STEP 1 STEP 2
_ Performance requirements and operating conditions
%
Bearing type and arrangement
STEP 3 STEP 4
W Bearing size & Lubrication
STEP 5 STEP 6
* Operating temperature and speed ( Bearing interfaces
STEP 7 STEP 8
) Bearing execution + Sealing, mounting and dismounting
Lubricating greases slowly degrade and therefore have a limited life. Rolling bearings have to be relubricated if:
Section navigation
The grease life is shorter than the specified bearing life.
The grease becomes contaminated.
Lubrication
Grease life depends mainly on:
Selecting grease or oil
Bearing type and size
Grease type
Speed Selecting a suitable grease
Load ratio C/P
Operating temperature Grease life and relubrication
Relubrication should occur frequently enough to avoid grease deterioration having an adverse effect on the bearing life. Therefore, the SKF Determining grease quantities for initial fill and relubrication
relubrication interval, tf, is defined as the time at the end of which there is only a 1% probability that the bearing will fail because of grease
degradation. This represents the L1 grease life. To compare grease life with the specified bearing life, you can use the L10 grease life, which Selecting a suitable oil
represents a 10% probability failure because of grease degradation. You can find information about the grease life of sealed bearings in the
relevant product sections. The L10 grease life can also be estimated by multiplying the relubrication interval (L1 grease life) by a factor of 2.7.
Different greases perform differently under different conditions and for different bearing types. Therefore, comprehensive testing is done on all
SKF greases to ensure grease quality and to provide recommendations to estimate grease performance. As results from testing, two concepts
have been introduced to evaluate grease performance:
1. Grease performance factor (GPF)
High performance greases can extend relubrication intervals and grease life. To quantify the varying grease performance, SKF has introduced
a grease performance factor. It describes the grease performance in a radial ball bearing compared to a baseline grease with GPF=1. The
grease performance factor does not include effects from grease contamination.
2. The SKF traffic light concept
SKF has determined the operating temperature ranges, in which grease life and relubrication intervals can be estimated reliably. For more
information, refer to The SKF traffic light concept for grease temperature performance.
Relubrication intervals can be estimated by using SKF Product select. The tool enables consideration of more operating conditions than
described in the following method for manual estimates. This includes estimates for greases with a grease performance factor (GPF) other than 1
or for temperatures below the low temperature performance limit (LTPL). Below the LTPL, the tool does a linear interpolation down to a
relubrication interval of 0 h at the LTTL (low temperature torque limit). For more information about the temperature limits, refer to The SKF traffic
light concept for grease temperature performance.
1. Relubrication interval for standard conditions
Use diagram 1 to estimate the relubrication intervals tf. The diagram is valid for bearings with a rotating inner ring on horizontal shafts under
normal and clean operating conditions. The relubrication interval tf is the estimated number of operating hours that a grease with a GPF of 1 can
perform adequately when the operating temperature is 70 °C (160 °F).
Input parameters are:
The ndm factor multiplied by the relevant bearing factor bf where
n = rotational speed [r/min]
dm = bearing mean diameter [mm] = 0,5 (d + D)
bf = bearing factor dependent on bearing type and load conditions (table 1)
The load ratio C/P
2. Adjust the relubrication interval for deviating conditions
Adjust the relubrication interval given in diagram 1 when the following applies:
Operating condition / bearing type Description Recommended adjustment of tf Reason for adjustment
Operating temperature For every 15 °C (27 °F) above 70 °C Halve the interval. To account for the accelerated
(160 °F) up to the high temperature ageing of grease at higher
performance limit (HTPL) temperatures
For 15 °C (27 °F) under 70 °C (160 Double the interval, maximum once. To account for the reduced
°F) For full complement and for thrust bearings, risk of ageing of grease at
do not extend the interval. lower temperatures
Shaft orientation Bearings mounted on a vertical Halve the interval. The grease tends to leak out
shaft due to gravity
Vibration High vibration or acceleration levels Reduce the interval. Interval reduced depending
on machine specific
instructions (e.g. vibrating
screen)
Outer ring rotation Outer ring rotation or eccentric Calculate the speed as nD rather than ndm The grease has a shorter
shaft weight grease life under these
conditions
Contamination 1. Extreme or high cleanliness No need to adjust the interval. To reduce the damaging
Levels of contamination are in Typical for sealed bearings or effects caused by
accordance with ISO 281. For bearings protected by efficient contaminants
details, refer to table 1 on page external sealing (no or nearly no
Contamination factor, ηc. ingress of contaminants)
2. Normal cleanliness Reduce the interval by 20% (use a reduction
Typical for bearings with shields or factor of 0.8).
