Failure Analysis

No one likes to hear the words “bearing failure”. Well, except the failure analysis nerds. Truth is, it can happen anywhere and at any point of operation. Before this gets too scary, let’s talk about what failure means. An obvious failure is when the bearing breaks apart, sirens begin sounding and everything stops moving! On a less-dramatic note, the point of failure is more about when a bearing is observed to be operating in a manner not intended. When your bearing starts misbehaving, Spyraflo can help you figure out why.



Common bearing misbehaviors may include:



• Falling apart/into pieces
• Squealing
• Grinding/making strange noises
• Binding/Sticking
• It smells funny/changed colors
• It started smoking
• Not getting along with mating shaft
• Needs constant relubrication



The process of determining what caused a failure may be as simple as visual observation or may require intricate metallurgical evaluation. No need to be shy, we see a variety of failure causes. The benefit of failure analysis goes beyond knowing why a failure occurred by offering solutions that may prevent future failures. Solutions may include bearing replacement as part of regular maintenance, adjusting bearing placement or mechanical interaction within an assembly or by providing an alternate bearing better suited for the job.