Study on wear behavior and mechanism of 6007 Si3N4 full-ceramic ball bearing under different load conditions

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of various load conditions on the wear characteristics of Si3N4 full-ceramic ball bearings in response to 6007 Si3N4 full-ceramic ball bearing operation-related wear problems. Using an ABLT-1A tester, the wear behavior of 6007 Si3N4 ceramic ball bearings was investigated under loads of 100, 500, and 800 N, with a rotation speed of 6000 r/min and a duration of 12,000 min. The test load, and the 100 and 500 N radial loads had an equilibrium temperature difference of about 1.91°C, while the 500 and 800 N radial loads exhibited an equilibrium temperature difference of about 2.35°C. Each group’s temperature rate difference is evident. Bearing internal clearance increased by 35.7%, 50.34%, and 56.1%, respectively, and the fault frequencies of the bearing elements appeared within the vibration signal. The surface roughness of each component of the bearing increased with the increase in the test load, while a large number of plow grooves and spalling appeared on the surface, and severe cage wear was observed. Results show that when load, temperature, clearance, runout, and frequency domain amplitude increased, the following were observed: development of rolling body surface spalling and a large area of wear spot; raceway surface crater along the direction of movement of the fur-row; obvious scratches were observed on the cage surface in the pocket hole edge melting phenomenon; the cage became the bearing system’s "weak link.” The test results are a reference value for the wear behavior of Si3N4 full-ceramic ball bearings under this test load.