Whether in terms of installation or operational maintenance, numerous external factors can impact the service life of rolling bearings, such as improper installation or inadequate maintenance. Let us share the common factors that influence bearing longevity.

1. Analysis of Installation Factors

For instance: the installation of bearing housing cover plates and seals on conveyor roller bearings significantly affects bearing performance. The bearing housing cover installation directly affects the radial clearance of the bearing. Insufficient clearance can cause bearing overheating, accelerate wear, and prevent the bearing from achieving its full wear resistance potential. It may also lead directly to bearing seizure. Therefore, before installing the cover, correctly use green paper to adjust the cover position.

The installation quality of the bearing housing seal (skeleton oil seal) affects the corrosion rate of the bearing. Roller conveyor bearing housings operate in water-rich environments. Seal damage during installation or incorrect fitting methods can allow water ingress, introducing iron oxide impurities that accelerate corrosion of bearing components. When installing skeleton oil seals, avoid mechanical damage and ensure the lip faces outward from the bearing housing. 2. Bearing Maintenance Factors

For example, conveyor roller maintenance comprises routine upkeep, operational inspections, and fault resolution.

Bearing daily maintenance primarily involves lubrication. With adequate lubrication, even in demanding environments, bearing service life can reach 5 to 10 years (approximately 20 to 30 million revolutions). However, under poor lubrication conditions, bearing life may drop to around 3 months (approximately 9 million revolutions). Continuous, sufficient lubrication enables bearings to achieve a significantly extended service life. Should oil supply be delayed, bearing lifespan becomes markedly reduced in challenging conditions involving high moisture, elevated temperatures, or significant dust exposure.

Operational inspection of bearings primarily involves monitoring housing temperatures. Bearing housings on rollers positioned before and after the rolling line typically maintain temperatures around 40°C. Even during the initial stages of wear affecting the bearing cage or rolling elements, housing temperatures remain relatively low, not exceeding 43–45°C. However, as internal components wear further and contaminants accumulate, the housing temperature will rise to 45–50°C. At this stage, rolling element load distribution becomes increasingly uneven, potentially leading to fracture or displacement. Should rolling elements fracture or become misaligned, the bearing housing experiences a rapid temperature surge accompanied by smoke emission and bearing seizure. The housing temperature measurement point will then escalate to 150–170°C. At this stage, the bearing is completely worn out.

To achieve a longer service life for bearings, timely cleaning and grease replacement should be performed during the early stages of wear. Additionally, the position of the bearing housing cover should be readjusted by appropriately adding or removing shims. This practice extends bearing longevity.

3. Environmental Factors

Despite the complex operating conditions of rolling bearings in medium-thickness plate production lines—such as heavy loads, high speeds, and high moisture—which impact bearing lifespan, continuous efforts can improve the on-site environment to create more favourable conditions for bearings (e.g., adding cushion pads to bearing housing bases, applying waterproof coatings to housings). This approach extends bearing service life.

Rolling bearings are precision mechanical components manufactured to exacting standards by specialised factories. Among the numerous economic and technical indicators affecting rolling bearings, the service life metric provides the most direct, rapid, and comprehensive reflection of bearing quality. Despite meticulous design considerations from conception to overall structural planning, unforeseen oversights or external factors can significantly curtail bearing service life. Through systematic investigations, analysis of extensive background materials, data, and failure modes, the primary causes of bearing failure can be identified. This enables the formulation of targeted improvement measures to extend bearing operational periods.