JCSF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING REVIEWER MACHINE DESIGN: ROLLING ELEMENT BEARING

MODULE V

ROLLING ELEMENT BEARINGS

DEFINTIONS AND USEFUL INFORMATION

 Bearing – is a machine member that supports another part that rotates, slides, or oscillates in or on it.
 Rolling Element Bearing – is a bearing where surfaces are non-conformed and motion is primarily rolling; it is composed
of rolling elements interposed between outer and inner rings.
 Non-conformal surfaces – are surfaces that do not conform to each other very well as in the rolling element bearings.
 Ball bearing element – is a rolling element bearing that uses spherical balls as rolling elements.
 Roller bearing element – is a rolling element bearing that uses cylindrical rollers as rolling elements.

ROLLING-CONTACT BEARINGS

 Rolling-contact bearings or rolling-element bearings are ball or roller bearings used as substitute for a hydrodynamic or
hydrostatic fluid film to carry an impressed load without wear and with reduced friction.
 Rolling-contact bearing or rolling-element bearings are also called as “Anti-friction Bearing” because of greatly reduced
starting friction.
 Deep-groove Ball Bearing is a rolling contact bearing, which is the most common anti-friction bearing application, with
ribbon-type separator and sealed-grease lubrication used to support a shaft with radial and thrust loads in rotating
equipment.
 These bearings are made to high standards of accuracy and with close metallurgical control.
 Balls and rollers are normally held to diametral tolerances of 0.0001 inch or less within one bearing and are often used as
“gage” blocks in routine tool-room operations.

Advantages of Rolling-Element Bearings

o The following characteristics make rolling-element bearings more desirable than hydrodynamic bearings.
1. Low starting and good operating friction
2. The ability to support combined radial and thrust loads
3. Loads can be inclined at any angle in the transverse plane
4. Thrust components can be carried
5. Maintenance costs are low
6. Less axial space is required than for journal bearings, shafts are shorter, and may even be smaller in diameter.
7. Less sensitivity to interruption in lubrication
8. No self-excited instabilities
9. Good low-temperature starting

Disadvantages of Rolling-Element Bearings

o The following Characteristics Make rolling-element bearings less desirable than hydrodynamic bearings
1) Finite fatigue life subject to wide fluctuations 2) Larger space required in the radial direction
3) Low damping capacity 4) Higher noise level
5) More severe alignment requirements 6) Higher cost

Types of Rolling-Element Bearings

1. Deep-groove ball bearing, also known as Condrad-type ball bearing, is a bearing in which the balls are assembled by
the eccentric displacement of the inner ring.
o Balls are placed in the grooves between the inner ring and outer ring.
o Balls are kept in position by a separator or retainer or cage.
2. Filling-slot type of ball bearing is a bearing that has slots or notches that permit the assembly of more balls, giving a
bearing of larger radial load capacity. This bearing is used where the load is principally radial.
3. Self-aligning ball bearing is a ball bearing that compensates for angular misalignments that arise from shaft or
foundation deflection or errors in mounting.
o Recommended for radial loads and moderate thrust in either deflection.
o Since the outer race has a spherical shape, the shaft may pass through the bearings at a small angle without
causing bending.
4. Angular contact bearing is the one that is intended to take heavy thrust loads.
5. Double-row ball bearing is the one that is similar to single-row ball bearing, except that each ring has two grooves.
The two rows of balls give the bearing a capacity somewhat less than twice that of a single-row.
6. Cylindrical roller bearing is the one in which the contact is a line instead of a point as in ball bearing, which results
in a greater area carrying the load and in a larger radial capacity.
7. Self-alignment roller bearing is the one with spherical rollers running in a double-grooved inner ring, has curved
outer ring that looks much like the outer ring of a self-aligning ball bearing.
8. Needle bearing is a cylindrical roller bearing that has no retainer to hold the rollers in alignment. An application of
this is a universal joint with needle bearing.
9. Tapered roller bearing is the one in which the rolling elements are frustums of cones, so mounted in the races that all
of the surface elements and the axes intersect at a point on the axis of the shaft. It is capable of carrying sustainable
radial and thrust loads.

45
JCSF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING REVIEWER MACHINE DESIGN: ROLLING ELEMENT BEARING

10. Hyatt spherangular roller bearing is an angular contact bearing with rollers instead of balls. It is a self-aligning
bearing and has a high load capacity.

BALL BEARINGS

 Ball Bearings – are rolling element bearings that use spherical balls as rolling elements.

