The consequences of bearing failure can be very serious, including injury to workers as well as costly downtime for unplanned maintenance. Failure can also cause damage to other components in the application, so it is vital to conduct proper maintenance of all bearings. Yorkshire’s YB Components supply many different models and brands of bearing and can provide the exact replacement you need whenever a bearing is at risk of failure from wear and tear.
Here we look closer at the consequences of allowing bearings to continue operating past their service life.
Unplanned Maintenance and Downtime
As an experienced bearings supplier in Yorkshire, we know that one of the major consequences of bearing failure is the unplanned maintenance and machinery downtime. It is possible that bearing failure occurs during scheduled downtime for maintenance, but the slim chance that the planets will align as such is just not worth taking.
Replacement parts may be easy to get from a bearings supplier like Yorkshire’s YB Components, but it will still means hours of downtime even if it happens early enough in the day and you are able to order replacements for same day delivery. It is better to have the replacement bearings ready in storage.
The impact of machinery downtime can be quite severe, as it means a loss of production. Important deadlines may be missed which can have a detrimental effect on supply contracts. As downtime causes a loss of production, it also means a loss of revenue.
Damage to Other Components
Another major consequence of bearing failure is the potential for it to cause damage to surrounding or connected components or equipment. This includes the likes of shafts, electric motors and bearing housings. It is not just the bearing failure that can cause this additional damage, but also the reactive – and often rushed – maintenance that is performed as a result of the unexpected failure.
You can limit any potential damage to other components by shutting down the application as soon as bearing failure is suspected. Once failure is confirmed, all connected components or surrounding equipment should be thoroughly inspected for any signs of damage.
Of course, it is much better to monitor the bearings and ensure they are replaced before they reach the point of failure.
Potential Harm to Workers
Unplanned or reactive maintenance is significantly more likely to result in worker injury than planned and scheduled maintenance. This is the human cost of premature bearing failure which should always be the priority concern.
If you require any bearings for industrial applications, then contact YB Components who are the UK’s leading bearings supplier in Yorkshire. We keep local stocks of bearings in Yorkshire and they are ready to ship out fast and free all over the UK and the rest of the world.