Bearing lubrication

One of the major contributing factors to achieving reliability

of
bearings is proper lubrication. Bearings operate on very thin
films of lubricant, which must be maintained to ensure that
design life is achieved. The ways of ensuring this, and to
maximising bearing life, are to
a) select the correct lubricant,
b) apply it properly, and
c) maintain it in a clean condition.

The increased speeds and higher temperatures at which

modern bearings routinely operate, combined with the
demands placed upon them for improved accuracy and
reliability, mean that the process of selecting a suitable
bearing lubrication, today, is more critical than it has ever
been. Properly selected a lubricant will:
 Reduce friction and wear by providing a hydrodynamic
film of sufficient strength and thickness to support the
load and separate the balls from the raceways,
preventing metal-to-metal contact.
 Minimise cage wear by reducing sliding friction in cage
pockets and land surfaces.
 Prevent oxidation/corrosion of the bearing rolling
elements.
 Act as a barrier to contaminants.
 Serve as a heat transfer agent in some cases,
conducting heat away from the bearing.
Bearing lubricants fall into three main categories; oils,
greases
and solid dry film lubricants, which are usually limited to
moderate speed and very light loading conditions.
Greases, because of their convenience, are by far the most
widely used of the three, and have been the focus of much
development in recent years.

Lubricant selection
The selection of a particular type of bearing lubricant is
generally governed by the operating conditions and
limitations
of a bearing system. Three of the most significant factors in
selecting a lubricant are:
 The viscosity of the lubricant at operating temperature.
 The maximum and minimum allowable operating
temperatures.
 The speed at which the bearing will operate.
 Cable looming Introduction
This section will deal with the looming and routing of cables
on the aircraft. It will cover the basic requirements of loom
forming, security and attachment to the aircraft as well as the
correct path the loom must take on installation.
A loom or harness is a group of cables tied at regular intervals
along its length to form a semi-rigid assembly. The loom is
identified as mentioned earlier with a cable bundle number
and is generally specific to an aircraft system.
The path the loom takes and the specified ‘run’ the loom
follows, between equipment or components within the aircraft,
is known as the loom routing.
The general requirements for ‘standard’ cable bundle forming
are:
1. Individual cables should lay parallel wherever possible.
2. Where possible, sufficient spare cable should be left at
the terminal ends for one remake.
3. Cable breakouts should not cross over the main loom or
harness body.
4. The loom shall be secured with individual ties spaced at
regular intervals along its length.
5. Specific requirements and specifications detailed in any
relevant technical publications and/or drawings should
be strictly adhered to materials and dimensions for the
installation of cable bundles are to be found by reference
to the appropriate loom installation drawing.
6. Cable breakouts should be supported on both sides with cable
ties.
Ties
The most common methods of securing individual cables
together to form a loom is as follows:
 Tying the cables with nylon or Dacron lacing cord.
 Tying the cables with waxed string.
 Securing the cables by loom strapping with tie wraps.
Tying the looming cord
The preferred method of tying the looming cord is as follows:
1. Form a clove hitch around the cable loom.
2. Finish off with a thumb knot over the hitch.
3. In high vibration areas finish off with a reef knot over the
hitch.