What happens to the armature clearance as the sleeve bearing wears?

Prepare for the NEIEP Generator Maintenance and Repair Test. Hone your skills with targeted questions and answers, enhanced with hints and thorough explanations. Elevate your readiness for the test!

Multiple Choice

What happens to the armature clearance as the sleeve bearing wears?

Explanation:
As the sleeve bearing wears, the rotor gains more end play and becomes less stiff in its mounting. That looseness allows the shaft to tilt or sag slightly toward the stator, especially under gravity and magnetic forces during operation. The result is that the minimum radial gap between the armature and the stator—the armature clearance—shortens. So, the overall tendency is for the armature clearance to drop as the bearing wears. (The movement can be uneven around the circumference, but the dominant effect is a reduction in clearance rather than an increase.)

As the sleeve bearing wears, the rotor gains more end play and becomes less stiff in its mounting. That looseness allows the shaft to tilt or sag slightly toward the stator, especially under gravity and magnetic forces during operation. The result is that the minimum radial gap between the armature and the stator—the armature clearance—shortens. So, the overall tendency is for the armature clearance to drop as the bearing wears. (The movement can be uneven around the circumference, but the dominant effect is a reduction in clearance rather than an increase.)

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy