Bearing Grease Quantity and Relubrication Interval Calculator
Plan a rolling-bearing grease charge and service interval with every quantity, assumption, and correction factor visible for engineering review.
Grease plan
Applied factors:FT 0.397 · FL 0.80 · FO 1.00 · FC 0.50 · FD 0.80
Planning estimate only. Confirm final quantity and interval against bearing and grease manufacturer instructions.
How to use
- Confirm the bearing is grease-lubricated and not sealed for life; obtain bore d, outside diameter D, and width B in mm.
- Enter maximum continuous speed in rpm, select a published Kf matching the bearing design, and enter sustained grease temperature.
- Enter positive P/C; select orientation, contamination control, and operating pattern.
- Enter operating hours/day. Include housing grease only from measured free volume, density, and approved fill percent; use zero volume when unknown.
- Select Calculate to update the result. Select Reset to restore the worked example.
- Read initial charge and corrected interval first, then review replenishment, daily feed, base interval, and all factors.
- Correct red input warnings. Treat yellow warnings as a requirement for OEM, bearing, or grease-supplier review.
- Do not use for sealed-for-life bearings, oil/solid lubrication, blocked purge paths, lubricator pressure sizing, or safety-critical dosing.
Equations used
dm = (d + D)/2
Gp = 0.005DB
Gh = ρVhφ/100; Ginitial = Gp + Gh
tb = Kf[14,000,000/(n√dm) − 4dm]
FT = 1 for T ≤ 70 °C; otherwise 2−((T−70)/15)
FL = 1.0, 0.8, 0.6, or 0.4 for P/C bands ≤0.05, ≤0.10, ≤0.15, or above 0.15.
FO = 1.0 horizontal or 0.5 vertical; FC = 1.0 clean, 0.5 moderate, or 0.25 severe; FD = 1.0 continuous or 0.8 intermittent.
tc = tbFTFLFOFCFD; qh = Gp/tc; qday = qhhop
Lengths are mm, speed is rpm, intervals are hours, and grease mass is g. Kf, factors, and P/C are dimensionless. Load is a positive magnitude; no force sign convention applies. The base interval must be positive. The 0.005DB relation estimates replenishment, not cavity volume.
Assumptions, limits, and references
Assumes a conventional grease-lubricated rolling bearing, compatible top-up grease, a usable purge path, and operation within grease and bearing limits. Transparent load, orientation, contamination, and duty factors are conservative planning screens rather than a standard or product approval.
Confirm free space, cage design, speed, temperature, load, grease compatibility, and interval with the OEM and grease supplier. High temperature, high speed, vibration, water, aggressive contamination, or unusual geometry requires product-specific review and field adjustment.
References: SKF bearing lubrication guidance; SKF Lubrication Planner; Timken Grease Lubrication Calculator; and Noria lubrication calculators.