A ball race is a precision instrument that has been manufactured under highly controlled conditions. To ensure you get the maximum benefit from your bearings please follow the simple procedures below:
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- Keep bearings in a CLEAN, DRY sealed container in their original packing until ready for use.
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- Work in a CLEAN, DRY dust free environment i.e. sweep the bench and work on a CLEAN SURFACE: A sheet of corrosion resistant steel is ideal or other dust free non-absorbent surface that can be kept clean.
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- Avoid contamination from fingers; latex gloves or a barrier cream should be used when handling bearings or their mating parts.
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- Mating components and tools should be clean and burr free, your bearings are only as good as their mating components, out of round, high interference fits or miss-alignment will degrade bearing performance.
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- Sub-assemblies should be kept in a clean environment and covered when not in use.
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- When fitting bearings with an interference fit ensure the load is applied to the mating ring thus ensuring the FITTING FORCES ARE NOT PASSED THROUGH THE BALLS; use an appropriate tool that ensures the bearing is positioned parallel to bores and shafts.
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- ADHESIVES HAVE CAUSED THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF MANY BEARINGS: Keep the quantity to a minimum, wipe away any excess with a LINT FREE cloth or “bud”, remember the adhesive will be pushed towards the face of the bearing when inserting into the housing or onto the shaft.
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- EXTRA CARE WITH OPEN UNSHIELDED BEARINGS as contamination such as hair and skin can fall directly into the raceways.
We at Principle Engineering understand that it is not always possible to work in perfect conditions, that is why we hope these minimum standards will help you get the best results every time. If we can be of further assistance in the design or application please contact us.
