New Bearings Are Gateway To Digitalization And IIoT

Recorded data transfer via a gateway to the Schaeffler cloud, where engineers can take advantage of the company’s rolling-bearing domain expertise. For example, automated rolling bearing diagnosis and remaining useful life calculations can provide precise information on the condition of the bearing and, thus, of the machine being monitored. That, in turn, lets experts recommend specific follow-up actions. It will even be possible to use actual load data to make adjustments to machine operations and processes in real time.

In one case, measuring radial shaft displacement in the bearing lets the software determine the radial force on the sensor bearing. If the model for a specific powertrain is stored in the Schaeffler cloud as an algorithm in the Bearinx calculation software, then forces, displacements and torques on other bearings, gears and other machine elements can also be determined indirectly from these data. This means that the most important values for monitoring process parameters in machines and equipment are known, and that provides significant added benefits for the operator. For instance, information on overloading can be easily recorded and used to limit torques or even switch off the drive if necessary.

Or the concept of digitalizing production can include monitoring machine processes in terms of vibration, force, temperature and pressure and provide critical data for predictive maintenance. Sensors can record information on the operating conditions of individual bearing in a drivetrain and transfer these data to the cloud for analysis and evaluation. Maintenance technicians, in turn, can access the data worldwide via an Internet connection for a report on the machine’s condition at any time. Finally, operators can receive text messages about analyzed damage and can plan maintenance measures before sudden breakdowns occur.

The first range of VarioSense bearings is available for commonly used 6205 to 6210 Series ball bearings. The VarioSense bearings are supplied with an interface box for power supply (in a range from 4.5 to 30 V), signal processing and networking.

Interest from potential customers is wide-ranging, said the company. Suitable applications for the sensor bearings include pumps and electric motors, drives for agricultural and construction machinery, electric vehicles and fork-lift trucks to wind turbines, conveyors and elevators.

Rolling bearings are ideally suited for gathering information, noted Schaeffler officials, because they are located at the heart of a machine’s flow of force and, thus, exposed to all the loads. Combining them with domain expertise about rolling bearings in specific applications made available via the cloud lets this information be used to control processes in a targeted manner. The end results are maximum capacity utilization and optimized product quality. The prerequisite for this is a holistic and standardized infrastructure from the sensor through to the cloud, which Schaeffler now provides with its Smart EcoSystem.

Original article can be found here

Darbar Company is one of the leading suppliers of Power Transmission Products. Consumers in Pakistan looking for bearing products can contact us here

New Bearings Are Gateway To Digitalization and IIoT (Part 1)

In a recent presentation at this year’s Hannover Fair in Germany, Stefan Spindler, CEO of the Industrial Group at Schaeffler AG outlined the company’s vision for the future. Schaeffler has one of the broadest ranges of rolling bearings and power-transmission products in the industry, offers extensive engineering expertise for its customers and strives for the highest possible quality, efficiency and delivery performance, he said

In addition, noted Spindler, the company views Industry 4.0 and digitalization as key opportunities going forward. He spoke in detail about Schaeffler’s Smart EcoSystem, a digital infrastructure for integrating sensor-equipped components into cloud-based systems and specific business models based on digital service—and how it all ultimately benefits the user.

Smart EcoSystem is a comprehensive, cloud-based hardware and software infrastructure that takes into account every stage of digital added value—from components equipped with sensors through to digital services like tracking machine performance and predictive maintenance, he explained.

Components like rolling bearings equipped with sensors are the fundamental “enablers” for these digital services. Schaeffler’s aim is to continuously transform conventional mechanical products and integrate them into the digital world. While bearings and guidance systems equipped with sensors have been on the market for several years, Schaeffler has expanded such capabilities with the new FAG VarioSense rolling-bearing system—one key component of the Smart EcoSystem. It is based on standard products and can be configured in a modular fashion with several different sensors, which allows virtually every desired parameter to be monitored and permits easy access to digitalization and the Internet of Things.

