Bearing wear monitoring by ultrasound condition-based lubrication

The aim of this article is to develop a root cause fail identification technique in rolling bearings almost not known in Brazil up to now. This technique refers to the changing from traditional time-based lubrication, done upon manufacturers’ recommendation and formulas taken from classic abacus to condition based lubrication. Rolling bearing are mandatory parts in a large amount of equipments, especially in dinamics. The most known technic for fail identification is vibration analysis, in its lots of technology degrees. However in many times the identification is made in a stage of the fail where it is not possible to fix, only it is possible to monitore it. That situation happens because of data collection is made based in severity charts, and fail can propagate in a fast mode between collections. With this condition based technique, it follows to purpose to the other predictive maintenance technique known as lubrication, which is so many times undervalued inside industries, the aquisition of important information from bearing ultrasound data collection. Since this important model apparatus are given to that lubrication acts in order to help vibration analysis technique to avoid over greasing and preventing bearing lack of lubrication, inspection based on condition. Key words: rolling bearing, ultrasound, lubrication.