bearings protected by adequate
external sealing (slight ingress of
contaminants)
3. Slight or typical contamination Halve the interval.
Typical for open bearings and
moderate external sealing (some
ingress of contaminants)
4. Severe contamination Reduce the interval by 70% (use a reduction
Typical for open bearings and poor factor of 0.3). Do not apply GPF > 1.
external sealing (ingress of
contaminants)
5. Very severe contamination Use continuous lubrication.
Typical for open bearings in highly
contaminated environments and
insufficient external sealing (high
ingress of contaminants)
Bearing size Bearings with a bore diameter Reduce the interval by a factor 0.5 initially. If These are typically critical
d > 300 mm grease samples taken before relubrication arrangements, which require
are found to be satisfactory, the strict, frequent relubrication
relubrication interval can be increased programmes.
gradually.
Cylindrical roller bearings Bearings fitted with J, JA, JB, MA, Halve the interval. Some cage designs require
MB, ML, MP and PHA cages (For P, PH, M and MR cages, there is no need higher oil bleeding from the
for adjustment.) grease.
3. Limit the relubrication interval
In practice, relubrication intervals above 30 000 hours are not reliable, because intervals of that length exceed the predictable performance life
(because of lubricant ageing) of most greases.
Select a relubrication procedure that suits the application and the relubrication interval tf. SKF recommends one of the following procedures:
Manual relubrication by replenishment is a convenient procedure. It enables uninterrupted operation and provides, when compared with
continuous relubrication, a lower steady-state temperature.
Automatic (centralized) relubrication avoids performance issues related to over- or under-greasing. This is also commonly used where there are
multiple points to lubricate, or where access to positions is difficult, or where equipment is operated remotely with no local maintenance staff
(diagram 3).
Continuous lubrication is used when the estimated relubrication intervals are short because of the adverse effects of very severe
contamination. Continuous lubrication of applications is recommended typically with ndm values < 150 000 for ball bearings and < 75 000 for
roller bearings. In these cases, the initial grease fill for the housing can be from 70% to 100% (depending on the operation condition and
housing seal), and the quantity for relubrication per unit of time is derived from the equations for Gp (Determining grease quantity for initial fill
and relubrication) by spreading the required quantity over the relubrication interval.
Continuous lubrication can be achieved via singlepoint or multipoint automatic lubricators, e.g. SKF’s SYSTEM 24 or SYSTEM MultiPoint.
Centralized lubrication systems, such as SKF MonoFlex, SKF ProFlex, SKF DuoFlex, SKF MultiFlex (table 3) and Lincoln Centro Matic, Quicklub
and Dual Line can reliably deliver grease in a wide range of quantities. For additional information about SKF lubrication systems, refer to
Lubrication management.
There must be provision for the used grease to be purged from the housing. If an excess of used grease needs to be purged from the housing,
contacting seals must allow for this (consider seal type and seal orientation). Otherwise, an escape hole should be provided in the housing –
tubing is not allowed, because it can restrict grease escape. The escape hole should be plugged during high-pressure cleaning.
Where a variety of bearing types is used in a bearing arrangement, it is common practice to apply the shortest estimated relubrication interval
from the bearings in the arrangement.