Tips For Test Running Motors With Roller Bearings
sustained damage by the time it starts
By Cyndi Nyberg
EASA Technical Support Specialist
Ball and sleeve bearing motors
can always be test run without any
type of external load on the motor and
bearings.
However, when repairing a motor
equipped with roller bearings that is
used in an application with a radial
load, such as a belted load, it is not
advisable to perform the standard no-
load test run for any length of time.
Yet the no-load test run is a crucial
step in the repair process to ensure
proper operation. Without that radial
load, the bearings can be damaged.
This article will describe two ways to
put a load on the shaft of a motor and
therefore the roller bearing, so that it
can be test run to ensure that it has
been properly repaired.
Minimum Load
On A Roller Bearing
Without a certain minimum radial
load on the roller bearing (Figure 1),
the rollers will skid. Once they begin
to skid, they will make noise, or
“squeal.” Unfortunately, when
bearings become noisy, what do we
instinctively do? We add grease to the
bearing, which silences it. The fact is
that the bearing will already have
The minimum load on a roller
to make noise.
By adding grease to it, we are only
masking the damage to the bearing
that will only get worse the longer it
runs without a load.
While the bearing may not fail
after a short time on the test stand,
any damage will certainly reduce its
life in service. That motor may come
back to the service center in a very
short period of time, probably within
the warranty period, with a failed
drive end bearing.
Figure 1. Typical roller bearing.
The best way to test-run a motor
with a roller bearing is to apply at
least the minimum radial load to the
bearing. Every bearing has a certain
minimum load requirement, based on
the type, size and speed, which can be
determined by calculation or by
contacting your bearing supplier.
Loading a roller bearing can be
accomplished in a number of ways.
Calculation Of Minimum Load
The minimum load requirement for
a roller bearing will depend on the
design, but it will be a fairly small
percentage of the bearing’s static load
rating.
EASA CURRENTS ■ July 2006
bearing can be calculated by using the
following equation:
2
Frm = kr x (6 + 4n/nr) x (dm/100)
where
Frm = minimum radial load, N
kr = minimum load factor
= 100 for bearings of series 10
= 150 for bearings of series 2XX,
3XX and 4XX (e.g. 215, 318, etc.)
= 200 for bearings of series 22XX
= 250 for bearings of series 23XX
n = operating speed, rpm
nr = speed rating for oil lubrication,
rpm, from bearing manufacturer’s
tables
dm = mean diameter of bearing
= 0.5 x (d + D), in mm
Example:
Calculate the minimum load required
for an 1800 rpm machine with a
315 roller bearing:
kr = 150
n = 1800
nr = 4000
dm = 0.5 x (75+160) = 117.5
Frm = kr x (6 + 4n/nr) x (dm/100)
2
Frm = 150 x (6 + (4 x 1800/4000)) x
2
(117.5/100)
Frm = 1615N
To convert the Newtons calculated to
pounds or kilograms, use the
following equations:
Pounds = Frm x 0.2248
Kilograms = Frm x 0.1019
For this example, determine the force
required for the minimum bearing
load:
Frm = 1619N
1619N x 0.2248 = 363 lb.
1619N x 0.1019 = 165 kg
Continued On Page 2
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 Tips For Test Running Motors With Roller Bearings
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Rollers
Figure 2. A non-marring roller.

Method 1. Bottle Jack On Shaft

After the minimum load require-
ment has been calculated, now the
question is how is that load applied to Scale Bottle Jack
the shaft? One method to apply load
to a shaft with roller bearings is to set Figure 3. Apply upward force on the plate.
up a bottle jack with a pair of non-
load” current, speed and vibration on one end and just a base on the
marring rollers (Figure 2). Make sure
readings, without potentially damag- other. This is illustrated in Figure 3.
that the load capability for the pair of
ing the bearings. Using simple physics and statics, we
rollers exceeds the load you are
For safety, make certain that the know that if the bottle jack is exactly
placing onto the shaft. It is also a
output shaft has a guard to prevent centered between the scale and the
good idea to use rollers that have a
accidental contact. other end of the channel iron, both the
larger diameter than the motor shaft,
Since the actual force applied to scale and the base will carry equal
so the peripheral speed of the rollers
the shaft will not be known, here is a load. So the scale reading would be
will be lower than the motor shaft.
useful tip: Use a scale under the half the applied load.
To set up the arrangement, mount
rollers. That way, as the bottle jack This principle can be used for any
the rollers on a plate, then set it up so
force is applied upward, the down- position of the bottle jack on the
that the bottle jack is applying upward
ward force of the shaft on the rollers channel iron. If the applied minimum
force on the plate. (See Figure 3.)
will give a reasonably accurate load should be 900 pounds and your
Simply press up a little on the
reading on the scale. Industrial scales scale only reads up to 300 pounds,
shaft by engaging the bottle jack with
are available in a wide range of then if you position the jack one third
enough force to provide the necessary
maximum weight. A regular bath- the distance across the channel iron, a
minimum load. That way, you can test
room scale will probably only read up load of 900 pounds will read 300
run the motor long enough to get “no-
to 300 pounds, but the assembly can pounds on the scale.
Since the actual force be set up to take advantage of physics For example, if the channel iron is
applied to the shaft will to determine the total weight. 3 feet long, and the bottle jack is two
not be known, here is a The easy way to do this using a feet from the scale, and one foot from
useful tip: Use a scale single scale is to set up the assembly the other support, then the scale will
with the bottle jack mounted on a read 1/3 of the total force downward
under the rollers.
piece of channel iron with the scale on the rollers.
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2 EASA CURRENTS ■ www.easa.com

 Tips For Test Running Motors With Roller Bearings
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Use Belts And Second Motor To load the shaft of the

Load The Bearing motor being tested.
The second easy way to test run a With this method,
motor with roller bearings is to use a you also won’t know
second motor, and connect the two Motor 1
for sure how much
shafts with a v-belt, as shown in load you are actually
Figure 4. applying. Since the Bottle Jacks
By tightening the belt, a radial force is being V-Belt
load will be applied to the bearing. To exerted against the
tension the v-belt, position a pair of two motors, the
bottle jacks between the motors. motors do not have
Again, a bottle jack will work well to be bolted down.
for this. You won’t need to use a The second motor
pulley with this arrangement, but the serves as an idler Motor 2
shafts must be parallel to prevent the pulley, and should be
v-belt from walking off the shaft; and large enough that we
the belt must be guarded for safety. do not exceed the
Place two bottle jacks horizontally radial load capacity
to push the two motors apart. Use the of its DE bearing.
bottle jack to tension the v-belt and Figure 4. Two shafts connected with a v-belt.

EASA CURRENTS ■ July 2006 3