5032 – Bearings & Lubrication

Essential Craft Skills 2: Bearing and Lubrication is a hands-on, in-depth industrial maintenance training course designed to equip technicians, engineers, and maintenance professionals with the mechanical knowledge and practical skills needed to improve asset reliability and reduce equipment downtime. This course focuses on two critical areas of industrial maintenance: bearing systems and lubrication practices, both of which are fundamental to extending the life of rotating machinery and minimizing unplanned failures in manufacturing operations.

In today’s competitive industrial landscape, unplanned equipment failure is one of the most expensive challenges facing manufacturers. This course addresses the root causes of mechanical failures, with an emphasis on early failure detection, proper installation techniques, and effective lubrication practices. Whether you’re a maintenance technician on the shop floor or a reliability engineer overseeing asset strategies, this course delivers the essential skills needed to ensure efficient, reliable, and safe machinery performance.

Boost Equipment Reliability with Hands-On Skills

Throughout this training, participants will gain practical experience using tools and techniques to diagnose problems, dismount and mount bearings (training), install couplings, apply lubrication correctly, and prevent contamination. This is not just theory—this course offers real-world applications and field-relevant exercises that technicians can immediately apply in their facilities.

What You Will Learn

1. Machinery Inspection Techniques

The course begins with a strong foundation in machinery inspection techniques, teaching participants how to identify early warning signs of mechanical issues. Participants will learn how to conduct visual and tactile inspections, use tools like vibration meters, temperature gauges, ultrasonic devices, and strobe lights to assess asset condition. These techniques are critical for spotting problems before they lead to catastrophic failure.

Key takeaways include:

• How to perform efficient inspections of rotating equipment
• Tools and technologies for condition monitoring
• Early detection of misalignment, imbalance, and wear

2. Failure Analysis and Bearing Dismounting

A core focus of the course is bearing failure analysis. Bearings are one of the most commonly replaced components in industrial machinery, yet most failures are preventable. This course explains the bearing failure curve, common failure modes (fatigue, contamination, improper installation), and how to preserve evidence for root cause analysis.

Students will also learn proper bearing removal techniques, using mechanical and hydraulic tools to safely dismount bearings without causing secondary damage.

You’ll learn:

• Bearing failure modes and how to recognize them
• The importance of evidence preservation
• Safe and effective dismounting techniques

3. Pre-Installation Preparation

Proper installation begins with proper preparation. This section teaches students the importance of cleaning mating surfaces, measuring fits and tolerances, and assessing housing conditions. Participants will learn to read bearing nomenclature and understand the specific requirements for various bearing types.

This part of the course is crucial to ensuring the long-term success of bearing and coupling installations.

Key skills include:

• Accurate dimensional measurements for fits
• Understanding tolerances and clearances
• Preparing shafts and housings for installation

4. Installation of Mounted and Unmounted Bearings

Using hands-on methods, students will practice installing both mounted and unmounted bearings on cylindrical and tapered shafts. The course demonstrates proper use of precision tools, such as bearing heaters, feeler gauges, and dial indicators, to ensure correct positioning and alignment.

Proper installation prevents premature failure and extends equipment life—making this a critical skill for every maintenance technician.

Skills gained:

• Mounting techniques for various shaft types
• Correct use of bearing installation tools
• Avoiding common installation mistakes

5. Couplings and Power Transmission

This section covers the selection, inspection, and installation of couplings, which are vital for the efficient transmission of power in rotating systems. Participants will learn how to identify coupling failures, understand different coupling designs (rigid, flexible, gear, grid), and perform basic alignment checks.

What you’ll master:

• Identifying coupling failure patterns
• Selecting the right coupling for the application
• Performing corrective installation procedures

6. Lubrication Fundamentals and Selection Criteria

Proper lubrication is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve equipment reliability. This course offers a comprehensive overview of lubrication principles, including lubricant film types, viscosity selection, and lubricant application methods.

Students will learn how to calculate lubrication needs based on bearing size, speed, and operating conditions, as well as how to assess current field practices for improvement.

Topics covered:

• Properties of oils, greases, and solid lubricants
• Selecting lubricants based on application needs
• Delivery systems and their pros/cons

7. Lubricant Application and Monitoring

In this section, technicians will learn how to apply, monitor, and adjust lubricants using both manual and automatic systems. This includes practical use of single-point lubricators and ultrasonic measurement tools to ensure proper volume and frequency.

Participants will understand how to monitor lubrication performance in real time, preventing both under- and over-lubrication.

Hands-on skills include:

• Installation and maintenance of lubrication systems
• Using ultrasonic tools for lubricant optimization
• Monitoring lubricant condition and refill cycles

8. Contamination Control and Storage

Contamination is one of the leading causes of lubricant failure. This course teaches how to identify sources of contamination, test for cleanliness levels, and implement proper lubricant storage and handling procedures. Students will gain an understanding of how temperature, humidity, and poor storage affect lubricant performance.

Key insights:

• Common contamination types: water, dust, particles
• Cleanliness standards (ISO codes)
• Strategies for improving storage life and cleanliness

9. Lubricant Analysis and Troubleshooting

This advanced section focuses on field testing of lubricants, using patch testing, vacuum sampling, and ISO cleanliness analysis. Students will learn how to identify wear debris, understand contamination sources, and recommend corrective actions based on test results.

What you’ll be able to do:

• Perform oil sampling and patch tests
• Diagnose lubricant-related issues
• Interpret test results for proactive maintenance

10. Lubricant Maintenance and Filtration

To complete the course, students will explore lubrication filtration systems, including filter sizing, beta ratios, and offline filtration methods. Special focus is placed on water removal techniques such as vacuum dehydration, essential for maintaining oil performance in high-humidity environments.

Takeaways include:

• Understanding filtration principles and technologies
• Water removal and its impact on asset life
• Maintenance strategies for extending oil service intervals
• Transform Your Maintenance Program

By the end of this course, participants will walk away with the knowledge, confidence, and field-ready skills to significantly reduce equipment failures and improve reliability. From detecting problems early to ensuring correct installations and lubrication practices, this course gives your team the tools to operate at a higher level of mechanical excellence.

Whether you’re a seasoned technician or a plant manager seeking to reduce costs and increase uptime, Essential Craft Skills 2: Bearing and Lubrication training delivers the actionable training your operation needs.