04 - Bearing Damage

Bearing Damage
November 2000
© Federal-Mogul RPB Ltd.
Northwood Hills HA6 1LN
Middlesex, England
Bearing Damage
Plain bearings have been used for many years in all types of rotating machinery and the vast majority
give excellent service over long periods of time. When, however, they suffer damage the cause may be
obscure. The bearings themselves are often blamed and whilst faulty design or manufacture of the
bearings may be responsible, the cause most frequently lies in an extraneous source.
The purpose of these pages is to direct the operator on the basis of the facts available to the likely causes
of bearing damage and to assist him or her to reach a decision as to the action to be taken. This decision
must be based on the nature and severity of the damage and on the significance of the type of damage.
Damage types
Scoring due to foreign matter or ’dirt’
Nitride scars
Wiping of bearing surface at start-up/rundown/barring
Wiping of bearing surface due to loss of clearance
Wiping of bearing surface due to insufficient lubricant or operational overload
Wiping of bearing surface due to misalignment
Problems caused by faulty assembly
Electrical discharge erosion
Spark tracking
Intergranular craze cracking
Fatigue cracking of bearing surface
Pivot fatigue or fretting
Corrosion
Fretting damage of bearing surface due to vibration
Lacquering due to oil breakdown or contamination
Thermal faceting
"Black scab" or "wire wool" damage
Scoring Due to Foreign Matter or ’Dirt’
Contamination of the lubricant includes
• Built-in dirt on housings, shafts, oil galleries etc present at the time of machine assembly
• Entrained dirt entering through breathers or air filters, and particles derived from the combustion
of fuel in internal-combustion engines where the lubrication system is shared with the driven
machine
• Metallic wear particles resulting from abrasive wear of moving parts
Dirt may cause polishing of the surfaces of whitemetal lined bearings, burnishing of bronze bearings,
abrasive wear of overlays or other bearing linings, and scoring of both bearing and mating surfaces with
degrees of severity depending upon the nature and size of the dirt particle, oil film thickness and type of
bearing material.
Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5