FAG VarioSense bearings integrate several sensor elements into a ring-shaped housing with a section height of only 7 mm. The sensor cluster occupies approximately the same space as a rotary shaft seal, said company officials. For simple handling, the sensor housing is fixed to the outer ring and the sensor ring is fixed to the bearing inner ring, resulting in a compact overall unit.

Customers can set the number and combination of measured values for a specific application. Sensing parameters include:
• Temperature from -40° to 125°C.
• Speed up to 17,000 rpm.
• Rotation direction.
• Number of revolutions or position with 56 to 96 impulses/revolutions (depending on size).
• Vibration signals for long-term trending.
• Maximum radial shaft displacement to a resolution of 1 µm.

The original article can be found here

Darbar Company is one of the leading suppliers of Power Transmission Products. Consumers in Pakistan looking for bearing products can contact us here

Avoiding Bearings "Made in Wherever"

You can always tell when times are good in the automotive market due to the flurry of acquisitions, mergers and divestitures. As we are coming off a record 2016 in vehicle sales, many companies are flush with cash burning a hole in their billion-dollar pockets. There isn’t enough front-page space for the number of companies reporting record profits for 2016. Others, however, realize that if they didn’t see black in 2015-16, the writing is on the wall and it is likely time to start looking for a willing buyer ready to spend some new money on a discounted, struggling company.

As they say around here, “If you can’t beat ‘em, buy ‘em.”

In Detroit we saw some huge, industry-changing acquisitions, with AAM buying Metaldyne; Dana buying part of USM; and FCA looking for a buyer while GM is in THE process of dumping Opel. Many companies are doubling down on domestic manufacturing; meanwhile,  Chinese companies continue to aggressively invest in U.S. markets.

All of this churn in the marketplace can make it tricky to differentiate the real competition from dotted line allies. As we deal with the Big 6 global bearing companies — Timken, SKF, NTN, NSK, JTEKT, Schaeffler — and an ever-increasing powerhouse — Nachi, along with the emerging Chinese behemoths ZWZ, LYC, HRB, TMB, Wanxiang, C&U and CW — you may be frequently left with the question of who exactly is doing what. Out of the thousands and thousands of bearing companies, (someone told me there were around 9,000 bearing companies in Ningbo China alone) only a small fraction is actually producing bearings. Indeed, the companies mentioned above produce well over 90% of the world’s bearings. Of course, many, many smaller bearing companies do produce their own products. In global terms however, those numbers make up a very small part of the market. Supporting this ~ $70 billion roller bearing marketplace are what I would call assemblers, partial manufacturers, resellers, re-branders and distributors.

Now, more than ever before, it is common for bearing companies to purchase components that are in the least bit unfavorable to the bottom line. In this incredibly competitive marketplace the public companies need to show profitability to keep the stock price stable. This often means that if they are faced with the option of producing a custom ring at a single digit or flat rate of return, they are likely to shop out the business to another manufacturer. These deals are usually kept very close to the vest for obvious reasons, a major one being that if you spent tens of millions of dollars in marketing to tell people that your product is the best, people expect it to be your product.

The point I am making is the need to hold your suppliers accountable. Often a large supplier will not tell you whom they are buying your components from, but you absolutely have the right to know where your parts are being manufactured. If you are paying top dollar for what you believe to be top quality steel from a top quality producer, you don’t need to be shy about asking questions. If you can’t get a plant tour of where your bearings are being manufactured, there is a good chance it is because they are buying it somewhere else. If they are buying cheaper offshore rings — and then finishing them in a high-priced manufacturing country so that they can stamp them with “Made in Wherever” — you have some work to do, my friend.

