Bearings Limited

BEARING FAILURE ANALYSIS

TYPE OF DAMGE/FAILURE PICTORIAL VIEW How to Identify ? Why it happens ? How to Prevent ?
Small indentations around the raceways & rolling Do not unpack bearing until just before it is to be mounted.
Lack of cleanliness before & during mounting operation.
elements. Dull,worn surfaces. Keep workshop clean & use clean tools.
Wear Caused by abrasive
Ineffective seals. Check & possibly improve the sealing.
particles.
Grease discoloured green
Always use fresh, clean lubricant. Wipe the grease nipples.
Lubricant contaminated by worn particles from brass cage.
Filter the oil.

Check that the lubricant reaches the bearing

Wear Caused by Worn,frequently mirror-like, surfaces: at a large Lubricant has gradually been used up or has lost its
WEAR

Inadequate Lubrication. stage blue to brown discolouration. lubricating properties.

More frequent relubrication.

Depressions in raceways. These depressions are
rectangular in roller bearings & circular in ball
Wear Caused by Vibration.
bearings. The bottom of these depressions may be
bright or dull & oxidised.
Secure the bearing during transport by radial preloading.
Provide a vibration-damping base. Where possible, use ball
The bearing has been exposed to vibration while stationary.
bearings instead of roller bearings. Employ oil bath
lubrication, where possible.

Apply the mounting pressure to the ring with the

Mounting pressure applied to the wrong ring.
interfearance fit.
Indentation caused by Indentaion in the raceways of both rings with
Follow instruction in case of tapered seating given by bearing
faulty mounting or spacing equal to the distance between the rolling Excessively hard drive-up on tapered seating.
manufacturer.
overloading. elements.
INDENTATION

Avoild overloading or use bearings with higher basic static

Overloading while not running.
load ratings.

Cleanliness to be observed during the mounting operation.

Indentation caused by Small indentations around the raceways & rolling

Ingress of foreign particles into the bearing. Uncontaminated lubricant.
foreign particles. elements. Dull,worn surfaces.

Improved seals.

Smearing of roller ends & Sliding under heavy axial loading & with inadequate
Scored & discoloured roller ends & flange faces. More suitable Lubricant.
guide flanges. lubrication.
 BEARING FAILURE ANALYSIS
TYPE OF DAMGE/FAILURE PICTORIAL VIEW How to Identify ? Why it happens ? How to Prevent ?

Smearing rollers & Scored & discoloured areas at the start of the load
Roller acceleration on entry into the loaded zone. More suitable Lubricant. Reduce bearing internal clearances.
raceways zone in receways & on the surface of the rollers.
PRIMARY DAMAGE

Transverse smear streaks- spaced at intervals equal Rotate the inner & outer ring during entry. Lubricant the
During the mounting operaton, the ring with the roller &
SMEARING

to the distance between the rollers- in the raceways
Raceway smearing at of cylindrical roller bearings.
intervals corrosponding to
Transverse smear streaks- spaced at intervals equal
the roller spacing.
to the distance between the rollers- in the raceways
of Spherical & Taper roller bearings.
surfaces well. Use a mounting ring when fitting a series of
cage assembly has been entered askew on the other ring.
bearings.
Rotate the bearing when it is being adjusted. Apply the
Blows applied to the wrong ring or heavy preloading without
mounting force against the ring with the tightest fit; never
rotating the bearing.
allow the forces to pass through the rolling elements.

Smearing of External Score & discoloured riing bore or outside surface or

Ring rotation relative to shaft or housing. Select heavier interfearance fit.
surfaces faces.

Smearing in thrust ball

Diagonal smear streaks in the raceways. Loading too light in relation to speed of rotation. Preload the bearing by using springs.
bearing.
SURFACE DISTRESS

Initially the damage is not visible to the naked eye.

Surface Distress A more advanced stage is marked by small, shallow Inadequate or improper lubrication. Improve lubrication.
craters with crystalline fracture surfaces.

Greyish black streaks across the raceways, mostly

coinciding with the rolloing element spacing. At a Presence of water, moisture or corrosive substance in the Improve sealing. Use lubricant with better rust inhibiting
Deep seated rust
later stage, pitting of raceways & other surfaces of bearing over a long period of time. properties.
CORROSION

the bearing.

Areas of rust on the outside surface of the outer

Fretting corosion ring or in the bore of the inner ring. Raceway path Fit too loose. Shaft or housing seating with error of form. Adust Seating.
pattern heavily marked at corrosponding position.
 BEARING FAILURE ANALYSIS
TYPE OF DAMGE/FAILURE
ELECTRIC CURRENT DAMAGE PICTORIAL VIEW How to Identify ? Why it happens ? How to Prevent ?

Dark brown or greyish black fluting (Corrugation) or

creaters in raceways & rollers. Balls have dark
Passage of electric current through rotating bearing. Re-route the current to by-pass the bearing.
discolouration only. Sometimes ZigZag burns in ball
bearings raceways.
Damage caused by the
passage of electric current.

Localised burns in raceways & on rolling elements. Passage of electric current through non-rotating bearing. Use Insulated bearings.