(Click on the images for more detail)
Recommended Action
Bearings in condition shown in Figs 2 & 3 should be scrapped or relined, and replacement bearings fitted
after cleaning journal, oil ways and filters. Bearings in condition shown in Fig 1, 4, and 5, should be re-
fitted, after cleaning bearings and journal surfaces, provided clearance increase due to wear can be
tolerated. In all cases, consideration should be given to improving the level of full-flow filtration or
installing a by-pass centrifugal filter.
Not many bearing solutions can be designed to perform satisfactorily in a contaminated environment
unless the design life of the equipment or acceptable service intervals are consistent with the
expected rate of wear in the bearings.
We fundamentally market bearings with a long, normally indefinite, design life and currently offers two
bearing solutions which can address the issue of a contaminated bearing environment; active
magnetic bearings where the components can be protected by means of a stainless steel ’can’
between them and the contaminated gas or liquid and ceramic fluid film bearings where the mating
surfaces are normally in monolithic silicon carbide which is resistant to abrasion by contaminants in
the lubricant such as sand particles.
Other bearing products available within our group, such as DEVA, offer different bearing solutions for
arduous, contaminated environments.
Fig. 1
Material: Whitemetal
Application:
Severity: Moderate
Description: Bearing scored and pitted with dirt
Fig. 2
Application:
Severity: Severe
Description: “Haloes” caused by dirt particles
Fig. 3
Material: Tin-based whitemetal
Application:
Severity: Severe
Description: Concentric scoring of thrust due to dirt entering
bearing at high speed
Fig. 4
Application:
Severity: Moderate
Description: Scoring by dirt entering at start-up
Fig. 5
Application:
Severity: Moderate
Description: Surface of pad in Fig. 4 at higher magnification
showing irregular tracks caused by rolling of shot-blast
spherical steel particles
Nitride Scars
If a shaft is hardened by nitriding and the friable layer is not fully removed, distinctive V-shaped scars can
appear on the bearing surface after a short period of running.
Fig. 6
Recommended Action
Replace or reline bearing unless the scars are in an unloaded area. Ensure that the shaft is ground after
nitriding to remove at least 0.025 mm (0.001") of steel. (Merely polishing off the friable layer is not
sufficient). Changing to a different bearing alloy is unlikely to be effective.
Fig. 6
Application: Gearbox
Severity: Large scar in unloaded half
Description: Nitride Scar
Wiping of bearing surface at start-up/rundown/barring
A wiped bearing surface is where surface rubbing, melting and smearing is evident. This may be due to
excessive load at start-up/rundown, or to other causes which are covered in the next sections.
The acceptable start-up load depends on the frequency of start-ups and the amount of barring. As
2
guidance for typical weight-loaded machines, a specific load of 1.4 MPa (200 lbf/in ) for fixed profile
2
radial bearings or 0.3 MPa (50 lbf/in ) for taperland axial bearings is usually acceptable but if there are
frequent start-ups, jog-barring or long periods of barring then it is advisable to work to lower limits. If there
is no barring and start-ups are infrequent, as in water turbines, then start-up specific loads up to 1.7 MPa
2
(250lbf/in ) on the radial bearings are acceptable. If the start-ups are rapid and there is no requirement to
run down under load (e.g. geared compressors) then higher start-up loads can generally be accepted.
For tilting pad radial bearings, the acceptable start-up load depends mainly on the load direction. For on
2
pad loading the specific load should not exceed 1.4 MPa (200 lbf/in ). For between pad loading it should
2 2
not exceed 2.2 MPa (320 lbf/in ) for a 5-pad bearing or 2.0 MPa (290 lbf/in ) for a 4-pad bearing.
For tilting pad axial bearings, the start-up load should not exceed 60% of the maximum allowable running
load given in our handbook DHB5.
If loads exceed the above values, then it is advisable to use bearings fitted with a jacking system which
uses oil at high pressure injected into special grooves in the bearing to separate the mating surfaces and
prevent damage during start-up/rundown.
Fig. 7
Recommended Action
Assuming that an adequate oil supply is present and it is not possible to reduce the low speed specific
load, the same damage is likely to recur unless some other action is taken. If specific load at start-
up/rundown exceeds guidelines above and it is not possible to fit a larger bearing, install jacking system.
Consider use of polymer lined bearing with improved boundary lubrication properties.
The two possible remedial measures for surface wiping due to excessive load during start up, run
down or barring, may be straightforward, for example a simple replacement of whitemetal lined axial
or radial pads by polymer lined pads, or it may be a significant retrofit involving a new bearing design
and the provision of a high pressure oil supply for hydrostatic jacking. In either case we would need to
check the operating conditions and engineer the solution.
This is equally true, and of course easier, if these operating conditions are known and designed for at
the start. The use of a polymer lined bearing would be proposed if the loads were marginally
