ASTM F2444-04(2012)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation: F2444 − 04 (Reapproved 2012)
Standard Practice for
Damage Prevention of Bearings, and Bearing Components
Through Proper Handling Techniques
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2444; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3. Terminology
1.1 This practice covers requirements for the handling of all 3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this
bearings and bearing components. practice, refer to ABMA 1.
1.2 This is a general practice. The individual bearing han-
4. Significance and Use
dling requirements shall be as specified herein or as specified
4.1 This practice covers bearings and bearing components
in the contract or purchase order. In the event of any conflict
of all material compositions and grades. It may be used to
between requirements of this practice and the individual
develop a process for adequately handling bearings.
bearing requirements of an OEM drawing, procurement
specification, or other specification, the latter shall govern.
4.2 Unless the proper conditions of an adequate facility,
Many companies, organizations, and bearing users have excel-
equipment,andtrainedpersonnelareavailable,itmaybebetter
lent facilities, equipment, and knowledgeable personnel for
not to inspect the bearings in-house. The danger of contami-
handlingbearings.Thethrustofthispracticeisforusersthatdo
nating and damaging the bearings may be much greater than
not have this knowledge of bearings.
the possibility of receiving bearings that will not function.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
4.3 Bearings are easily damaged at the customers’ receiving
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
and test areas. In most cases, bearings should be accepted
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
based on the bearing manufacturer’s certification. Certificates
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
of quality (conformance) supplied by the bearing manufacturer
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
may be furnished in lieu of actual performance of such testing
by the receiving activity of the bearings. The certificate shall
2. Referenced Documents
include the name of the purchaser, contract number/PO
number, name of the manufacturer or supplier, item
2.1 ABMA Standard:
identification, name of the material, lot number, lot size,
ABMA 1 Terminology
3 sample size, date of testing, test method, individual test results,
2.2 ISO Standards:
and the specification requirements.
ISO 14644-1 Cleanrooms and Associated Controlled
4.4 This practice does not cover clean room requirements of
Environments—Part 1: Classification of Air Cleanliness
miniature and instrument precision bearings. These bearings
(DOD Adopted)
require clean room environments in accordance with ISO
ISO 14644-2 Cleanrooms and Associated Controlled
14644-1 and ISO 14644-2.
Environments—Part 2: Specifications for Testing and
Monitoring to Prove Continued Compliance with ISO
5. Reasons for Not Handling Bearings
14644-1
ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems—Requirements
5.1 When bearings are received, the following questions
must be asked:
5.1.1 What amount of inspection checks will be performed
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F34 on Rolling
on the bearings? Do we need to do any checks?
Element Bearings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F34.03 on
5.1.2 What will it cost to establish and maintain equipment
Preservation, Cleaning and Packaging.
and facilities to inspect and test bearings?
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2012. Published January 2013. Originally
5.1.3 What is the established history of the bearing? If there
approved in 2004. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as F2444–04. DOI:
10.1520/F2444-04R12.
has never been a rejection, is inspection warranted?
Available from American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA), 2025
5.1.4 What type of test is required and how detailed is it?
MStreet,NW,Suite800,Washington,DC20036,http://www.americanbearings.org.
5.1.4.1 Rough spin,
Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org. 5.1.4.2 Destructive,
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F2444 − 04 (2012)
5.1.4.3 Nondestructive (NDT), 7.2 The training may be divided into two parts. Classroom
5.1.4.4 Disassembly, training may be Part I and performance training may be Part II.
5.1.4.5 Test requires recleaning, relubrication, and repack-
7.3 Personnel must complete all of the training require-
aging of the bearings,
ments.
5.1.4.6 Test requires a clean room environment,
7.4 The bearing supplier is responsible for performance of
5.1.4.7 Dimensional, or
all of the testing and inspection requirements. The receiving
5.1.4.8 Performance.
activity may use assigned certified personnel and equipment or
5.1.5 What type of documentation is required?
any other suitable facility with trained personnel in the
5.1.6 Are trained personnel available?
performance of the acceptance tests or inspections.
