Monitor your asset’s lubrication effectively with ALS’s Ultrasound Based Lubrication Services.
Bearing failures are continually linked with lubrication related issues. Whether caused by over- or under-lubrication, or an incorrect lubrication use or management, the consequences of premature bearing failure can snowball to equipment failure, costly remedial work and unplanned downtime. When ultrasound technology is used to manage an asset’s lubrication, these poor greasing practices can be effectively addressed, and optimum lubrication can be achieved.
Ultrasonic bearing inspection uses a sensing probe to individually monitor an asset’s bearings. As ultrasound is a localized signal, crosstalk does not influence the inspection and each bearing can be independently assessed. Overall, this ultrasound approach gives technicians greater control of an inspection and greater reporting for ongoing management.
The ALS Approach
ALS’s ultrasound based lubrication service is designed to remove the variables from a client’s lubrication program. The ultrasound approach lubricates bearings by assessing an asset’s current condition rather than the traditional calculated replenishment rates.
This traditional approach fails to consider the impact of variables such as the machine’s run time age, seal condition, and operating condition when calculating the required grease amounts to be added for replenishing a bearing’s lubricant.
ALS’s simple approach follows the below three steps:
- Performing an initial decibel (dB) reading to establish a baseline;
- Adding grease as instructed until the bearing is lubricated to the optimum level; and,
- Saving the reading for future reference.
ALS’s ultrasound units can be used on any machines that are grease lubricated, above 300 RPM and safe to access with a magnet sensor whilst in-service.
Using ALS’s ultrasound approach, the units can detect the four below conditions:
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Lubrication successful: |
Where the correct grease amount is applied to have the bearing at optimum lubrication. |
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Over lubricated: |
In general, every 10°C temperature rise above 65°C cuts the service life of the lubrication in half. If an application is unknowingly over-lubricated, the lubricant may be offering little or no protection. |
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Suspected bearing failure: |
When screening the bearing condition using the Crest Factor Algorithm, the unit can detect early signs of potential bearing faults. When such sign is present, ALS recommends further exploration through Vibration Analysis to inspect the bearing condition further. |
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Shorten interval: |
When the applied grease amount required is considerably higher than the estimated amount from the initial work pack or calculation, the ultrasound unit will indicate the need for a shortened greasing interval. In turn, this will reduce the risk of bearing failure and enable the bearing to remain at optimum lubrication on the routine greasing route. |
With ALS, clients can remain confident in their asset’s lubrication and bearing’s reliability, with friction and metal-on-metal contact remaining minimal. Our technicians are experts in identifying bearing concerns and achieving optimum lubrication.