unacceptable for whitemetal. Hydrostatic jacking would be proposed where the low speed loads were
significantly beyond those suitable for whitemetal or alternatively where the machine required a
particularly low torque value at start up.
Fig. 7
Application:
Severity: Severe
Description: Surface wiping of axial bearing pad, in successive
thin layers, due to excessive steady load at start-up
Wiping of bearing surface due to loss of clearance
Wiping of bearing surfaces can occur due to the use of tight clearances on a machine which has to start
up rapidly from cold, where heat generated within the oil film may cause the shaft temperature to rise
more rapidly than the bearing housing. Differential expansion of the shaft can cause temporary reduction
in radial bearing clearance, which in severe cases may cause metal-to-metal contact in the zones of
minimum clearance in profile bore bearings. For tilting pad radial bearings, the situation is more severe
because the heat flow from pad to housing is particularly poor causing the pads to expand inwards at
start-up.
Fig. 8
Recommended Action
Consult us for recommended design clearance to suit the operating conditions.
This type of damage serves to emphasise our need as bearing designer to have all the relevant
information concerning the operating characteristics of the machine. In this case for example, if a tight
bearing clearance is requested to meet a dynamic requirement, we need to understand whether there
is a rapid acceleration to operating speed (perhaps with an electric motor drive) or a slow acceleration
(with a steam turbine drive).
Fig. 8
Application: Test Rig
Severity: Moderate
Application: Tilting pad radial bearing which
wiped and seized on rapid start-up to 5000
rev/min from cold
Wiping of bearing surface due to insufficient lubricant or
operational overload
A wiped bearing surface may be due to inadequate or interrupted oil supply or may follow disruption of
the oil film due to extreme operating load, or due to shaft vibration which applies a large rotating load to
the bearing.
Fig. 9
Recommended Action
Ensure that oil supply is adequate and continuous. Consider installing header tank or back-up pump. In
the case of a vibration problem, seek specialist advice. If the steady load is excessive, reduce it by
machine design changes or consult us for a bearing with higher load capacity.
A hydrodynamic, or fluid film, bearing requires an adequate supply of lubricant to be present at start
up for lubrication, during operation for lubrication and heat removal and is sometimes required to
continue after shutdown to remove heat that may continue to ’soak’ from the immediate environment
and potentially damage the bearing.
Hydrodynamic bearings are normally conservatively rated in terms of load, with an ultimate capability
of at least twice the design load. Within limits it can be possible to make changes to the materials or
mechanical designs to increase the bearing capability within the original space envelope and safely
carry an unexpectedly large steady load.
However, unexpected dynamic loads, such as an out of balance rotor, are inherently difficult for a
hydrodynamic bearing to carry without damage. The solution is likely to be removal of the source of
the vibration.
In general, dynamic loads are unusual in rotating machines with hydrodynamic bearings which is why
whitemetal with its limited fatigue strength, is still quite often the first choice bearing material. This is
changing, however, in numerous types of rotating machinery as machine speeds and/or loads and
temperatures increase. Fortunately special metallic material combinations and, in particular,
polymeric materials are available to meet these demands. The polymer we use most often uniquely
offers the benefit of being both softer and yet much stronger than whitemetal.
Fig. 9
Material: Tin-based
whitemetal
Application: Test rig
Severity: Severe
Description: Ring-oiled
bearing wiped due to oil
starvation
Wiping of bearing surface due to misalignment
Another cause of wiped bearing surfaces is misalignment between shaft and bearing surfaces, which
leads to disruption of the oil film at the edge of the bearing and causes a distinctive "parabolic" shaped
wipe in radial bearings. In axial bearings, support misalignment can lead to pads at one side being wiped
while those on the other side are unmarked.
Fig. 10
Recommended Action
If the wipe is slight, the bearing can continue in operation as its surface will have "bedded in" to the actual
shaft alignment and the wipe will stabilise and not progressively get worse. In more severe cases, replace
the bearing and correct the alignment of the machine. If the misalignment changes during machine
operation, consult us for a bearing design with some self-alignment capability, such as a tilting-pad radial
bearing or CQT compact equalised tilting-pad axial bearing.
It may help to understand the effects of misalignment as excessive steady and dynamic loading. A
misaligned support casing behind a radial or axial bearing will cause excessive steady state loading
because the full load is falling on to only part of the bearing surface. A rotor running out of true (for
example when out of balance) or a thrust collar running with a swash plate action (the face not being
square with the rotor axis) will cause excessive dynamic loading.
Fig. 10
Material: Overlay plated lead
bronze
Application: Diesel engine main
bearing
Severity: Moderate
Description: Wiping due to
misalignment