5.1.7 Are adequate equipment and facilities available?
5.1.8 Do we have knowledge of the bearing manufacturer’s
8. General Handling Rules (Recommended Precautions)
quality system?
8.1 Never touch bearings with the bare hands. Acid mois-
6. Equipment and Facilities
ture deposited by fingers will corrode bearings, and particles of
skin on the surface of the bearings are very hard to remove.
6.1 The list below provides some conditions that must be
Use tweezers, tongs, powder free rubber gloves, and finger
considered by the bearing user. The bearing user must deter-
cots.
mine if they have the necessary in-house capability to perform
inspections and tests of bearings.
8.2 Abearing should never be placed directly on a contami-
nated surface.
6.2 It is recommended that the bearing areas have a con-
trolled environment.
8.3 The use of headgear or hairnets is recommended to
protect the bearings from hair contamination.
6.3 Theconstructionofthebearinghandlingareasshouldbe
made of materials that do not lend themselves to accumulating
8.4 Personnel handling bearings should change their per-
dust. It is recommended that plastic materials or other non-
sonalclothingwhenitbecomessoiledorcontaminatedbysolid
shedding materials be used for walls and ceilings. The floors
or liquid materials.
should be of a material that will not require waxing, has very
8.5 Personnelshouldwearshoesorbootsthatarefreeofdirt
few seams if any, and a non-abrasive surface.
or other contamination. Shoe brushes may be provided in these
6.4 Bearing handling areas should be away from doors and
areas so that footgear can be cleaned.
windows to prevent dust from entering the area when the doors
8.6 Personal items such as jackets, sweaters, papers, food,
or windows are opened.
or drinks should not be in areas of close proximity to the
6.5 The room must be well-lit.
bearings.
6.6 Containers with covers are recommended for use during
8.7 Lint-free rags and cloths should be used when cleaning
inspection and tests of bearings. Racks, trays, and handling
bearings
containers should be made of glass, solvent resistant plastic, or
8.8 No smoking is allowed in any inspection, test, or
non-magnetic materials.
assembly area where bearings are handled.
6.7 Tweezers and tongs should have blunt points and
8.9 No paper should be allowed to touch bearings because
rounded edges, and be made of non-magnetic stainless steel.
of possible contamination from paper lint. Some paper is also
Other suitable materials may be used.
acidic and could cause corrosion. The use of non-shedding
6.8 Compressed air, if any is used in the room for gauging,
paper is desirable for making notes and recording data. Plastic
cleaning, or drying bearings, should be filtered and dehydrated.
document protectors may be used to enclose paper documen-
6.9 Inspection equipment required would depend on what tation such as routing tickets, labels, etc.
and how much inspection is to be performed. It could consist
8.10 No erasers or rubber bands should be permitted around
of microscopes for visual inspection, air gages for checking
bearings. These items are a source of particulate contamina-
boresandoutsidediameters,electronicormechanicalgagesfor
tion.
checking width, and special gages for checking radial play,
8.11 Personnel should use ballpoint pens.
torque, axial play, and preload. Not all of these gages are used
on all bearings. Many of these tests can only be performed at
8.12 Personnel handling bearings should wash and dry
the manufacturer’s facility. Many dimensions can only be
hands frequently, especially after eating or smoking.
checked as component parts. These are made before the
8.13 Do not carry tweezers or other working equipment in
bearings are assembled.
pockets.Pocketsarealargesourceofcontamination.Garments
without pockets are desirable.
7. Training of Bearing Personnel
8.14 Clean all gages and working equipment before using.
7.1 All personnel handling bearings shall be trained and
must demonstrate the ability to perform visual inspections of 8.15 Use only clean containers for holding bearings. Be
bearings. This training shall be documented on the employee careful not to use a container that may have held bearings with
training record. a different lubricant.
F2444 − 04 (2012)
8.16 The use of abrasive paper around bearings is not 9.3 Shipping and intermediate containers, if applicable,
recommended. should be removed before the bearings are brought to the
inspection area.
8.17 Table tops and workbenches should be cleaned with
9.4 Do not open more vials or packages than are required to
lint free cloths or sponges and appropriate cleaner.
obtain the inspection sample.
