Internal magnetorheological finishing of a typical outer race of ball bearing

Abstract

ABSTRACT The outer race is an important component of the ball bearing that supports heavy load from the attached spindle shaft to the inner race via the bearing balls. The machinery that uses bearing for revolving the shaft, their performance depends on the internal surface condition of the outer-race. A typical outer-race of ball bearing (ORBB) of EN-31 steel has been considered to fine-finish its inner surface using the rotational magnetorheological honing (RMRH) in this work. In this research, the response surface methodology approach was used to find out the best finishing variables. From an initial surface roughness of 0.39 µm, a significant surface finish of 0.06 µm was reached after 40 min of RMRH finishing. Furthermore, the surface waviness on the finally finished surface is lessened to 0.08 µm from 0.38 µm on the traditionally honed interior surface of the ORBB, resulting in a substantial increase in straightness. In addition, a circularity test is carried out to see whether the finished surface’s circularity has improved. The change in the surface appearance of the ORBB’s interior surface is explored using a scanning electron microscope test done on its initial honed and finally finished surfaces using the RMRH technique.