Knowing the basics of pump repair can simplify preventive maintenance.

Technical manuals with specifications like tolerance and pressures are important tools for troubleshooting hard-to-fix problems. General shop tools and a range of wrenches, sockets and screwdrivers are also helpful. Packing pullers, grease guns and the proper lubricants save time and money.

Rolling bearings are precision machine elements found in a wide variety of applications. They are typically reliable even under the toughest conditions. Under normal operating conditions, bearings have a substantial service life, which is expressed as either a period of time or as the total number of rotations before the rolling elements or inner and outer ring fatigue or fail. Less than 1 percent (0.35 percent specifically-see Figure 1) of rolling bearings do not reach their expected life. (Source: FAG Bearing Antriebtechnik 18 from 1979.)

Lubricants for rotating machinery primarily serve to separate rolling and sliding contact surfaces, protect highly finished bearing surfaces from corrosion, protect against contaminants (in the case of grease) and serve as a heat-transfer medium (in the case of oil). An effective lubricant management program-grounded in proper lubricant monitoring and analysis practices-can help reinforce these functions and, in the process, deliver vital information about the machinery's condition and health.

Babbitt Bearings

Babbitt bearings, frequently found in large steam turbines and generators in major power plants, can provide years of service if properly maintained. By using state-of-the-art technology and repair practices, aftermarket suppliers who specialize in Babbitt bearings can repair equipment and increase the life of Babbitt bearings by:

What is the secret to continuously baking or processing cakes, pizza, chicken, beer and thousands of other foods and beverages? Mechanical carbon materials used in the food processing equipment produce these foods safely and cost effectively. Oil/grease free, self-lubricating, mechanical carbon materials are used in conveyors on processing lines, packaging lines and food handling canning machines. Their use solves problems associated with typical oil/grease lubricants, which may contaminate food or cause equipment failure.