IKonPro®: A software for the probabilistic prediction of rolling contact fatigue

Abstract

This work develops a software for the probabilistic prediction of rolling contact fatigue in multiple-row ball bearings subject to any loads and rotations. iKonPro®, as it has been named, calculates the failure probability of the raceways and the bearing, taking as input the material fatigue properties, contact-load and -angle distributions for discrete load cases, and the subsurface stress responses to different ball loads. The software is based on the determination of ball kinematics and equilibrium, raceways stress states, and local and global failure probabilities. Here, iKonPro® is applied to a wind-turbine pitch bearing and the results demonstrate that it correctly captures the size effect.