Life Model Enhancement for Hybrid Ball Bearings

Abstract

Based on experimental life data on silicon nitride balls, the stress-life exponent and life constant in the generalized ball life equation, developed earlier, are modified to better simulate the fatigue life of silicon nitride balls in hybrid ball bearings. The modified ball life equation is then integrated with generalized life equations for the outer and inner races to model the life of a complete hybrid ball bearing. It is found that in view of the relatively high stress-life exponent for silicon nitride balls, computation of hybrid bearing life with infinite ball life may not be unreasonable. Model predictions are in good agreement with limited available experimental life data on hybrid ball bearings.

Keywords:

• Fatigue life
• hybrid ball bearings
• rolling contact fatigue
• rolling bearings
• ADORE

Acknowledgements

Technical support provided by Hitesh Trivedi of UES Inc. in the compilation and interpretation of experimental data is gratefully acknowledged.

Additional information

Funding

Work reported in this article was carried out under a U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II (Contract #FA8650-15-C-2534) contract awarded to PKG Inc. The Air Force Technical Contract Monitor was Jeremy Nickell.