Analysis of Contact Stress and Vibration of Rolling Element Bearing

Abstract

The initial surface and operating condition of rolling element bearing are very important as this may reduce or extend the lifetime of the bearings. Bearing condition monitoring is one of the most used method to evaluate the bearing performance. In this study, the vibration level and surface deformation produced by different contact stress condition is investigated. The experiment is carried out using rolling contact rig and the roller samples are fabricated to produce line contact similar to the roller bearing. The rollers are made from four different materials to produce different contact characteristics. The finding shows that the contact stresses affect the vibration level and the surface deformation of the rolling contact.