Effects of Varying Ball Bearing Cleaning Processes on Lubricant Life

摘要

The processes used to clean ball bearings and other components in precisionspacecraft mechanisms have undergone significant changes to eliminate the use of ozone depleting chemicals, such as Freon TF. This study was part of a larger NASA-funded program to assess the impact of the elimination of ozone-depleting chemicals on lubricant performance in space mechanisms previously qualified for 5 to 10 year lifetimes. The document reports the results of bearing life tests and surface analyses performed with components cleaned with three different methods: ultrasonic cleaning with Freon Th, ultrasonic cleaning with Vertrel XF (a hydrofluorocarbon), and cleaning with Brulin 815 GD (an aqueous detergent). The