SKF Bearing Assist App Offers Improvements

Every year, there are millions of bearing failures caused by incorrect mounting. Overcoming this can deliver multiple benefits to owners (operators) of rotating machinery, including reduced costs related to maintenance, fewer breakdowns, as well as a more sustainable operation of the machinery. The SKF Bearing Assist app, on a smartphone or tablet, supplies step-by-step guidance, replacement instructions and an improved way to document and trace each replacement bearing. A detailed checklist ensures that each necessary step, such as planning and preparing the job and measuring associated components, has been completed.

Geri Palinkas, product manager, Bearing Assist, SKF caught up with PTE to discuss updates to the company’s bearing app. Palinkas said there have been three major updates in the latest version: The definition of bearing position has been added which helps the technician to keep products separated. This also provides more structure and clarity in the documentation. The checklist has been refined to reflect the workflow in a more correct way and is placed as the centerpiece of the replacement activity. In the previous version the checklist was a sub task for a bearing. SKF has also added a PDF preview so that the user can look at the result without sending it with email. Regarding mounting performance, the app provides guidance for the user which creates confidence and speed. “The checklist also helps to prevent the user from forgetting important steps in the workflow. The documentation helps when investigating any future problems and can act as a reference in future replacements or in training,” Palinkas said. The SKF Bearing Assist App is centered around the workflow for the entire replacement process and not only the physical dismount and mount. In a replacement job the workflow is represented with a very clear checklist that guides the user and prevents important steps from being forgotten. “There is also a digital measurement protocol that automatically makes the user aware of tolerance breaches. It’s no longer mandatory (but still possible) to reference the job to a machine and finally it’s easy to document the replacement with images and notes. The documentation can then be opened and shared as a nicely formatted PDF report,” Palinkas said. How is Bearing Assist changing MRO in general? Through the app SKF offers any industrial company a digitalized process and method to improve the planning, execution, and documentation of bearing replacements. In the future, Palinkas said the app will offer more guidance in the different steps of the workflow as well as smoother and faster documentation of the job. SKF will also drive towards more self-service and self-education by helping with identifying bearings suited for remanufacturing, finding correct tools and suitable training, and suggesting help for alignment and condition monitoring. The following is a list of additional apps that are noteworthy for rotating equipment: Bearing Select, is a tool for bearing selections and calculations is redesigned for a better user experience (skfbearingselect.com/#/bearing-selection-start) Axios is a simple, wireless and scalable end-to-end predictive maintenance solution from SKF and AmazonWebServices (skf.com/group/products/condition-monitoring-systems/surveillance-systems/wireless/axios) IMx-1 can now also be used in hazardous areas (skf.com/group/news-and-events/news/2023/2023-11-21-new-wireless-sensor-solution-from-skf-enables-automated-machine-monitoring-in-hazardous-areas) The newly released SKF Microlog Analyzer dBX is the most advanced large-screen vibration analyzer offered by SKF today (skf.com/group/products/condition-monitoring-systems/portable-systems/microlog-analyzer-dbx) “We are also working on new functionality in Bearing Assist bundled as an enterprise offer helping mid-size and large enterprises with structure, traceability and insights when it comes to bearing replacements,” Palinkas said.