Problems caused by faulty assembly
Under this heading are included
• Excessive interference fit in a medium wall liner causing bearing bore distortion
• Effect of joint face stagger causing overheating and damage in region of bearing split
• Misalignment or shaft deflection causing uneven wear of bearing (see also wiping due to
misalignment )
• Entrapment of foreign matter between bearing and housing during assembly causing bearing
bore distortion and localised overheating
• Effect of grinding cast iron shaft in wrong direction
Fig. 11
Recommended Action
Investigate and if necessary correct interference conditions and housing design. Correct misalignment. Fit
new or relined bearings or pads.
Alignment and assembly in industrial machines cannot be expected to be perfect and hydrodynamic
bearings are relatively tolerant. However, in principle, the tolerance only extends to the thickness of
the lubricant film and this can be small especially in low viscosity liquids. The better the quality of the
machine build the better will be the performance of the bearings.
Fig. 11
Application: Test rig
Severity: Severe
Description: Angular misalignment of shaft or housing,
or dirt trapped behind carrier ring, causing damage to
pads on one side only
Electrical discharge erosion
Electrical discharge through the oil film between journal and bearing in electrical machinery or in fans and
turbines may occur due to faulty insulation or earthing or to the build-up of static electricity. This can occur
at very low voltages and may cause severe pitting of bearing or journal surfaces, or both. In extreme
cases damage may occur very rapidly and the cause is sometimes difficult to diagnose as pitting of the
bearing surface is followed ultimately by wiping which may obscure the original pitting.
Fig. 12 Fig. 13
Recommended Action
Replace bearings if severely pitted or wiped. Examine, and if necessary, regrind journal to eliminate
pitting. Investigate earthing of rotor and insulation at each bearing, with particular attention to fittings such
as guards, thermocouple leads, water connections etc which may be bridging insulation. Run only for a
short time, depending upon the time taken to cause damage on the previous occasion, and examine.
Consider changing to polymer-lined bearings to provide electrical insulation. Consider the entire rotor
support system as there is no point in curing this problem on one bearing if it then shifts to the next
bearing.
Electrical discharge will seek out the point of least resistance and this is likely to be the axial bearing
where the oil film is usually thinner than in the associated radial bearings. In an existing machine with
a problem it can be relatively simple to retrofit metallic pads with polymer lined ones. Moreover, the
electrical insulating properties of polymer linings are increasingly being viewed as a significant
additional benefit in original equipment design
Fig. 12
Application: Generator
Severity: Moderate
Description: Fine hemispherical pitting
and scoring due to electrical discharge
Fig. 13
Application: Generator
Severity: Severe
Description: Close-up of more severe electrical discharge pitting
Spark tracking
Occasionally a form of damage is seen consisting of long tracks which appear to be made up of
numerous small pits, each of which has a rounded "molten" appearance. Usually the tracks are less than
1mm (0.04) in width. This is caused by a form of electrical discharge different from that described under
electrical discharge erosion. The usual cause is that the machine shaft has become magnetised, causing
stray currents to be generated as it rotates.
Recommended Action
Degauss machine. Check shaft earthing and bearing insulation as recommended for electrical discharge
erosion.
Intergranular craze cracking
In high speed turbomachinery bearings, the combination of high surface temperature and high shear rate
can lead to the formation of a network of intergranular cracks in the hottest region of the bearing.
Excessive lead content in tin-based whitemetals can also exacerbate this problem.
Fig. 14
Recommended Action
Change bearing design to reduce temperature or increase oil film thickness. Alternatively change to a
bearing material with higher strength and temperature limit. Consult us for advice.
Depending on the cause of the overheating, tin based whitemetal could be replaced with aluminium
based alloys with higher temperature capability and steel backing could be replaced with Cu/Cr.
material to remove the heat more quickly. Replacement with a polymeric lining could be particularly
appropriate if the main heat source is external to the bearing.
Fig. 14
Application: Large Steam Turbine
Severity: Severe
Description: A radial bearing, showing the
typical ‘crumbly’ appearance of intergranular
craze cracking
Fatigue cracking of bearing surface
This is caused by the imposition of dynamic loads in excess of the fatigue strength of the bearing material
at operating temperature. Fatigue strength especially of low melting point materials such as whitemetals
and lead-base overlays is greatly reduced at high temperatures, hence overheating alone may cause
fatigue damage. Other causes are overloading, cyclic out-of-balance loading due to overspeeding, shafts
not truly cylindrical due to manufacturing defects. In whitemetal linings, fatigue cracks typically join to form
pits with a characteristic rounded "molten" appearance.
Fig. 15 Fig. 16 Fig. 17