Parts of Ball Bearing

o The main parts of ball bearing are the following:
1) The inner ring 2) An outer ring 3) The balls 4) The cage or separator

Figure 5.1. Parts of Roller Bearing

Types of Ball Bearings

o Most types of ball bearings originate from three basic designs: the single-row radial, the single-row angular contact, and
the double-row angular contact.
1. Single-row Radial, Non-filling Slot
 This ball bearing is also known as the “Conrad” type or “Deep-groove” type.
 It is probably the most widely used ball bearing and is employed in many modified forms.
 A symmetrical unit capable of taking combined radial and thrust loads in which the thrust component is
relatively high, but is not intended for pure thrust loads.
 This type is not self-aligning; that accurate alignment between shaft and housing bore is a requirement.
2. Single-row Radial, Filling Slot
 This ball bearing type is designed primarily to carry radial loads.
 Bearings of this type are assembled with as many balls as can be introduced by eccentric displacement of the
rings, as in the non-filling slot type, and then several more balls are inserted through the loading slot, aided by a
slight spreading of the rings and heat expansion of the outer ring, if necessary.
 This bearing takes a certain degree of thrust when in combination with a radial load but not recommended where
thrust loads exceed 60 % of the radial load.

3. Single-row Angular-contact
 This bearing is designed for combined radial and thrust loads where the thrust component may be large and axial
deflection must be confined within very close limits. A high shoulder on one side of the outer ring is provided to
take the thrust, while the shoulder on the other side is only high enough to make the bearing non-separable.
 This type is applied either in pairs (duplex) or one at each end of the shaft, opposed, provided that it is not used
for a pure thrust load in one direction.
4. Double-row Bearings
 These are two single-row angular-contact bearings built as a unit with the internal fit between balls and raceway
fixed at the time of bearing assembly. The fit is not dependent upon mounting methods for internal rigidity.
 These bearings usually have a known amount of internal preload built in for maximum resistance to deflection
under combined loads with thrust from either direction.
 These bearings are very effective for radial loads where bearing deflection must be minimized.
5. Self-aligning ball bearing
 This bearing can be used to compensate for an appreciable degree of misalignment between shaft and housing
due to shaft deflections, mounting inaccuracies, or other causes commonly encountered.
 Alignment is provided by a spherical outer surface on the outer ring for a bearing with single row of balls
 Alignment is provided by a spherical raceway on the outer ring for a bearing with double row of balls.

LIFE OF BALL BEARING

 Life of an individual bearing is defined as the number of revolutions (or hours at any given constant speed) which the
bearing runs before the first evidence of fatigue develops in the material or either ring or any of the rolling elements.

 Million revolutions, mr, is the unit of life of bearing in terms of revolution.

1
 Bearing life, B, varies inversely as the k power of the load, F, B  .
Fk
k 1
 F1  B F1  B 2 k
   2 or   Eq. 5.1
 F2  B1 F2  B1 

46
JCSF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING REVIEWER MACHINE DESIGN: ROLLING ELEMENT BEARING

Where, F1 = load when the life is B1, lb. F2 = load when the life is B2, lb.
B1 = bearing life if the load is F1, mr B2 = bearing life if the load is F2, mr.
k = a constant k = 3  for ball bearing
k = 10 / 3  for roller bearing

Statistical Nature of Bearing Life

 The only logical approach to measure bearing life is using statistics and probabilities.
 ASA (American Standards Association) recommends ratings of rolling bearings on the basis that 90 % of a large
group of bearings in particular surroundings will survive at specified life.
 10 % failure, B10, means 10 % failure may be expected in revolution or time; or it means 90 % survival of the
bearing life without failure.
 The expression 90 % life is interpreted to mean that the probability of a particular bearing surviving the given time
or life is 90 %.
 Median life is another basis of bearing life on 50 % failure.

Bearing Life in Million Revolutions

Revolution = (Hours) (60 min/hr) (n, rpm) Eq. 5.2

Probability Without Failure

b
 B
b
B
  or ln P     Eq. 5.3
Pe a 
a

Where, P = probability of survival without failure B = bearing life, mr

a, b = constants taken from experiment

Static Load Capacity

 Static capacity, Fs, (Table 12.3, p.341, Faires) is a practical measure of the amount of brinelling that can normally be
tolerated when the bearing is to rotate.
 Brinelling or false brinelling means the act of indenting.
 If subsequent noisy operation is permissible, a static load larger than the static capacity may be allowed.

