MIL-DTL-197 Packaging Of Bearings, Associated Parts And SubassembliesThis specification covers the cleaning, drying, preservation, packaging, and packaging marking requirements for all types and sizes of stock and production bearings, associated parts, and subassemblies \(see 6.1\).

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MIL-DTL-197L

remove exterior contaminants before being placed in a clean container ready to be cut open. The

package should be opened carefully so that there will be no chips of the packaging material

generated and the bearing should be removed with tweezers, or suitable handling tools. Bearings

should never be handled with bare hands or fingers.

6.3.2 Visual inspection of bearings before installation. The bearings should be inspected

under suitable lighting conditions to assure that bearings are free from contamination, corrosion,

and rust prior to installation. Bearings should be handled in a manner that does not result in

contamination.

6.3.3 Bearing cleanliness. Cleaning is a most important part of bearing preservation. It is

essential that the cleaning method not leave residues that may either react unfavorably with the

preservative, lubricant, or packing material; or that may be unstable and decompose to form

corrosive residues.

6.3.4 Bearing (support item). When bearings are acquired by equipment contractors for

subsequent delivery to the Government as spares, proof of conformance to the provisions of this

document by the bearing manufacturer, including the environment and process cleanliness

provisions of 4.5.4, may serve as the basis for government acceptance.

6.3.5 Air cleanliness classes. The information contained in ISO 14644-1 and ISO 14644-2

should be used to the fullest extent in achieving and maintaining the air cleanliness classes

required herein for clean rooms and workstations.

6.3.6 Oxygen-use bearings. Oxygen-use bearings must be free of any contamination by

hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons in the form of oil, grease, lint, debris, or combustible foreign matter

create explosion hazards in the presence of oxygen.

6.4 Lubricant information. Item description requirements include lubrication requirements

as may be cited in the bearing item description, original equipment manufacturer or military

drawing, military/federal specification, commercial item description, or bearing manufacturer's

part number (see 3.3.4).

6.4.1 Lubricant certification. Lubricants used to preserve bearings in accordance with this

document should be certified to meet all requirements of the appropriate lubricant specification.

Recertification should occur in accordance with manufacturer's recommended periodicity (see

3.3.4.4 and 6.2) or, in the absence of same, every 2 years for organic-based oils, 3 years for

organic-based greases, and 5 years for silicone and perfluorinated oils and greases.

MIL-STD-3004 provides the test requirements for re-certification of most lubricants (see 6.5.22).

6.4.1.1 Lubricant re-certification. For bearings in storage that are suspected of having

exceeded the rated shelf life (see 6.5.21) of their preservative, those bearings will be sampled

and the lubricant or preservative tested in accordance with MIL-STD-3004 to certify/re-certify

that they meet all of the requirements of the appropriate lubricant or bearing specification or

standard (see footnote 1 of table II, 3.3.4.6, 6.4.1, and 6.5.22). Bearings that are found to have

exceeded their shelf life (i.e., that cannot be re-certified only through testing) will be cleaned,

inspected, re-lubricated, and repackaged in accordance with this specification. The bearings will