Recommended Action
Investigate and rectify causes of high temperature or dynamic loading. Consider using a higher strength
bearing material or design changes to increase load capacity.
As mentioned under ’Operational overload’, the first choice solution is to remove the cause of any
dynamic loading. However, numerous bearing materials have been developed, for example for
reciprocating machines, with various degrees of compromise between strength and conformability.
Specifically for rotating machinery we offer RPB AS40, 40% tin/aluminium and polymer linings which,
compared with whitemetal, provide much higher fatigue strength combined with good surface
properties.
Fig. 15
Application:
Severity: Moderate
Description: Fatigue cracking due to shaft ridging caused by
differential wear in way of 180
Fig. 16
Application: Steam Turbine
Severity: Moderate (Damage confined to unloaded half)
Description: Chambered top half bearing, fatigue cracked on lands
due to out of balance loading and excessively wide cut-away
Fig. 17
Application:
Severity: Moderate
Description: Typical rounded ‘molten’
appearance of fatigue pits
Corrosion
Under normal conditions bearing materials are not attacked by lubricating oils. However there are some
adverse circumstances in which corrosion can occur.
Corrosion of the lead in copper-lead and lead-bronze alloys, and of lead base whitemetals, may be
caused by acidic oil oxidation products formed in service, by ingress of water or coolant liquid into the
lubricating oil, or by the decomposition of certain oil additives.
Removal of overlays by abrasive wear or scoring by dirt exposes the underlying lead in copper-lead or
lead-bronze bearings to attack, while in severe cases the overlays may be corroded.
Hydrogen sulphide in the oil attacks the copper in copper-containing alloys, including tin-base whitemetal.
This causes a dark deposit, mainly copper sulphide, on the surface. It also causes depletion of the
copper-tin compound in the lining, weakening the material.
Fig. 18 Fig. 19 Fig. 20

