, such as excessive vibration, noise, and wear.
Therefore, bearing monitoring is critical to prevent unplanned downtime, reduce maintenance costs, and increase equipment efficiency.
“With roller mills in general, the most common components to fail are bearings. Bearing failure is also the most common reason we have to go to a facility outside of having to do normal maintenance of sharpening rolls.”
– Josh, RMS Research & Development Department
The Benefits of a Bearing Monitoring System
Accurate measurements of bearing conditions enable predictive maintenance strategies to detect and prevent bearing failure. Bearing monitoring is essential in predictive maintenance to prevent machine breakdowns and other harmful failures.
The Problem: What is Bearing Failure
Bearings are the most common component to fail on a roller mill. This can cause significant problems in the mill’s operation, including long periods of inactivity, total breakdowns, and even operator injuries. To prevent these issues, companies should employ an automatic greasing and bearing monitoring system that can accurately measure the condition of the bearings.
This system should include sensors and hardware that regularly measure the bearings’ speed and health.
Additionally, it is necessary to monitor the environmental conditions, such as temperature and lubrication, to ensure that the bearings are operating properly and not experiencing undue wear and tear.
By monitoring bearings regularly, it is possible to identify potential problems before they become critical, and keep the mill operating smoothly and efficiently.
The Facts: When Bearing Failure Happens
Although bearing monitoring can be easily overlooked, staying on top of this seemingly simple task has been proven to help prevent devastating failures and unplanned downtime. For example:
80% of the bearing failures RMS responds to are because of a lubrication or contamination issue.- 25% of those failures have also led to damage to the bearing and shaft/journal.
- Failures that damage the shaft/journal typically cost 4X more and take significantly longer to fix (i.e. It costs $1000 to replace a failed bearing vs. $4000 to replace a bearing and a roll with new shafts).
Bearings tend to fail because of three main principles, and it’s called the L.I.C. principles. [Lubrication, Installation, Contamination]. However, these things are extremely preventable.”
– Josh, RMS Research & Development Department
- Inadequate lubrication is the number one cause of bearing failures, leading to overheating, high friction, and premature wear.
- Proper installation is crucial to bearing performance, and incorrect procedures can cause misalignment, imbalance, and other issues.
- Excess contamination, including dust, dirt, water, or other foreign substances, can negatively impact performance and lead to corrosion and other forms of damage.
The Solution: How to Prevent Bearing Failure
Since bearings are critical components in our machines, their failure can lead to expensive repairs, production losses, and safety hazards. Our Automatic Greasing & Bearing Monitoring System offers an effective solution for detecting early signs of bearing wear and tear, protecting your equipment from catastrophic failure. These systems use the latest technology to detect issues before they become major problems.
“When a bearing begins to fail, our system notifies operators in real-time, allowing them to take action before the problem escalates. In case of critical issues, the system can even shut down the equipment automatically, preventing further damage and unscheduled stoppages.”
– Josh, RMS Research & Development Department
A comprehensive automatic greasing and bearing monitoring system, like the one offered by RMS, can be an extremely helpful aid for ensuring efficient and safe operations. Being proactive with bearing condition monitoring detects early signs of wear, faults, and defects, allowing for timely maintenance or replacement. Producers who use our Automatic Greasing & Bearing Monitoring Systems benefit from reduced annual maintenance costs, increased reliability, and longer equipment life.
For more information, download our Automatic Greasing & Bearing Monitoring System Infographic.
BONUS: Save 20% if you purchase an RMS Bearing Monitoring System before the end of this year (2023)!
Learn More About RMS Roller-Grinder
RMS Roller-Grinder builds and services the best roller mills and accessories for all our customers’ unique grinding applications. Our equipment is engineered to maximize productivity and minimize maintenance time, providing superior value to customers across a variety of industries.
Our products utilize advanced technology, accurate measurements, and innovative design to deliver flawless performance and reliable operation. Our experienced team of experts offers comprehensive services, ranging from installation and training to technical support and repair.
