The Importance of Quality Control in Bearing Manufacturing

October 11, 2017

According to a handy dictionary definition, quality control systems are designed to maximize a manufacturer’s confidence in their product. This procedural work is accommodated by testing random product samples as they work their way through the production line. Manufacturing errors are reduced by adopting this system, then a product reliability margin is established. What, you might wonder, can this cross-sectional strategy do for a bearing manufacturing manufacturer?

Eliminating Production Errors 

There’s more to quality control programs than a few random product checks, especially when that product is fabricated according to some impressive bearing engineering standards. The procedures are structured and systemized so that every possible fabrication blunder is accounted for during the manufacturing phase. Imagine that structure as a map of sorts, with material characteristics and fabrication methodologies acting as a firm foundational base. Every discrete moving part is subjected to this meticulously coordinated testing program. Rolling elements are assessed for surface defects and foreign matter penetration. If a problem is detected, remedial action is instantly taken. In this case, the clean room environment is restored while the ball fabrication station undergoes a maintenance cycle. As an important part of that procedurally governed quality control system, every action is recorded, documented, and logged.

Is Quality Control an Essential Manufacturing Asset? 

Imagine the processed results if there was no checks and balances in place. A few end-line bearings would operate as they were designed to, but the next group would fail in their duties. Immediate failures and curtailed lifespans would ruin the reputation of the manufacturing company. Sure, a maker of some unimportant widget can get away with such poor quality control standards, but a precision-designed bearing with refined moving parts simply cannot afford such flaws. This mechanism absolutely relies on its smooth operating components and on every single part moving in harmony so that all power is transmitted while all friction is mitigated. Finally, a browse through the structured checks reveals the many phases of the operation that determine this quality-assurance factor. They include the sourced material, the shaping machinery, the heat treatment stations, and the alloy forging furnaces.

As for the production errors that would compromise those power transmission and friction handling characteristics, a few fragments of free-floating dirt are enough to reduce rolling element efficiency. On the material side of things, a steel bearing that hasn’t been properly heat-treated will likely fail when a heavy load is applied. No, in order to achieve a well-defined quality assurance margin, the established system of checks and product assessments must detect manufacturing errors so that the fabricated bearings accommodate their design specifications. Furthermore, that goal must be repeatedly furnished.

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