Evidence worth collecting before the condition changes
- Failed bearing condition before disposal
- Shaft and housing fit or damage evidence
- Alignment and coupling condition
- Lubricant type, quantity, interval, and contamination evidence
- Operating temperature, vibration, load, and failure interval
Questions that improve the diagnosis
- What failure pattern is visible on the removed part?
- Was shaft/housing condition checked before the new bearing was installed?
- Is the connected equipment aligned and mechanically stable?
- Did lubrication practice change before or after the failure?
What not to conclude too early
- Treating a new bearing as proof that the root cause is corrected
- Discarding failed parts before documenting them
- Adding grease simply because the bearing runs hot