Roller Bearing Failure
Background: The roller bearing of a magnetic drive agitator experience failure after only 24 days of service. The bearing seats inside a magnetic drive housing with a double shield.
Figure 1: Close-up View of as Received Bearing Damage
Figure 2: Inner Ring Race Misalignment and Contamination Features
Summary: The failure of the magnetic drive bearing was associated with excessive contamination that led to misalignment and subsequent cage failure. The accumulation and spread of contamination on the inner and outer ring races likely induced misalignment of the inner ring that led to the eventual breakup of the cage. A small amount of process material leaked into the bearing housing. No evidence of any significant wear was observed on the contact surfaces of the bearing races and balls.
Take Away: Even small amounts of contamination a roller bearing can lead to unexpectedly significantly reduced lifetime.
Take Away: Even small amounts of contamination a roller bearing can lead to unexpectedly significantly reduced lifetime.