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3 Patterns from poorly lubricated bearings
A high carpet value, very close to the maximum value, is
typical for dry running bearings. The dBm does not always
reach the red zone – typical for poor lubrication is that
the gap between dBm and dBc is very small. If the signal
is strongest on the bearing housing, it can have several
causes:
• insufficient lubricant supply to the bearing (poor oil
flow; old , caked, or cold grease)
• very low or very high bearing speed (preventing the
build-up of an oil film separation between the loaded
rolling elements and the raceway)
• installation fault (excessive preload) or out-of-round
bearing housing
• misalignment or bent shaft.
If possible, lubricate the bearing or increase the oil flow.
Measure immediately afterwards, and again a few hours
later. If the problem was insufficient lubricant supply, the
shock pulse level should drop and stay low.
In the case of very low or very high bearing speed, one
can try lubricants of a different viscosity or use additives
to prevent metal to metal contact between the bearing
surfaces.
In cases of installation faults, unround housings, and mis-
alignment) the shock pulse level may drop after lubrication
but will soon rise again. Misalignment normally affects the
bearings on both sides of the coupling or at both ends of
the shaft.
Cavitation and similar interference
The shock pulse pattern caused by a cavitating pump or by
persistent rubbing is identical with that from a dry running
bearing. You have an interference signal when the shock
pulse level is highest outside of the bearing housing and
is not affected by lubricating the bearing.
If you cannot remove the cause of interference, you have a
“blind spot”: up to a certain level, the interference signal
will mask the signal from one or more bearings. However,
you may still be able to detect bearing damage. When the
dBm rises above the interference level, it must be caused
by something else – probably bad bearing condition. In
that case, lubricating the bearing should cause the value
to drop, at least temporarily.
Cavita-
tion
Poor lubrica-
tion
dBm
dBc