Angular Contact Ball Bearings: Track Position at High Speeds

Abstract

The track position of the balls on the outer race of an angular contact bearing of the series and size used on the main shaft of aero gas turbine engines was measured in a test rig. The test rig was capable of simulating the operating conditions of the bearing with respect to axial load, inner race speed and high lubricant flow rates. The contact angle, defined by the track position, was deduced from the measurement of sub-surface displacements in the race using a number of small transducers embedded therein. The resulting contact angles were compared with values predicted from a number of unconfirmed theories in current use. At conditions of high speed and low load the correlation is poor; an over-estimation of the cage speed, arising from the false assumption that gross ball slip does not occur, gives rise to an over-estimation of the changes of contact angles from their nominal values.