Stribeck’s Equation of Radial Static Load

Fs  C s N b D 2b Eq. 5.4

Where, Fs = static capacity, or the basic static load rating, lb. Nb = number of balls or rollers
Cs = proportionality constant which depends on the type of bearing and material
Cs = 5 000  for single-row, deep-groove ball bearing.

 Catalogs generally give values of Fs so that Machine Designer does not need to compute it.

Equivalent Static Load Capacity

 If the bearing is subject to radial and thrust loads, an equivalent static load is considered.

Fes  C1 Fx  C 2 Fz Eq. 5.5

Where, C1 and C2 = constants obtained from the bearing catalog Fx = radial load, lb.
Fz = thrust load, lb.
C1  0.6
 For single-row, deep-groove bearing
C 2  0.5

Dynamic Load Capacity

 Since a rotating bearing fails by fatigue, a dynamic load capacity is considered which is different from static load.
2
Fd  C  N b  3  N r Cos  
0 .7
D 1 .8 Eq. 5.6

Where, Fd = dynamic load capacity, lb Fd = Fr  for 1 mr in Table 12.3, p.341, Faires.

Nb = number of balls Nr = number of rows of balls
D = diameter of ball (D  1”)
C = constant that varies with the type of ball bearing, obtained from Catalog
 = angle of the resultant load/force when there is thrust load.

Equivalent Dynamic Load

47
JCSF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING REVIEWER MACHINE DESIGN: ROLLING ELEMENT BEARING

 The following equations are considered for single-row and double-row, deep-groove bearings by the use of Table
12.3, p.341, Faires.

Fe  C r Fx Fe  0.56 C r Fx  C t Fz
 Fz  or  Fz  Eq. 5.7
  Q    Q 
 C r Fx   C r Fx 

Where, Fe = equivalent dynamic load, lb Fx = radial load (computed from load analysis), lb.
Cr = rotation factor Cr = 1.0  for inner race rotating
Cr = 1.2  for outer race rotating wit respect to a stationary inner race
Ct = thrust factor, obtained from Table 12.2, p.340, Faires, that applies only when
Fz
Q.
C r Fx
Q = values obtained from Table 12.2.

Selecting Bearings from Tables

 The rated loads in Table 12.3 (Faires) are on the basis that 90 % will survive 10 6 rev. (1 mr) when the equivalent
load is used for selection.
 If there is shock or vibration, the equivalent load should be further modified in accordance with the machine
designer’s judgment. For shaft connected by gears, multiply the computed value of Fe by a service factor as follows:
Rotating machine, no impact, electric motors, rotary Compressor, etc. 1.1 – 1.5
Reciprocating machines 1.3 – 1.9
Machine with pronounced impact, hammer mills, etc. 1.6 – 4.0

Rated Load Equation (For deep-groove ball bearings)

1
B 3 1
Fr  Fe  10   Fe  B10  3 Eq. 5.8
 Br 

Where, Br = 1 mr, the rated life for Table 12.3

B10 = the desired number of revolution before 10 % failure have occurred, mr.
Fr = rated load or the basic dynamic load rating, lb.

Probability, P, of Survival Without Failure for a Particular life B

b
 1   B
ln      Eq. 5.9
P  a 

Let, P10 = 0.90, probability of 90 % survival P = any other probability

Then, Eq. 5.9 will be

b
 1   B10 
ln      Eq. 5.10
 P10   a 
1 1
 1 
b
  1 b
 ln     ln  P  
B  P 
      Eq. 5.11
B10   1    0.1053 
 ln     

  P10    
 1 
  ln 
1 
ln    0.1053
 P10   0.9 
a = 6.84, b = 1.17  for median life = 5 (90 % life)
a = 5.35, b = 1.34  for median life = 4.08 (90 % life)
PRACTICE PROBLEMS (Module 5)

Direction: Select the correct answer for each of the following questions.

