Bearing Failure Evidence Worksheet and Field Guide

Beginner → Intermediate → Advanced workflow

1. Beginner—define the event: assign a non-confidential investigation ID, identify the asset and bearing position, and record the operating state when the symptom occurred.
2. Intermediate—capture comparable evidence: record each measurement point, direction, method, instrument, units, timestamp and relevant load so another competent person can repeat it.
3. Advanced—test and verify: document competing hypotheses, supporting and contradicting evidence, the controlled corrective action, commissioning checks and the post-repair trend.

Prerequisite: review the Bearing Failure Diagnosis Guide and the approved site/OEM method. The worksheet organizes evidence; it does not decide whether the equipment is safe to operate or inspect.

Use one row per investigation event

Keep each event and bearing position separate. If readings are repeated under a materially different load, speed, date or measurement setup, preserve the earlier evidence and create a linked record in the site's controlled system. Do not overwrite an abnormal baseline after repair.

Use roles instead of unnecessary personal information. Before sharing a working copy, remove confidential asset identifiers, photographs, work-order details and commercial information.

Field groups and intended use

Identity and operating context

• Investigation_ID / Asset_ID / Bearing_Position: stable references that connect the symptom, removed part, work order and retest without exposing restricted information.
• Bearing_Designation / Arrangement: record approved information or safely visible markings; do not remove guards or disturb equipment merely to fill a field.
• Speed_RPM / Load_or_Process_State / Operating_Hours: establish whether later readings are genuinely comparable.
• Recent_Work_or_Change: include relevant lubrication, alignment, installation, process or control changes without assuming causation.

Measurement repeatability

• Measurement_Point / Direction: identify the approved axial or radial position and sensor orientation.
• Instrument_or_Method / Instrument_ID / Units: state how the value was obtained and retain settings or raw data where the monitoring program requires them.
• Overall_Vibration / High_Frequency_or_Envelope_Observation: separate measured values from interpretation. A single reading does not prove a bearing failure mode.
• Surface_Temperature / Acoustic_Observation: record the repeatable location, operating stage and method; trend context matters more than an isolated value.

Lubrication, inspection and removed-part evidence

• Lubricant_Identity / Method / Last_Lubrication_Date: compare the record with approved lubricant and relubrication requirements.
• Lubricant_Condition / Contamination_or_Leakage_Observation: describe visible evidence and sampling context without declaring a source prematurely.
• Seal_Condition / Alignment_or_Fit_Evidence: record observations or approved measurements, including uncertainty.
• Removed_Part_Evidence_Reference: link controlled photographs, orientation marks, sample or handover records without embedding confidential content in the public template.

Hypotheses, action and verification

• Competing_Hypotheses: list credible alternatives such as lubrication, contamination, misalignment, incorrect fit, overload, installation damage or electrical erosion.
• Supporting_Evidence / Contradicting_Evidence: state what moves each hypothesis up or down; absence of evidence should not be presented as confirmation.
• Cause_Status: use a controlled status such as suspected, supported, confirmed by approved analysis or inconclusive.
• Corrective_Action / Commissioning_Checks: connect the supported cause to authorized work and safe return-to-service checks.
• Post_Repair_Baseline / Trend_Result: verify the original symptom under representative duty and record whether further monitoring or investigation remains open.

Record quality check

• Confirm the bearing position, measurement point, direction, units and operating state.
• Preserve original readings and removed-part evidence before cleaning, repair or replacement.
• Distinguish observed facts, measured values, interpretation and confirmed findings.
• Record contradictory or non-representative evidence and plan a controlled retest.
• Verify corrective work with comparable measurements, not startup noise alone.

Safety, privacy and engineering limitations

This worksheet is an educational record structure, not an approved inspection procedure, vibration-analysis report, work order, engineering acceptance certificate or authorization to operate, touch or dismantle equipment. It intentionally provides no universal vibration, temperature, clearance, lubrication or shutdown limits.

Continue the learning path