8.18 Dust-proof cabinets may be used for storing bearings.
9.5 Care should be taken so that plastic particles are not a
No paper products should be allowed in the dust cabinets.
source of contamination when vials must be cut open with
Inkpads and stamps should not be placed in dust cabinets.
razor blades, knives, or other sharp-edged instruments.
8.19 Fans should not be permitted in areas where bearings
9.6 All bearing packages should be thoroughly cleaned on
are handled.
the outside to remove contamination. Cut plastic bags contain-
8.20 Appropriate hand lotions containing moisturizers may
ing bearings with a razor blade or scissors.
be used in any of the bearing handling areas.
9.7 When bearings are serialized, care must be taken to
8.21 Areas should be kept neat and orderly.There should be
prevent any mix up. The same care needs to be taken on
covered trash containers available for disposal of waste prod-
bearings that are coded or classified in any manner.
ucts.
9.8 When separable bearings are being inspected, care
8.22 Bearings and components released by machines must
should be taken not to interchange the inner and outer races, as
be controlled to prevent damage.
they are usually matched. If the races become mixed, the
bearings must be scrapped.
8.23 If components or bearings drop on the floor, they must
be inspected.
9.9 One of the first operations in preparing for inspection of
bearings should be demagnetization. Magnetized bearings are
8.24 When emptying components into another container,
highly susceptible to contamination. The manufacturer will
prevent sharp hitting.
demagnetizethebearingsbeforeshipping,buttheywillpickup
8.25 Components and bearings must be handled with care
magnetism en route. There are several types of demagnetizers
during measurements.
available,butprecautionsshouldbetakenintheirproperuseto
insure the operator does not actually magnetize the bearings.
8.26 When removing components from tumblers, do not
The demagnification should be verified with a gaussmeter. A
pour or drop components.
maximum of 5 gauss is recommended.
8.27 Place components gently into containers between ma-
chining operations.
10. Sampling
8.28 Components segregated for regrind are to be handled
10.1 Sampling for visual and dimensional testing of bear-
just as acceptable items.
ings and bearing components shall be done in accordance with
thepurchaseorderorcontract.Theunitofproductforsampling
8.29 Do not shake, drop, or move containers abruptly.
purposes shall be one bearing as applicable. Acceptance
8.30 Place components and bearings in baskets by layering
number shall be zero for all sample series unless otherwise
with dividers.
specified.
8.31 During operations that may generate agitation, use
10.2 Remember that “each” handling operation detracts
caution to avoid part movement.
from the quality of the bearing. The benefits to be obtained
from sampling are: less damage to the bearings caused by
8.32 Duringplacementandremovalofcontainersfromcarts
handling, reduction of inspection errors caused by fatigue and
and wagons, handle gently.
a reduced inspection time. Personnel performing the inspection
8.33 Items subject to corrosion during fabrication or storage
and testing shall meet the specific training requirements of the
require special processing.
organization.
8.34 Preserve and package items in controlled areas as
11. Receiving Inspection
required.
11.1 Handling of all bearing components and bearing as-
8.35 Ensure that all bearings and components are properly
semblies requires care, patience, knowledge, and common
identified at all times.
sense.
9. Preparation for Inspection
11.2 Use clean, burr-free tools that are designed for the job.
The tools should not be painted or metal-plated. Use non-
9.1 Bearings are easily damaged at the customer’s receiving
magnetic tools for miniature and instrument bearings.
inspection or test area. The damage is usually caused by the
lack of training on how to properly handle bearings.
11.3 Bearings should not be removed from the original
packaging until they are ready for inspection, test, or use.
9.2 Bearings should be brought into a suitable inspection
area in the smallest unit container that has the complete 11.4 Protect unwrapped bearings by keeping them covered
marking and identification information. and dry at all times.
F2444 − 04 (2012)
11.5 Miniature bearings, miniature precision bearings, and 12.10 If the proper conditions of facility, equipment and
instrument bearings must be handled in a clean room environ- trained personnel are not available, it may be better to not
men
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