PRODUCT AND APPLICATION ENGINEERING INFORMATION. BEARING LIFE Beating life is essentially the length of time a bearing can be ex on the prabable numberof rotations a bearing can be WHAT DETERMINES A BEARING'S SERVICE LIFE? In addition to natural wear and tea, bearings can fal (prematurely) due to other factors such as extreme temperatures, lack of lubrication, or damage to the seals or cage, Bearing damage of ths kind is often the result of choosing the wrong bearing, inaccuracies in the design of the surrounding components, improper installation or poo maintenance. 1. Basic fatigue life rating A bearings basic fatigue life rating is calculated using the number of rotations which 90% of all bearings in a specific group achieve or exceed in a calculated time without failure (probability of failure: 10%). A standardized formula ~ also known as the catalog method ((S0 281.2007) ~is the conventional means of calculating 2 bearing’ life. the parameters ate bearing load, rotational speed, dynamic load rating and bearing type. the result is the bearing fatigue life L,, of Ly, » The Dynamic load rating (basic load rating) is defined as the constant load applied on bearings with stationary auter rings that the inner rings can endure for a rating life of one million FNCU lo oa esse) defined ditions tis bas i form as eequired erating 3 it starts showing signs of fatigue, such as spalling or cr: "pea signs of fatigue: small flakes ofthe bearing material become detached (laking/spaling). Failure Probability and Bearing lifeBEARING LIFE revalutions (10 rev. The basic load rating of radial bearings is defined as a cental radial load of constant direction and magnitude, while the basic load rating of thrust bearings is defined as an axial load of constant magnitude in the same direction as the central axis. The load ratings are listed under ¢, for racial bearings and ¢, for thrust bearings in the dimension tables The dynamic equivalent load P is defined as a mathematical ‘adil loa for adil bearings or axial oad for axial bearings of ‘constant magnitude and diection which has the same effect ‘on bearing lie 25 the forces actually acting onthe component. In the case of combined or constant loads, the value of P is ‘calculated using the following formula Pen iYeF, ‘Apart from Thwst Spherical Roller Bearing: Pef,+12+F, where F,/F,< 055 {fl base ite rating [10 rotations /5] cy wo (cy be () ot n= On (Fy © bynamic load rating (N) Poynamic equivalent bearing oad [N] Exponent (3 fr bal bearings, 10/3 fo roller bearings) +] 1 Rotational speed [rpm] Adjusting bearings to the operating temperature If standard bearings are used at high operating temperatures, the bearing stee! loses hardness. The nominal load rating should therefore be adjusted for higher temperatures with the aid of this equation : Basic Load Rating G, Basic load rating after temperature correction (N) {, Temperature factor Basic load rating before temperature adjustment (N) Temperstre Factor Ueningtempentie< SWS Teperatuetaderf, 1001000850 wewwinskamericas com NSK 2 Modified bearing life ‘Aithough nominal bearing life is sufficient as a criterion, it is esirable for many applications to calculate service lite more precisely, taking lubrication and contamination into account Ithas also been established that the grades of steel and quality ‘of manufacturing now available make it possible for bearings to last longer than the nominal life L,, suggests if conditions are favorable and the contact load does not exceed a certain level, Howeves, unfavorable operating conditions may shorten the sevice life, To take ths into account, the factors 2, a, anda, have. been defined, resulting in the modified bearing life L,. Load bn Modified beating ite / [10 otaions/h] he ba 8, Life adjustment factor for reliabil Life adjustment factor for special bearing properties 2, fe adjustment factor for operating condltons eat Factors, elabiiy(n) 90S 5 ee ee) PREDICTING THE SERVICE LIFE OF NSK PRODUCTS. USING THE ABLE FORECASTER The ABLE Forecaster (Advanced Bearing Life Equation) software developed by NSK pravides more precise information about the bearing life of NSK products because evaluations of application scenarios and tials are incorporated into the caleulations [BEARING LIFE - REV 3 / ATI / 20