Heavily marked path patterns in raceways of both

Preloading on account of fits being too tight. After the fits or select bearing with larger internal clearance.
rings.
Excessive drive-up on tapered seating. Do not drive the bearing so far up its tapered searting.
Flaking caused by
Sigle row angular contact ball bearing or taper roller
Preloading Re-adjust the bearings to obtain lighter preload.
Flaking usually in the most heavily loaded zone. bearrings adjusted to give excessive preload.
Temperature differential between inner & outer ring too
Select bearing with larger internal clearance.
great.
Usually it is necessary to manufactre a new shaft or new
housing to remedy this defect. On expident is to spray metal
Oval shaft or oval housing seating. The latter is a common
Heavily marked path patterns at two diametrically on the components & then regrind. If it is a matter of an oval
Flaking caused by oval defect in split housing & machine frames.
opposed sections of either bearing ring. Flaking in shaft with the bearing mounted on sleeve, it is possible to
compression
these sections. adjust the sahft by grinding, in certain cases.
The bore of plummer blocks mounted on an uneven base
Adjust the base.
becomes oval when bolts are tightened.
Incorrect mounting which result it axial loading, e.g.
excessive preloading of angular contact ball bearings & taper Check adjustment when mounting the bearings.
Heavily marked path patterns at two diametrically roller bearings.
Flaking caused by Axial
opposed sections of either bearing ring. Flaking in The non-locating bearing has jammed. Check the fit & lubricant the surfaces.
compression
these sections.
Axial freedom of movement has not been sufficient to If temperature differential between shaft & housing cannot
accommodate the thermal expansion. be reduced, provide greater freedom of movement.

Deep groove ball bearings: diagonal path pattern,

Flaking Caused by severely marked at two diametrically opposed Bearing seating out of alignment. Bearing mounted on the
Rectify the seatings. Use mounting sleeve with parallel faces.
misalignment sections. Cylindrical roller bearings: flaking at the skew.
edge of the raceway.

Apply the mounting pressure to the ring with the

interfearance fit.

Flaking in conjunction with indentations coinciding Indentations resulting from faulty mounitng practice or Follow instruction in case of tapered seating given by bearing
with the rolling element spacing. overloading of the no-rotating bearing. manufacturer.
FLAKING OR SPALLING

Avoild overloading or use bearings with higher basic static

Flaking caused by load ratings.
indentations

Cleanliness to be observed during the mounting operation.

 FLAKING OR SPALLIN
BEARING FAILURE ANALYSIS
TYPE OF DAMGE/FAILURE PICTORIAL VIEW How to Identify ? Why it happens ? How to Prevent ?
Flaking in conjunction with small indentations. Indentaion made by foreign particles.
Uncontaminated lubricant.
SECONDARY DAMAGE

Improved seals.

More suitable Lubricant.

Flaking at the start of load zone in raceways of roller
Skid smearing.
bearings.
More suitable Lubricant. Reduce bearing internal clearances.
Rotate the inner & outer ring during entry. Lubricant the
surfaces well. Use a mounting ring when fitting a series of
Flaking caused by
bearings.
smearing
Flaking, coinciding with the roller spacing, in Rotate the bearing when it is being adjusted. Apply the
Trnsverse smearing resulting from faulty mounting practice.
raceways of roller bearings. mounting force against the ring with the tightest fit; never
allow the forces to pass through the rolling elements.
Select heavier interfearance fit.
Preload the bearing by using springs.

Greyish black streaks across the raceways, mostly

Flaking caused by Deep coinciding with the rolloing element spacing. At a Presence of water, moisture or corrosive substance in the Improve sealing. Use lubricant with better rust inhibiting
seated rust later stage, pitting of raceways & other surfaces of bearing over a long period of time. properties.
the bearing.

Areas of rust on the outside surface of the outer

Flaking caused by Fretting
ring or in the bore of the inner ring. Raceway path Fit too loose. Shaft or housing seating with error of form. Adust Seating.
corosion
pattern heavily marked at corrosponding position.

Flaking in conjunction with bright or corroded Wear resulting from vibrations while the bearing was not
Re-route the current to by-pass the bearing.
fluting or craters. running.
Flaking caused by fluting
or craters
Flaking in conjunction with drak colured or burnt
Electric current damage Use Insulated bearings.
fluting or craters.

Cracks caused by rough Blows , with hammer or hardened chisel, have neen directed Always use a soft drift or mounting sleeve. Never subject the
Crack
treatment against the ring when the bearing was bearing mounted. bearing to direct hits.

Follow bearing manufacturers instruction concening on

Excessive drive-up on tapered seating or sleeve.
CRACKS

Cracks caused by excessive The bearing has cracked right through & has lost its tapered seating.
drive-up frop on the shaft.

Interference fit on cylindrical searing too heavy. Alter the fit.

 BEARING FAILURE ANALYSIS
TYPE OF DAMGE/FAILURE PICTORIAL VIEW How to Identify ? Why it happens ? How to Prevent ?

Cracks, transverse in inner rings & generally

Cracks caused by fretting
longitudunal in outer rings, in conjunction with Fretting corrosion Adust Seating.
corrosion
fretting corrosion.

Vibration High forces of inertia -

RETAINER DAMAGE

Excessive speed Excessive speed Select bearings with cages of special design
RETAINER

Inadequate lubrication -
Cage crack Abbrasive particles -
Wear
When cage in center of the rolling elements, resultant force
-
may cause cage damage.
Fragements of flaked material (Hard Particles) between the
Blockage -
cages & rolling elements.