1. Bearings with two-shouldered groove in one race and single-shouldered groove in the other race are known as:
a) Angular-Contact Ball Bearings b) Angular-Contact Bearings
c) Condrad Bearings d) Deep-groove bearings

2. Bearings that have clearance built into unloaded bearing, which allows operation under high thrust loads, are said to be:

48
JCSF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING REVIEWER MACHINE DESIGN: ROLLING ELEMENT BEARING

a) Angular-Contact Ball Bearings b) Angular-Contact Bearings

c) Condrad Bearings d) Deep-groove bearings

3. Rolling-element bearings that are using spheres as rolling elements.

a) Journal bearings b) Ball bearings c) Roller bearings d) Deep-groove bearings

4. It is a fitting or spacer to keep proper distance between balls in the bearing track.
a) Cage b) Inner race c) Outer race d) Inner ring

5. Deep-groove bearing is also known as:

a) Crown bearing b) Ball bearing c) Conrad bearing d) Roller bearing

6. A curvature on the rolling elements machined into rollers to eliminate high edge stresses is known as:
a) Crown b) Groove c) Ball race c) Roller race

7. Bearings using cylinders as rolling elements are known as:

a) Ball bearings b) Crown bearings c) Cylindrical roller bearings d) Deep-groove bearings

8. It is a ball bearing with race containing pronounced groove for rolling elements.
a) Ball bearing b) Crown bearing c) Cylindrical roller bearing d) Deep-groove bearing

9. Sets of two angular-contact ball bearings that preload each other upon assembly to shaft are called as:
a) Duplex pairs b) Self-aligning bearings c) Ball pairs d) Roller pairs

10. It is the maximum movement of inner race with respect to outer race under small forces.
a) Bearing misalignment b) Shaft deflection c) Endplay d) Bearing deflection

11. An angle made by line through points where ball contacts both races and plane perpendicular to bearing axis of rotation
under low loads.
a) Pressure angle b) Bearing angular displacement c) Free contact angle d) Contact angle

12. A bearing load equivalent to resultant load when considering thrust and radial components is said to be:
a) Equivalent static load b) Equivalent dynamic load
c) Equivalent radial load d) Equivalent axial load

13. The mean of inner- and outer-race diameters of ball bearings.

a) Mean diameter b) Pitch diameter c) Inner diameter d) Outer diameter

14. These are grooves within bearing rings for rolling elements to roll in.
a) Crowns b) Spacers c) Races d) Crowns

15. Machinery elements where surfaces are non-conformal, and motion is primarily rolling, are known as:
a) Sliding-element bearings b) Rolling-element bearings
c) Self-aligning bearings c) Journal bearings

16. These are bearings with one race having spherical shape to allow for large misalignment.
a) Spherical roller bearings b) Cylindrical roller bearings
c) Self-aligning bearings d) Deep-groove bearings

17. A bearing, that has one race made from two halves allowing for accurate axial positioning of shafts, is said to be:
a) Thrust ball bearing b) Split-ring bearing
c) Spherical roller bearing d) Rolling-element bearing

18. It is also considered as self-aligning bearing.

a) Split-ring bearing b) Spherical roller bearing
c) Cylindrical roller bearing d) Thrust ball bearing

19. These are bearings with race grooves arranged to support large axial or thrust forces.
a) Split-ring bearing b) Spherical roller bearing
c) Cylindrical roller bearing d) Thrust ball bearing

20. A machine member that supports another part that rotates, slides, or oscillates in or on it.
a) Flywheel b) Key c) Bearing d) Shaft

21. A bearing where surfaces are non-conformed and motion is primarily rolling; it is composed of rolling elements
interposed between outer and inner rings.
a) Journal bearing b) Sliding Element bearing
c) Rolling element bearing d) Ball bearing element

22. These are surfaces that do not conform to each other very well as in the rolling element bearings.
a) Conformal surfaces b) Non-conformal surfaces

49
JCSF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING REVIEWER MACHINE DESIGN: ROLLING ELEMENT BEARING

c) Ball bearing surfaces d) Roller bearing surfaces

23. A rolling element bearing that uses spherical balls as rolling elements.
a) Ball bearing element b) Roller bearing element
c) Journal bearing element c) sliding element bearing

24. A roller bearing in which the contact is a line instead of a point as in ball bearing, which results in a greater area carrying
the load and in a larger radial capacity.
a) Cylindrical roller bearing b) Self-alignment roller bearing
c) Tapered roller bearing c) Needle roller bearing

25. A roller bearing with spherical rollers running in a double-grooved inner ring, has curved outer ring that looks much like
the outer ring of a self-aligning ball bearing.
a) Cylindrical roller bearing b) Self-alignment roller bearing
c) Tapered roller bearing c) Needle roller bearing

ANSWERS

1. a
2. b
3. b
4. a
5. c

6. a
7. c
8. d
9. a
10. c

11. c
12. a
13. b
14. c
15. b

16. c
17. b
18. b
19. d
20. c

21. c
22. b
23. b
24. a
25. b

50