Bearing Lubrication Reimagined: Remote and Real Time Friction Monitoring and Lubrication

Addressing lubrication issues – the root of most bearing failures

80% of premature bearings failures can be traced back to lubrication related issues. These can be put into three general categories: inadequate lubrication, wrong lubricant, and contamination.

We can address inadequate lubrication by using ultrasound to measure the friction in real-time to determine exactly when lubrication (and how much) is required to bring the friction back to or near the ideal level.

Or we can can also use automatic lubricators: these devices ensure we always use the correct grease stored in the device but also reduce or eliminate the possibility of contamination

Single point lubricator, remotely operated, based on friction

What if we were able to combine the precision of condition-based lubrication using ultrasound with the convenience, safety, and accuracy of automatic lubricators?

We would have a solution that allows us to lubricate bearings only when required and ensuring we always use the correct, contaminant-free lubricant.

That’s exactly what the Ontrack from UE Systems does: using ultrasonic sensors, it continuously measures the bearings’ friction levels. It also connects to single point lubricators (SPL). Based on the friction levels and setup alarms, the OnTrak will instruct the SPL’s to dispense lubricant, just the right amount. All can be done remotely, anywhere, anytime.