Recommended Action
Investigate oil condition to ascertain cause of corrosion. Use scanning electron microscope elemental
analysis to identify any deposit on the bearing surface. In the case of hydrogen sulphide attack, change to
copper-free bearing specification.
A change from tin based whitemetal to RPB AS40, 40% tin/aluminium has been used successfully to
overcome problems of corrosive attack. The polymer lining surfaces are resistant to corrosion in all
but the rarest of circumstances.
Fig. 18
Application: Marine Turbine
Severity: Moderate
Description: Corrosion. Water in the oil has caused formation of
smooth hard black deposit of tin dioxide on surface
Fig. 19
Material: Bronze interlayer of a polymer-lined
bearing
Application: Pump
Severity: Severe
Description: Corrosion due to contamination of
the lubricant with a chlorine compound
Fig. 20
Material: Copper-lead with lead-tin overlay
Application: Rolling Mill
Severity: Severe
Description: Corrosion by acidic contamination
in lubricating oil
Fretting damage of bearing surface due to vibration
Bearing operating surfaces may suffer fretting damage while the shaft is at rest due to vibrations
transmitted to the machine from external sources such as nearby machinery. Shipboard machinery is
especially prone to this problem. If the machine is started up after fretting has occurred, the hard black
deposit can cause wiping and obscure the original fretting damage.
Similar damage can occur to machines in transit if the shaft is not clamped.
Fig. 21 Fig. 22
Recommended Action
Eliminate transmission of vibration from external sources if feasible by flexibly mounting affected machine.
If this is not possible, circulating oil through the bearings of the stationary machine will reduce the amount
of damage. If damage occurs in transit, clamp rotor to prevent vibration during shipment.
Fig. 21
Application: Fan
Severity: Severe
Description: Static fretting damage due to
external vibrations
Fig. 22
Application: Compressor
Severity: Moderate
Description: Static fretting damage on a set of
radial bearing pads. In this case the pad pivots
also show fretting damage
Lacquering due to oil breakdown or contamination
Sometimes a light brown deposit is observed in the hottest area of a bearing surface. Usually this is
harmless but in some cases it can build up to a sufficient thickness to adversely affect the bearing oil film
and cause local overheating of the bearing surface, leading to fatigue or intergranular craze cracking.
This phenomenon is temperature dependent but is also affected by the oil chemistry. Many mineral oils
will form a lacquer if the bearing surface temperature exceeds 130ºC (266°F), but lacquer can be formed
at much lower temperatures if the oil is contaminated or its air release time is outside specification.
Synthetic oils can form lacquer if contaminated by hydrocarbons.
Fig. 23
Recommended Action
Check condition of oil, and change oil if necessary. If excessive surface temperature is the cause, consult
us for designs which will operate at a lower temperature.
Fig. 23
Material: Tin-based
whitemetal
Application: Gearbox
Severity: Severe
Description: Lacquering in an
offset halves radial bearing.
The resultant loss of clearance
has led to intergranular craze
cracking
Thermal faceting
This phenomenon only affects tin-base whitemetal. Tin crystals are anisotropic, having different
coefficients of thermal expansion in each crystal axis. Repeated thermal cycling results in faceting of the
bearing surface due to a ratcheting process which in severe cases may cause undulations in excess of
0.025 mm (0.001"). Rarely, cracks may form between the grains.
Fig. 24
Recommended Action
In mild cases no action is required. In more severe cases, either take steps to reduce the temperature
cycling or change to another bearing material such as RPB AS40, 40% tin-aluminium.
Fig. 24
Application:
Severity: This type of damage is usually only
cosmetic
Description: Faceting on a tin-based whitemetal
pad due to thermal cycling
’Black scab’ or ’wire wool’ damage
A large dirt particle (probably not less than 1mm (0.04")across) carried into the clearance space by the
lubricating oil, and becoming embedded in the bearing may form a hard scab of material by contact with
the steel journal or thrust collar. This scab will then cause very severe damage to the mating steel surface
which is literally machined away with the formation of so-called "wire wool". The action is self-propagating
once started and susceptibility to scab formation appears to depend upon the nature of the lubricant and
the composition of the steel of the rotor shaft or collar. Steels containing chromium or manganese in
excess of 1% appear to be particularly susceptible to scab formation, especially in high speed machines
with bearing rubbing speeds over 20m/s (4000 ft/min) and with oils containing extreme pressure
additives.
Fig. 25 Fig. 26 Fig. 27

Recommended Action
Fit new bearings. Pay particular attention to cleanliness during assembly, taking care to avoid
contamination of bearing surface and oil ways with swarf etc. Investigate possibility of changing journal or
collar surface material by sleeving with mild steel, or hard chrome plating. Changing the bearing alloy is
unlikely to be effective.
Fig. 25
Application:
Severity: Extremely sever (Black scab, when it
occurs is almost always severe)
Description: Tilting pad axial bearing with
formation of ‘black scab’
Fig. 26
Severity: Extremely severe
Description: Radial bearing showing formation of
‘black scab’
Fig. 27
Material: Steel
Severity: Extremely severe
Description: Shaft sleeve running in bearing
shown in Fig. 26 showing severe ‘machining
damage’

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Bearing Damage

Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5

Fig. 15 Fig. 16 Fig. 17

Fig. 18 Fig. 19 Fig. 20

Fig. 25 Fig. 26 Fig. 27

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