This technical report discusses rolling contact bearings. It begins by defining a bearing and describing the two main types: rolling contact bearings and journal bearings. Rolling contact bearings are the focus of the report. They have four basic parts: an inner race, outer race, rolling elements (balls or rollers), and a cage. The report then discusses the characteristics and applications of different types of rolling contact bearings, including ball bearings, roller bearings, and their variations. It concludes by covering topics like bearing selection criteria, load ratings, and the advantages of rolling contact bearings.
This technical report discusses rolling contact bearings. It begins by defining a bearing and describing the two main types: rolling contact bearings and journal bearings. Rolling contact bearings are the focus of the report. They have four basic parts: an inner race, outer race, rolling elements (balls or rollers), and a cage. The report then discusses the characteristics and applications of different types of rolling contact bearings, including ball bearings, roller bearings, and their variations. It concludes by covering topics like bearing selection criteria, load ratings, and the advantages of rolling contact bearings.
This technical report discusses rolling contact bearings. It begins by defining a bearing and describing the two main types: rolling contact bearings and journal bearings. Rolling contact bearings are the focus of the report. They have four basic parts: an inner race, outer race, rolling elements (balls or rollers), and a cage. The report then discusses the characteristics and applications of different types of rolling contact bearings, including ball bearings, roller bearings, and their variations. It concludes by covering topics like bearing selection criteria, load ratings, and the advantages of rolling contact bearings.
This technical report discusses rolling contact bearings. It begins by defining a bearing and describing the two main types: rolling contact bearings and journal bearings. Rolling contact bearings are the focus of the report. They have four basic parts: an inner race, outer race, rolling elements (balls or rollers), and a cage. The report then discusses the characteristics and applications of different types of rolling contact bearings, including ball bearings, roller bearings, and their variations. It concludes by covering topics like bearing selection criteria, load ratings, and the advantages of rolling contact bearings.
A bearing is a component that is used in machines to support rotating shafts with minimum friction. There are two types of bearings: rolling contact bearings and journal bearings. Rolling contact bearings use balls or rollers that rotate between inner and outer rings to allow shaft rotation. Journal bearings are one-piece static sleeves that are mounted in housings and fit closely to shafts to allow rotational movement. Both have many applications in today’s industrial products. For instance, in the automotive industry, rolling contact bearings are used in transmissions while journal bearings are used in engines. This course deals with rolling contact bearings and presents all their important aspects from the basics to machine applications. Any rolling contact bearing has four basic parts: 1- Inner Race. 2- Outer race.
3- Rolling Element. 4- A cage which holds the rolling elements together. Types of Rolling Contact Bearing: There are two types of rolling contact bearings: ball bearings and roller bearings. Ball bearings, as the name suggests, use balls as the rolling element while roller bearings use rollers. Ball bearings can be divided into two groups: radial ball bearings and angular contact ball bearings. Radial ball bearings support primarily radial loads which act perpendicular to the bearing axis. Angular contact ball bearings support both radial and thrust loads which act parallel to the bearing axis. It can be seen from how radial loads act perpendicular to the bearing axis while thrust loads act parallel to the bearing axis. In some instances, there are two radial loads acting on a bearing. The Pythagorean Theorem is used to calculate the resultant radial load. The radial load may be located between the two bearings. The simple beam formula can be used to calculate the individual load on each bearing. It can be shown that the bearing located closer to the load supports the greater portion of the load. The load may also be located overhanging the two bearings. In this case, the beam formula will show that the bearing located closer to the load actually supports more than the load itself. Radial ball bearings are assembled by a method called Conrad Assembly. It starts by placing the inner ring off-center inside the outer ring, loading a limited number of balls in the crescent space, cantering the balls, and installing the separator . Adding a loading groove to one or both rings allows the assembly of more balls (as shown later). Radial ball bearings are non-separable. Angular contact bearings have separable rings and can be assembled with a full complement of balls increasing their capacity to support more load than radial ball bearings. Roller bearings can be divided into two groups: cylindrical roller bearings and tapered roller bearings . Cylindrical roller bearings support primarily radial loads while tapered roller bearings support both radial and thrust loads. Cylindrical roller bearings and tapered roller bearings can be assembled with a full complement of rollers maximizing their capacity to support loads. Figure 1 Ball Bearing Terminology Figure 2 Ball Bearing Types
Characteristics of Rolling Contact Bearings:
Ball bearings are a common type of rolling contact bearings. Radial ball bearings can support radial loads and a lesser amount of thrust loads in either direction. Angular contact ball bearings can support both radial and thrust loads and are often used in pairs. Because of the much smaller contact between balls and rings, ball bearings cannot support loads as high as equal sized roller bearings; however, ball bearings can operate with lower torque and higher speed and precision than roller bearings. Radial ball bearings can be furnished prelubricated and sealed, and operate for life without maintenance. Ball and roller bearings can be furnished with snap rings installed in grooves in the outer ring for mounting purposes. Roller bearings are also a common type of rolling bearings. Cylindrical roller bearings can support higher radial loads than similar size ball bearings but lack the capacity to support substantial thrust loads. Tapered roller bearings can support high radial and thrust loads and are often used in pairs. The following is a summary of the characteristics of ball and roller bearings presented in Figure 3 below: 1- Radial ball bearings have fair radial and thrust load carrying capabilities. They are excellent for high speed, high accuracy and low torque. They are also good for shaft misalignment. They can be used together on both ends of a shaft. Angular contact ball bearings have good radial and thrust load carrying capabilities. They are excellent for high speed and high accuracy, fair for low torque, but poor for shaft misalignment. 2- Angular contact pairs are good for radial and thrust loads. They are good for high speed and high accuracy but are poor for shaft misalignment. They are commonly used on both ends of a shaft. 3- Some forms of cylindrical roller bearings have good radial load and fair thrust load carrying capabilities. Others are excellent for high speed and high accuracy. All are fair for shaft misalignment. Some forms are good for mounting on both ends of a shaft. 4- Tapered roller bearings have excellent radial and good thrust load carrying capabilities. They are good for high speed and high accuracy but poor for misalignment. They too are commonly mounted on both ends of the same shaft.
Rolling contact bearing selection:
Some of the important terminologies which are required for selection of rolling contact bearing are given below.
Rating life:
Rating life is defined as the life of a group of apparently identical ball or roller bearings, in number of revolutions or hours, rotating at a given speed, so that 90% of the bearings will complete or exceed before any indication of failure occur.
Suppose we consider 100 apparently identical bearings. All the 100 bearings are put onto a shaft rotating at a given speed while it is also acted upon by a load. After some time, one after another, failure of bearings will be observed. When in this process, the tenth bearing fails, then the number of revolutions or hours
lapsed is recorded. These figures recorded give the rating life of the bearings or simply L10 life (10 % failure). Similarly, L50 means, 50 % of the bearings are operational. It is known as median life. Fig.14.2.3 defines the life of rolling contact bearings.
Bearing load: If two groups of identical bearings are tested under loads P1 and P2 for respective lives of L/ and L2 , then, . .i L, P, i L, . i Where, L : life in millions of revolution or life in hours a : constant which is 3 for ball bearings and 10/3 for roller bearings Basic load rating
It is that load which a group of apparently identical bearings can withstand for a rating life of one million revolutions.
Hence, in (15.3.66), if say, L1 is taken as one million then the corresponding load is, 1
Where, C is the basic or dynamic load rating
Therefore, for a given load and a given life the value of C represents the load carrying capacity of the bearing for one million revolutions. This value of C, for the purpose of bearing selection, should be lower than that given in the manufacturer's catalogue. Normally the basic or the dynamic load rating as prescribed in the manufacturer's catalogue is a conservative value, therefore the chances of failure of bearing is very less. Equivalent radial load
The load rating of a bearing is given for radial loads only. Therefore, if a bearing is subjected to both axial and radial load, then an equivalent radial load is estimated as, Where,
e Equivalent radial load
r Given radial load P, : Given axial load V Rotation factor (1.0, inner race rotating; 1.2, outer race rotating) X : A radial factor Y: An axial factor The values of X and Y are found from the chart whose typical format and few representative values are given below. Advantages & Disadvantages:
Advantages: 1- Low starting and running friction except at very speeds. 2- Ability to withstand momentary shock loads. 3- Accuracy of shaft alignment. 4- Low cost of maintenance, as no lubrication is required while in service. 5- Small overall dimensions. 6- Reliability of service. 7- Easy to mount and erect. 8- Cleanliness. Disadvantages: 1- Noisier at very high speeds. 2- Low resistance to shock loading. 3- More initial cost. 4- Design of bearing housing complicated. 5- Lesser capacity to withstand shock. 6- Finite life due to failure by fatigue. Reference
Bearings And Bearing Metals: A Treatise Dealing with Various Types of Plain Bearings, the Compositions and Properties of Bearing Metals, Methods of Insuring Proper Lubrication, and Important Factors Governing the Design of Plain Bearings
Bearings And Bearing Metals: A Treatise Dealing with Various Types of Plain Bearings, the Compositions and Properties of Bearing Metals, Methods of Insuring Proper Lubrication, and Important Factors Governing the Design of Plain Bearings