The original article can be found on: PowerTransmissions Blog

Darbar Company is one of Pakistan's leading distributor of various types of bearings. Check out our home page to see which brands of bearings we carry

Avoid These 3 Mistakes When Lubricating Bearings

Friction is all around us. Without it we would find it very difficult to run, walk, or eve stand on our own two feet. We need friction to drive our cards and fly our airplanes; and we need friction for our motors to drive pumps. But when it comes to our plant machinery, friction is both friend and foe. If part of your job is greasing plant machinery, then you know well the battle against frictional forces that threatens the useful life of rolling element bearings

Lubrication of rolling element bearing is one of the most misunderstood and abused tasks in industry. Can it be true that 40% of bearings never live to their engineered life cycle and that bad lubrication practices are the leading cause of this mortality? Bearings depend on grease to reduce friction levels. By avoiding three common mistakes when greasing bearings, you can predict the right time to grease, know how much grease to apply, and be confident in the bearing’s overall health.

Mistake No.1 – Lubricating based on TIME instead of CONDITION

Lubricating a bearing once per week or once per month may seem like a sensible thing to do. After all, performing scheduled maintenance at regular periods is an age-old concept.

Bearings need grease for one reason only; to reduce friction. As long as the lubricant is performing that service well, there should be no need to change it, or add more.

Yet we frequently do, with catastrophic results.

Lubricating a bearing just because your calendar told you “time is up!” is the first mistake. Monitor, measure and trend friction levels with ultrasound to know when it is the right time to grease.

Mistake No.2 – Over and under lubrication

 The second mistake we must avoid is adding too much, or not enough grease. Too much grease builds pressure, pushing the rolling elements through the fluid film and against the outer race. The bearing now has to work much harder to push the rolling elements through a mud bog of grease.

The increased friction and pressure from too much grease raises the temperature inside the bearing. Excess heat could decrease the effectiveness of the lubricant causing the oil to separate from the thickener. Not adding enough grease has the same life-shortening effect.

How do we know when just the right amount of grease has been added? By monitoring the friction level with ultrasound as new grease is applied… slowly, one shot at a time. Listen to the bearing and measure the drop in friction as the grease flows in to the bearing. As the decibel level approaches a minimum value and stabilizes pay close attention. Add single shots. Should the decibel level begin to increase slightly, stop! The job is done.

Mistake No.3 – Using a “Listen-Only” ultrasound instrument

 Like any job there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Simply listening to a bearing with an ultrasound device that gives no measurement feedback is a recipe for disaster. The audible feedback alone is too subjective to draw any comparative conclusions. No two people hear the same and there is no way to remember what the bearing sounded like a month ago.

The third mistake is depending solely on subjective ultrasound noise when precise quantifiable data is available. Therefore, always use an ultrasound instrument with digital decibel metering. Better still, use a device that provides multiple condition indicators. Max RMS and Peak dB measurements indicate alarm levels and greasing intervals while Ultrasonic Crest Factor provide insight about the bearing condition in relation to its lubricant. Crest factor helps us differentiate between bearings that need grease and bearings that need to be replaced.

Clear benefits of avoiding the three mistakes

Ultrasound assisted lubrication of plant assets offers significant benefits that calendar-based lubrication cannot. Lubrication serves a primary purpose, which is to create a thin layer of lubricant between rolling and sliding elements that reduces friction. So it makes sense that the best way to determine the lubrication requirement of a machine is to monitor friction levels; not time in service.

Optimizing lubrication of plant machinery with ultrasound will result in a significant reduction in grease consumption. Having an ultrasound program in place will help create a better culture involving cleaner storage practices, sampling, and avoiding mixing greases.

Machines that are properly lubricated require less energy to run. Imagine that reducing the amount of money spent on grease will actually lead to lower energy bills. Machines that consume less electricity run cooler and machines that run cooler have longer life cycles.

Ok, the real reason to optimize bearing lubrication is to extend the life of bearings by making sure they have the right amount of grease, but not too much. When everything is running according to plan lube-techs will spend less time greasing bearings that do not need it. So when counting up the benefits of your ultrasounds program do not forget to add “decreased labor” to the long list.

