Bearing Damage Index
The Root Cause of Damage
The vast majority of fluid film bearings give excellent service over long periods of time. When bearings do suffer damage, the cause may be obscure. Often, damage is the result of several failure modes combined.
The bearings themselves are often blamed, but while faulty design or manufacture of the bearings may be responsible, the cause is more frequently external to the bearing.
Identify Problems and Solutions
This Bearing Damage Index is intended to inform operators regarding the likely causes of bearing damage and to identify possible responses and solutions.*
The final decision on how to address bearing damage must be based on the nature and severity of the damage and on the significance of the type of damage. As each application’s operating conditions are unique, decisions should be made in partnership with qualified engineers.
Types of Bearing Damage
*This information is given in good faith but no guarantee is given or implied in respect of such information. Please see our complete Terms of Use.
Bearing Damage Poster
Download our Fluid Film Bearing Damage poster for a handy reference for identifying common types of damage. Photos and descriptions are provided to assist in understanding each type of damage. Potential solutions to mitigate the problem or address the root cause are also identified.
The poster is available for download in several sizes. Complete the form below to download the 24″ x 36″ size and to receive an email with additional file options.
Related Resources
- Hydrodynamic Bearing Damage and Remediation of Contributing Factors in Rotating Machinery (9th EDF/Pprime [LMS] Poitiers Workshop, 2010)
- Fluid Film Bearing Fundamentals and Failure Analysis (Proceedings of the 20th Turbomachinery Symposium, 1991)
- Plain Bearing Damage (Proceedings of the 4th Turbomachinery Symposium, 1976)
