What should a bearing test-run record contain after mounting?

LILY Bearing | 2026-10-28

Best answer

Link each observation to the test condition

JTEKT describes test running as a check of the mounted bearing arrangement, while NSK places running tests within the mounting workflow.

Useful observations include rotation behaviour, sound, vibration and temperature under the prescribed speed and load sequence. The meaning of a temperature or noise observation changes with warm-up time and operating condition. A test record should consequently show when and under what conditions each observation was obtained. It should also identify the applicable acceptance criteria and any stop conditions from the approved procedure. A general answer cannot supply those limits for an unspecified machine, but it can show why an unqualified “test passed” is weak evidence.

Use a small time-series log rather than one final reading

Create rows for the required test stages, with time, shaft speed, load state, measurement location, temperature, sound and vibration observations, and any adjustment or intervention.

Record the instrument where a measured value is used. If the procedure changes speed partway through, preserve that transition rather than comparing every reading as if the machine were in one steady state. Close the record with the actual result against the specified criteria and any unresolved observation. This makes the test reproducible enough to review later and distinguishes a mounting verification from a claim that the bearing has already demonstrated its long-term service life.