Foreign Object Debris (FOD) – including dirt, dust, oil can material cast-off, and metal fragments – poses a serious threat to turbine engine bearings. Contaminants can enter the oil system due to improper oil can opening tools or unsuitable filling equipment, leading to premature bearing failure.
Turbine engine bearings, despite being made of hardened steel and designed for long-term use, are highly vulnerable to FOD. Once debris infiltrates the oil system, bearing life is significantly reduced.
The High-Stress Impact of FOD
The extreme contact pressures within turbine bearings make them particularly susceptible to damage. The rolling elements and raceways experience pressures as high as 200,000 psi. When contaminants are over-rolled, they create bruises and dents in the raceway, with raised edges resembling craters.
- Hard particles cause sharper dents, leading to increased stress concentrations.
- Severe cases may develop “comet tails,” formed when rolling elements strike crater edges and smooth out one side.
- Repeated over-rolling worsens the damage, triggering fatigue and leading to spalling—a surface crack that spreads and causes bearing failure.
- Metal fragments from improper oil can opening can become lodged in the cage, causing grooves in rolling elements that disrupt proper function and further reduce bearing life.
How to Prevent FOD in Oil Servicing
A crucial yet often overlooked source of FOD is material cast-off from oil cans during the opening process. Using conventional opening tools can introduce debris directly into the oil system.
TheCanKey is the only FOD-free oil can opener on the market, tested and certified by Saybolt Laboratories to leave zero debris in the oil can during opening.
By using TheCanKey turbine oil can opener, you ensure FOD-free oil servicing, preventing contamination, reducing costs, and enhancing engine safety and performance.
