Calculating Grease Quantity, Frequency

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Calculating Grease Quantity, Frequency

Noria Corporation
Tags: greases

"In our plant, we are looking at building a

stronger greasing program. Do you have any
advice on how to select greasing frequency and
quantity for each application (bearing size,
speed, temperature, etc.)? At the moment, we
are probing our bearing with an ultrasonic gun,
but this often leaves the bearing undergreased."
To answer this common question, you must first
gather all the necessary information to
understand the conditions in which these grease
applications are working.
To calculate grease quantity, you need the
bearings physical dimensions (primarily the
outside diameter and width). Once you have these two measurements (in inches), you multiply
them together and then multiply by 0.114. The resulting answer is the grease quantity in
ounces. This formula can be used with metric measurements as well; just use 0.005 instead of
0.114. The result will be grease quantity in grams. This formula works for all bearings and is
widely accepted as the best way to calculate grease quantity.
Once the required grease volume has been calculated, you will need to determine how often to
apply that amount of grease. This timeframe is known as the regreasing frequency. This
calculation is more complex. The machines operating conditions must be collected along with
some additional bearing information.
Temperature is known to affect both grease and oil, so naturally one of the first correcting
factors that must be collected is operating temperature. The hotter the environment, the more
frequently the grease must be replenished. The ambient contamination (how dusty the
environment is) and moisture (how humid the environment is) work in a similar manner. The
dirtier and wetter the environment, the more often the bearing must be regreased.
Simple things like the bearings physical position and vibration will also affect the greases runout and frequency of reapplication. If the bearing is mounted on a vertical shaft, the grease has
a tendency to run out of the bearing quicker, thus needing to be replenished more often. When
the bearing is subjected to vibration, it causes the oil in the grease to separate from the
thickener, allowing it to drain away from where it is needed much faster. Therefore, these two
correcting factors position and vibration should be taken into consideration.
The final correcting factor is that of the bearing element shape. This is important because each
different element stresses the grease differently. For instance, a ball rolling across the race

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Articles/Print/29620

28/10/2015

Calculating Grease Quantity, Frequency

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churns the grease differently than a spherical element, which churns the grease much more
heavily.
Below is a chart of these correcting factors and how they operate together. Once they have been
calculated properly, the final pieces of the puzzle are the bearing ID and speed of rotation.
Through some simple math, you are left with a run-time (in hours) frequency for regreasing.
This new timeframe and real-time feedback from the ultrasonic probe will allow you to fine-tune
the frequency to the optimum level.

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Articles/Print/29620

28/10/2015