What are the common failure modes of self-aligning roller bearings?
Release time:
2025-06-10
What are the common failure modes of self-aligning roller bearings?
The failure modes of self-aligning roller bearings are closely related to their structural characteristics (double-row rollers, spherical raceways, self-aligning performance) and working environment. Common failures can be classified into the following categories, along with specific manifestations, causes, and typical cases:
1. Contact fatigue wear (the most common) Performance
The raceway or roller surface shows pockmarks, pits (corrosion spots) or large-scale peeling, accompanied by increased vibration noise and rising temperature.
In the early stage, tiny cracks can be seen (distributed along the rolling direction), and later they develop into peeling areas, with metal debris entering the lubrication system. Reason
Load anomaly:
Long-term overloading or uneven loading (such as shaft bending, bearing housing deformation) causes local stress to exceed the fatigue limit of the material (such as contact stress > 3000 MPa).
Impact loads (such as mechanical start/stop) trigger instantaneous high-stress cycles.
Poor lubrication:
Insufficient or failed lubricating oil results in insufficient oil film thickness (such as λ < 1, failure of oil film thickness), causing direct metal contact and fatigue.
Material defects:
There are inclusions (such as Al₂O₃) or residual microcracks from heat treatment in the steel, becoming fatigue sources.
Typical case
The bearing of a steel mill rolling mill was subjected to concentrated load due to the skew of the roll system. After 3 months of operation, a large area of peeling occurred on the inner race of the inner ring, and the vibration value (acceleration) increased from the initial 1.5 m/s² to 12 m/s².
II. Abrasive wear Performance
Uniform scratches or grooves appear on the raceway and roller surfaces, and metal debris can be seen in the lubricating grease (metallographic analysis shows large particle wear debris).
The bearing clearance increases, and abnormal noises are obvious during operation (similar to a "squeaking" sound). Reason
Pollution intrusion:
Sealing failure causes dust (such as SiO₂ particles in mining environments), iron filings, or moisture to enter the bearing interior.
During installation, the shaft and the bearing seat hole were not cleaned, leaving residual cutting fluid or metal impurities.
Lubrication failure:
Grease carbonization forms hard particles, or debris in the oil is not filtered (e.g., if the filtration accuracy is > 25 μm).
Poor fit:
The shaft and the inner ring have an overly loose fit, causing "creep", resulting in metal abrasive particles due to friction (micro-motion wear characteristic: the surface is reddish-brown Fe₂O₃).
Typical case
The bearings used in cement equipment had excessive labyrinth seal clearance, and after dust intrusion, the rollers and raceways were worn. Upon disassembly, it was found that the grease contained a large amount of > 50 μm SiO₂ particles, with a wear depth of 0.2 mm.
III. Plastic deformation Performance
The raceway or the surface of the roller shows dents or indentations, which are randomly distributed. When the bearing rotates, there is a feeling of obstruction. The clearance decreases, and in severe cases, it can lead to complete stalling. Reason
Overload impact:
Sudden load (such as mechanical lock-up) exceeds the yield strength of the material (the yield strength of bearing steel is approximately 1800 MPa).
Accidental impact during transportation or installation (such as excessive hammering force).
Soft metal contact:
The material of the shaft or seat hole is too soft (such as aluminum alloy), and the mating surface is crushed.
Typical case
The bearings of a port crane were damaged when the steel wire rope broke during cargo hoisting. The instantaneous impact load caused a 0.5mm deep indentation on the inner race of the inner ring during operation, and the peak vibration frequency during operation was consistent with the frequency at which the rollers passed.
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