How does the Bearing fail?

Common failure modes: Increased running noise or vibration as wear progresses, Radial play developing at a reducer or motor output shaft, Grease breakdown accelerating wear inside a sealed bearing, Contamination ingress following a seal failure.

Mechanical

Bearing

Supports rotating shafts throughout the robot, carrying radial and axial loads while allowing low-friction rotation.

Bearings support every rotating shaft in the robot, from reducer output stages to motor shafts to any idler pulleys or ball screw supports on peripheral equipment, carrying radial and axial loads while allowing low-friction rotation.

Bearing wear develops gradually and shows up first as increased noise or a slight change in running temperature, well before it produces a detectable position error or vibration large enough to trigger a controller fault.

Because bearings are usually sealed and packed with grease from the factory or maintained through the reducer's grease fitting, they are rarely serviced as a standalone item except during a full reducer or motor rebuild.

Related components

oil seal

Common questions

What does the Bearing do?: Supports rotating shafts throughout the robot, carrying radial and axial loads while allowing low-friction rotation.
How does the Bearing fail?: Common failure modes: Increased running noise or vibration as wear progresses, Radial play developing at a reducer or motor output shaft, Grease breakdown accelerating wear inside a sealed bearing, Contamination ingress following a seal failure.