Bearings work like a system. Say for instance, ball bearings. Ball bearings have a case and two parts of rings that are allowed to move with the use of lubricants. If one of these little parts malfunctions, the entire system collapses. One of the main factors that cause bearings to malfunction is high temperature. There are bearings made specifically for high temperature purposes. However, extreme heat does pose a significant threat to bearings.

Bearings which are used for equipment that generates high temperature such as ovens are built for such purposes. They are designed to have high heat threshold, although that does not mean that they are immune to damage. In order to ensure that they continue to function properly despite the high heat, bearing manufacturers have to ensure that the materials used are heat resistant.

It is important that bearings fit the machinery or equipment they will be installed in like a glove. There is no room for a loosely attached bearing, especially for high stakes equipment. The case for high heat generating machines is quite unique. Bearing manufacturers have to keep in mind that the materials used in the production of the bearings might expand due to the heat. How much it will expand wholly depends on the type of metal used. Different metals have different expansion points and rates. Now bearing expansion is something important to consider in light of the fact that bearings should fit perfectly. To correct this problem, bearings made for high temperature equipment and machinery are often designed with a higher radial clearance internally as compared to conventional bearings. This will let the bearing expand without compromising the whole system.

Lubricants are crucial for bearings to be able to function properly. Bearings especially the types with rollers and balls involved do need lubricants to operate smoothly. Lubrication is crucial because it shields the bearing balls from friction and damaging each other. This will in turn increase the longevity of the bearings. For high temperature bearings, special lubrications are used because the lubricants for the more conventional bearings would not be able to withstand high temperature conditions. It is vital that in no point will the bearings lose essential lubrication if it is expected to function well despite the temperature. You should note that oil’s viscosity also changes according to temperature. The higher the temperature, the more lose oil becomes. If the oil slips away from the bearings, you will face the problem of lack of lubrication.

It is therefore good practice to use lubricants with high graphite content. Graphite is a type of carbon, giving it high resistance to heat and corroding factors. This can enhance how your bearings perform and it can hold really well in extreme temperatures. Treated metals will hold the graphite based lubricant better. This kind of lubricants can work at up to 350˚C without fear of bearing malfunction. At (name of company) we have a variety of high temperature bearings that you can choose from.