Bearing and Coupling Failure Analysis

KMC can offer technical support in diagnosing bearing and coupling damage and problem. Bearing Failure analysis is provided with recommendations to cure or eliminate the source of failure. Technical support is offered for bearing inspections, and supervisory support in bearing installation and trouble shooting. The types of failure and the tools utilized by our engineering and technical services group include, but are not limited to, the following:

Types of Failure

• Babbitt fatigue failures and cures
• Bond failures
• Brinelling and fretting wear in bearing pads and shells 
• Babbitt wiping and overload conditions
• Babbitt creep and thermal ratcheting
• Cavitation damage
• Electrical shaft currents damage
• Scoring by foreign matter or dirt
• Corrosion damage
• Pad flutter
• Porosity and blisters in babbitted bearings

Tools for Bearing Failure Analysis

• Metallurgical analysis of babbitted pads and bearing shells
• Experimental and analytical stress analysis of bearing components
• Macroscopic and microscopic analysis and micrographs of sectioned bearing parts
• Analysis of thrust bearing stresses and loads at static and misalignment conditions
• Vibration analysis and calculation of the static and dynamic loads on the bearings
• Analysis of power loss, heat generation, and lubricant flow requirements
• Inspection and analysis of bearing assembly and interference fits. This analysis takes into account both the housing and the bearing shell flexibility
• Testing of radial and thrust bearings for wide range of sizes and speeds
• Testing to measure power loss, bearing metal temperatures, oil inlet and outlet temperatures, stiffness and damping coefficients at various speeds and loading conditions
• Testing in oil, water, and other fluids to simulate actual lubricant conditions, especially for process lubricated bearings
• Testing dry running bearings in radial and thrust applications to experimentally determine the PV limits, operating temperature, friction coefficients, and wear rate