Finally, by monitoring the condition of your machinery’s lubrication, you are at the same time collecting valuable condition data about the machine itself. Dynamic and static ultrasound data coupled with condition indicators such as Overall RMS, Max RMS, Peak, and Crest Factor are all indicators of bearing health. A practice that does not use this SDT combination is not a real solution when lubricating bearings. Who knew so much good could come from such a simple shift from calendar to condition based maintenance? Now you know.

Darbar Company is Pakistan's leading supplier of Bearings, Timing Belts, and Roller Chains. Our bearings are of the highest quality and require little maintenance. We can guarantee you that our bearings will perform far better than any other on the market, and our prices are very competitive as well. 

Original article extracted from Bearing-News magazine

Three more bearing killers and how to stop them: Part 2

Bearing failure can grind your operations to a halt, resulting in significant lost time and production. Here are the last three of our six common factors that can cause bearings to fail, and what you can do to prevent them.

#4: Contamination. Even the tiniest of foreign particles can interfere with the lubrication that enables a bearing to function as intended. There are a number of contamination sources, depending on the application. Shop dust, sand, fine metal particles from nearby machining, water and dirt can all interfere with the lubricant that keeps a bearing operating, and can damage the bearing itself. Particles rolling through the bearings and rolling elements will cause premature damage, increasing stress and shortening overall bearing life.

The best protection against contamination is a proper seal, which must be matched with the given application to offer the best possible performance. This information should be available through the bearing manufacturer. Generally, seals should be regularly checked for hardening and cracking around the radial lip; they should be replaced as soon as possible if any visible damage is detected.

Contamination can occur at other points in the bearing lifecycle. Technicians should routinely test oil and grease samples for solid particles. Additionally, when bearings are removed for inspection, technicians should make sure to wash, dry and then coat bearings with the appropriate preservative before packing away, using the proper storage techniques.

#5: Overloading. Bearings are designed and engineered to operate at specified loads, and when pushed beyond those limits, trouble can occur. Overloaded bearings can fracture components, and left unchecked can lead to more serious damage or consequences.

Like overheating, warning signs of overloaded bearings should be monitored constantly. Abnormal noises and vibrations, overheating, the presence of metallic chips in lubricant filters, and overall diminished performance of the bearing can all indicate that a bearing is operating beyond its load limits. The higher the overload, the greater the damage. Other indications include the fatigue, pitting or flaking away of bearing materials, roller fracture, peeling, and potential plastic deformation or subsurface fracture of the rolling elements or raceways.

#6: Corrosion. Bearing applications in harsher industrial environments are more susceptible to corrosive damage caused by rogue fluids or corrosive atmospheres that can interfere with the protective lubricant. Corrosion can lead to wear, which can, in turn, lead to bearing failure

Like overloading, subpar performance due to corrosion can often be detected by increased vibration and noise during operation. Corrosion can be identified by reddish and brown discoloration found on the bearings and raceways—not to be confused with the discoloration caused by overheating. Ensuring the use of proper seals and that those seals are not damaged, is one of the best ways to prevent corrosion on the bearing and raceways. External seals can also be used in more extreme environments if necessary.

Thorough documentation of your bearing installation and maintenance processes can help ensure technicians are being diligent in their monitoring of these common causes of bearing failure. Recordkeeping can help identify trends in bearing performance, forecasted maintenance, and the length of service intervals. Include date, equipment model and serial numbers, bearing assembly and serial number, and the bearing’s manufacturer in your documentation.

In many cases, bearing damage can progress over time. Periodic or continuous condition monitoring (vibration, temperature, lubricant sampling, etc.) can aid equipment and process operators define trends over a bearing lifecycle. Establishing specific operating limits can help define the most appropriate interval for bearing replacement.

Armed with this information, more informed decisions can be made to ensure operations keep your business running smoothly, efficiently and profitably.

Darbar Company is Pakistan's leading wholesale distributor in Power Transmission products. Darbr Company carries over a million types of bearing ranging from Needle, Ball and etc. You can send your specific inquiries by filling out this form

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Read the original article at BearingTips: http://bit.ly/2lIiyHR