Effect of magnetism on ball bearing housings?
Hi! Hello everyone, as a supplier dealing with ball bearing housings for many years, we often encounter customers who ask: "There is magnetism around the equipment, will it have an effect on the bearing housing ah?" Ball bearing housing silently support the bearing operation, and magnetism this "invisible force field", seemingly and it does not match, but may quietly change its "working condition". Like a person in a strong magnetic field will feel uncomfortable, bearing housing in the magnetic environment, there may also be a variety of "minor problems". Today let's talk about, magnetic in the end will bring what impact to the ball bearing seat.
First, the adsorption of impurities: so that the bearing seat into a "magnet vacuum cleaner"
1. bearing seat is magnetized, become the impurity "adsorption source"
magnetism is most The direct impact is that it will make the ball bearing seat into a "magnet", crazy adsorption of ferromagnetic impurities around, like a dusty magnet, the more it sucks more and more, and ultimately affect the normal operation.
bearing seats are mostly made of cast iron or steel, and these materials themselves are easily magnetized. When in a strong magnetic field environment (such as motors, electromagnets nearby), the bearing housing will be magnetized, the surface produces magnetic. At this time, iron filings, iron powder, metal dust and other "small impurities" in the air will be firmly sucked in the bearing housing on the internal and external surfaces, especially in the gap between the bearing housing and the bearing fit.
2. Impurities into the running parts, causing damage
These impurities are like "small grains of sand", which will enter between the balls and raceways as the bearings rotate, and constantly friction and grinding, just like stuffing sand into the precision gears, which not only produces abnormal noise, but also scratches the raceway The surface of the raceway will also be scratched.
A motor factory bearing housing due to the proximity of strong magnets, running less than a month after the abnormal vibration, disassembled and found that the inner wall of the bearing housing adsorbed a layer of iron filings, balls covered with scratches, as if by the "sandpaper" sanding like. Clean up impurities and away from the magnetic field, the bearing housing to restore smooth operation.
Second, interference with precision: resulting in bearing housing positioning deviation
1. Magnetic fields produce an "invisible pull", triggering positional shifts
For ball bearing housings in precision equipment, magnetism also interferes with their positioning accuracy, making them as if they were "compass attracted by magnets", deviating from the correct running track.
In high-precision machine tools and measuring instruments, bearing housings need to maintain a stable position and angle, and the slightest deviation may affect the precision of the equipment. When the bearing seat is magnetized, it will produce mutual attraction or repulsion with the surrounding magnetic parts, and this "invisible pull" will make the bearing seat produce a small deviation.
2. Precision deviation affects the working effect of the equipment
For example, a bearing housing with an original positioning accuracy of 0.01mm may show a deviation of more than 0.03mm under the action of a strong magnetic field, just like a shooter aiming at the bull's-eye being pushed by a force on his arm, so the bullet naturally fails to hit the bull's-eye.
a precision grinding machine bearing seat due to the magnetic table near the processing parts of the roundness error from 0.005mm into 0.015mm, repeated checks only to find that the magnetic bearing seat caused by a slight shift, adjust the position away from the magnetic field, the accuracy is back to normal.
Third, exacerbate wear and tear: the bearing housing "early aging"
1. impurities grinding with the surface, expanding the gap
Magnetic adsorption of impurities not only scratches the bearings, but also exacerbate the wear and tear of the bearing housing itself, like the bearing housing of the "joints" of the bearing. "Joints" in the gravel, every move in the "grinding bone", leading to its "aging acceleration".
The iron filings that are adsorbed in the bearing housing and bearing mating surfaces will be constantly extruded and ground as the bearing rotates. On the one hand, these impurities will wear the bearing housing bore surface, so that the fit gap becomes larger, the original precision of the "tight fit" into a "loose fit", the bearing housing is like "loose braces ", unable to stabilize the fixed bearing.
2. Form a vicious cycle and shorten the service life
On the other hand, the new debris produced by grinding will be adsorbed again, forming a vicious cycle, just like the repeated inflammation of a wound after infection, which is difficult to heal.
The bearing seat of a conveying equipment operates in a magnetic environment for half a year, and the wear of the inner hole reaches 0.1mm, while under normal use, the wear of the same time is only 0.02mm, and the life span is directly shortened by two thirds.
Fourth, magnetized bearing components: causing increased wear on the bearings themselves
1. Bearing components become magnetized, increasing friction resistance
Magnetism not only affects the bearing housing, but also "affects" the internal ball bearings, causing the bearings themselves to become magnetized and thereby increasing wear, just like two people pulling and fighting each other, ultimately resulting in mutual damage.
The balls, inner rings, and outer rings of the bearing are made of steel and can be magnetized in a strong magnetic field. Magnetized balls and raceways generate additional magnetic attraction, akin to applying "glue" between them. When rotating, this force must be overcome, resulting in increased friction resistance.
2. Attracting more impurities, accelerating component damage
Additionally, magnetized components are more prone to attracting iron particles. These particles get trapped between the balls and raceways, acting like "small blades" that scrape the surfaces, accelerating bearing wear.
The bearing housing of a certain generator was exposed to a strong magnetic field for an extended period, causing the internal bearings to become magnetized. During operation, the temperature was 15°C higher than normal. Upon disassembly, it was found that the raceway was covered with fine scratches, which were caused by the iron filings adsorbed due to magnetization.
Fifth, affecting lubrication: causing changes in lubricant performance
1. Lubricant additives aggregate, forming sludge
Magnetism can also quietly alter the performance of lubricants, turning the "lubricant" in the bearing housing into a "troublemaker," much like adding low-quality engine oil to a machine-not only does it fail to lubricate, but it also causes problems.
Lubricating oil typically contains additives, some of which are polar. Under the influence of a strong magnetic field, these additives aggregate, much like a group of people being drawn together by an invisible force, forming sludge. This sludge can block lubricating oil passages, preventing the bearing housing and bearings from receiving adequate lubrication, leading to "dry friction."
2. Changes in lubricating oil viscosity, preventing the formation of a stable oil film
Additionally, magnetic fields may alter the viscosity of lubricating oil, causing it to become too thick or too thin, similar to how honey thickens at low temperatures and thins at high temperatures, preventing the formation of a stable oil film.
In a CNC machine tool, the bearing housing in a magnetic environment caused the lubricating oil to turn into a paste within less than a month, resulting in abnormal noise from the bearing housing. The issue was resolved after switching to magnetic-resistant lubricating oil and implementing magnetic shielding.
Summary
The impact of magnetic fields on ball bearing housings is like an "invisible interferer," quietly reducing their performance and lifespan through mechanisms such as adsorbing impurities, disrupting precision, accelerating wear, magnetizing components, and affecting lubrication. In a magnetic environment, bearing housings are like "running in mud"-they not only move slowly but are also prone to damage.
As users, it is essential to select appropriate bearing housings based on magnetic field strength-ordinary bearing housings can be used in weak magnetic field environments with enhanced cleaning, while non-magnetic materials (such as stainless steel 316) or magnetic shielding must be employed in strong magnetic field environments. Remember, understanding the effects of magnetism is key to maintaining the "healthy state" of bearing housings in various environments, ensuring stable equipment operation.
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