A bearing lubricator for lubricating a plurality of device bearings in a device includes a solitary monitored bearing and at least one unmonitored bearing. The bearing lubricator includes a reservoir configured to contain lubricant, a plurality of conduits connecting the reservoir to the plurality of bearing, and a mechanism connected to the reservoir for advancing the lubricant from the reservoir to the plurality of device bearings when actuated. The bearing lubricator further includes a solitary sensor for sensing a variable of the monitored bearing and a controller. The controller stores a triggering value of the variable of the monitored bearing. The mechanism advances a substantially identical quantity of the lubricant from the reservoir to each of the plurality of bearings when a signal indicative of the variable is advanced to the controller and when that signal indicates the triggering value of the variable has been met.

A sliding bearing element with a first layer having a radially inner surface includes a measuring device arranged on the radially inner surface of the first layer. The measuring device includes, in the order indicated, a first electrical insulating layer, a sensor layer and a second electrical insulating layer. A sliding layer is arranged on the second electrical insulating layer.

Methods and systems are provided for diagnostics and/or prognostics of a vehicle center bearing with integrated sensors. A method includes generating a degradation analysis of the center bearing from real-time vehicle operating data, the data including feedback from one or more of a temperature sensor, a displacement sensor, and an accelerometer wired to a battery integrally arranged in a bearing compartment of a vehicle.

The bearing provides a first ring and a second ring centered on an axis, each of the first and second rings being provided with an outer cylindrical surface, with an inner cylindrical surface, and with lateral faces that axially delimit the outer and inner cylindrical surface. One of the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces and/or one of the lateral faces of the first ring includes a textured area provided with a groove extending circumferentially and with two protrusions disposed one on each side of the groove and extending along the groove.

Conveyor idler monitoring apparatus, systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, one or more sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, load sensors, etc.) are supported by the shaft of a conveyor idler. In some embodiments, one or more sensors are in data communication with a wireless transmitter. In some embodiments, a power generator driven by rotation of the idler is in electrical communication with one or more sensors and/or a wireless transmitter. In some embodiments, a plurality of idlers monitoring systems are in data communication with a conveyor monitoring system and/or operational monitoring system.

A process for determining the reliability of a sensorized bearing configured to measure load and speed is provided. The process includes the following steps. Bearing load and rotational speed are determined from data acquired from the sensorized bearing. Next, an array linking the determined load to the determined n.dm value is filled until that all available loads are parsed. Then a L10 life is determined for each load within a distribution based on the array. Finally, an overall L10 life is determined based on the Palmgren-Minor rule. The load distribution and the L10 lives a bearing reliability R for a given date is determined based on a Weibull curve and the overall L10 life.

Systems, methods, and control units for diagnosis and life prediction of one or more electro-mechanical system are provided. One method includes receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors associated with operation of the electro-mechanical system. The method includes determining at least one system response associated with at least one failure mode of the electro-mechanical system from the sensor data, wherein the sensor data is indicative of the at least one failure mode of the electro-mechanical system. The method further includes receiving at least one simulated response associated with the at least one failure mode of the electro-mechanical system, wherein the at least one failure mode is simulated on a system model of the electro-mechanical system. The method includes generating a hybrid model of the electro-mechanical system in real-time based on the at least one system response and the at least one simulated response, wherein the hybrid model combines the at least one system response and the at least one simulated. The method also includes generating a diagnosis of the electro-mechanical system based on the hybrid model, wherein the diagnosis includes identification of one or more failures in the electro-mechanical system and wherein the one or more failures indicates initiation of degradation of the one or more electro-mechanical system. The method includes predicting a life trend of the electro-mechanical system based on the diagnosis.

Provided is a method for cleaning a rolling bearing and a rolling bearing cleaning device capable of cleaning a rolling bearing easily in a short time. The method for cleaning a rolling bearing including a plurality of rolling elements and a race provided with a race groove along which the rolling elements roll involves arranging a cleaning liquid in a pressurized state on one side in an axial direction of the rolling bearing across a whole circumference thereof with respect to a gap between the rolling elements and the race groove, and cleaning the rolling bearing by passing the cleaning liquid through the gap from one side in the axial direction toward the gap on the other side thereof.

A bearing assembly of a hinge coupling first and second components includes an outer ring secured to the second component having an axial primary bore with a primary inner surface. An inner ring axially rotates, and has a primary outer surface rollingly contacting the primary inner surface, defining a primary sliding path with a primary friction coefficient. The inner ring includes a secondary axial bore with a secondary inner surface. An inner shaft in the secondary bore is secured to the first component and is axially rotatable. The inner shaft has a secondary outer surface rollingly contacting the secondary inner surface defining a secondary sliding path with a second friction coefficient. One of the sliding paths has a triboelectric layer surface frictionally generating an electrical current when that sliding path is engaged. A transmission element transmits, to a failure detection system, a signal due to such electrical current.

Systems and methods of monitoring lubrication of a gear assembly during operation of a machine provide for receiving at a control system, a signal from a sensor indicative of a value obtained by the sensor for an electrical property of a circuit crossing the gear assembly operably coupled to the machine, ascertaining whether the value for the electrical property corresponds to a warning level for a condition of the lubricant film, and outputting a control command when the value for the electrical property corresponds to the warning level for the condition of the lubricant film.