DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTI-STAGE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR COMBINED CLEANING OF MINIATURE AND PRECISION BALL BEARINGS

Abstract

The article presents the development of a multi-stage technology for combined cleaning of miniature and precision rolling bearings, which was developed based on the results of comprehensive experimental studies of miniature and precision ball bearings with an outer diameter of up to 30 mm (classes P4/P2). Such bearings are critical elements of high-tech mechanical systems, which is especially relevant in the aviation, space and special high-precision industries. For miniature rolling bearings, the need to achieve the 12th class of cleanliness according to ISO 16232, where the remaining particles of contaminants with a size of ≥ 5 μm do not exceed 60 pieces, has been established as a critical condition for ensuring operational characteristics. It has been experimentally established that when developing a cleaning technology, the optimal cleaning angle should be 30o–45o, and the rotation speed should be 500 rpm. During the development, technological parameters were optimized, including: magnetic separation (0.5 T), dual-frequency ultrasonic cleaning in a turbulent flow of solvent D-60, final washing with Heptane using vacuum drying. The confirmed cleaning efficiency η ≈ 96.7% ensures the preservation of vibroacoustic parameters and economic feasibility by avoiding expensive operational failures.