Major Root Causes of Failures of Machine Elements

Such As Bearings, Gears, Etc.

(1) Bearing failures and their root causes

(2) Gears failures and their root causes
(3) Chain failures and their root causes
(1) Bearing Failures And Their Root Causes
 The damage of the bearing

The phenomena that the contact surface of the orbital plane or the rolling surface
Flaking coming off in the shape of scales due to the rolling fatigue of the material.

Flaking in the orbital plane (inner ring) Flaking in the orbital plane (inner ring)

Flaking in the orbital plane of the outer ring

Flaking in the orbital plane (inner ring) and the rolling surface of the rollers
 The damage of the bearing
Flaking
Cause and countermeasure
Damage condition
Flaking which was formed
in the early stage
Flaking formed on one
side of the orbit in the
radial bearing
Flaking formed in the
symmetrical position in the
circumference direction
Flaking formed in the end of
the orbital plane or the rolling
surface of the roller bearing
Flaking formed by the
pitch of the rollers
Cause
・ Internal gap of the bearing is
too small.
・ Improper lubricant or shortage
of lubricant
･ Excessive load
･ Excessive axial load
・ Bad assembly
・ Big bending of the shaft
･ The precision defects of the
shaft, bearing and housing
・ Big impact load
･ Scratch caused by assembly
(Separate type bearing)
･ Rust generated during
machine is not running
Countermeasure
･ The selection of the proper gap in
the 　 bearing
･ Checking the lubrication method
and the type of lubricant
・ Checking the loading condition
・ Checking the loading condition
･ Make the fit of outer ring of the free
side bearing as clearance fit.
・ Precise centering
･ Amend the degree of right angle of
the bearing/housing shoulder
・ Make the internal gap of the bearing
larger.
・ Checking the loading condition
・ Improve assemble work
･ Carry out rust protection when
operation is stopped for a long time.
 The damage of the bearing
Temper color(Discoloration)
The phenomenon that a surface discolored due to
heat generated during the operation
In the inner ring and the ball, temper color
Cause and countermeasure
Damage condition
The discoloration which occurred
in the orbital plane, the rolling
contact surface of rolling element,
the annulus side and the riding
land for cage
Temper color on the orbital
plane (outer, inner rings) and
rolling surface of the rollers
In the orbital plane (inner ring)
Temper color
Temper color on the inner ring
of the orbital surface
Cause Countermeasure
・ A bearing internal gap is too small. 　　・ The selection of the suitable
・ improper lubricant or shortage bearing internal gap
・ Deterioration of the lubricant or the ・ Lubrication method, the check
change in quality of the lubricant
 The damage of the bearing

Generally, remarkable scratch is called as scuffing.

Scuffing Surface is deposited locally when contact pressure is high, and a considerable heat is generated

Scuffing on the surface of roller.

Scuffing at the sides of Scuffing on the rolling surface of rolling

rollers elements.

Scuffing at th e side of roller.

Cause and countermeasure
Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
・ Checking the Lubrication method, and
The scuffing which occurred in ・ improper lubricant or shortage lubricant
the end face of the annulus ・ Bad assembly
surface place ・ Excessive axial load
・ Checking the loading condition
The scuffing which occurred in ・ Shortage of lubrication at the early stage ・ Lubricant is applied to the orbital
the orbital plane and the rolling ・ Poor handling plane and the rolling contact surface of
contact surface of rolling rolling elements at the time of the
elements 　 ・installation.
The improvement of assembly
 The damage of the bearing

Smearing The phenomenon that partial minute seizing on the rolling surface crowds is called as
smearing.
Smearing grows to the extent that surface melts locally by high temperature due to the
friction, often the surface is rough.

Smearing on the orbital surface (inner ring)

Smearing on the surface of the balls
Smearing on the orbital surface(outer ring)

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
・ Improper lubricant or shortage
The minute seizure ・ Check lubrication method, and
・ Slide (It is formed because
which occurred in the the lubricant
lubrication oil film is cut off when a
orbital plane and the
slide is caused between rolling ・ The settling of proper oil
rolling contact surface
elements and the orbital plane without pressure
of rolling elements
doing the normal rotation of the
rolling elements.)
The damage of the bearing

･ Wear takes place on the sliding friction surface of

Wear sides of rollers , a cage pocket side and the guiding
surface of cage and the orbital ring.
Wear on the side of rollers

・ There are no direct relations with fatigue of the material.

・ Wear due to the invasion of the foreign substance and
corrosion takes place not only on a sliding surface but
also a rolling surface

IWear in the pocket side of the cage and the

slideway.

Wear on the orbital surface (outer ring)

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure

Wear on the sliding friction
surface
((sides of rollers, cage
pocket )
Wear on the orbital surface
and rolling surface
・ Check the lubrication method,
・ improper lubricant or
the lubricant
shortage
・ The improvement of the
・ The invasion of the foreign sealing
substance
・ Elaborate washing around the
bearing
・ improper lubricant or
shortage
 The damage of the bearing

Satin finished surface

A multiple foreign substances get in and tiny impressions are created on the
orbital surface and rolling surface. The rolling surface is clear and rough.

The satin finished surface of the orbital plane (outer ring) The satin finished surface of the orbital plane (inner ring)

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
The satin finished
surface-shaped
・ Elaborate washing around the bearing
・ A little multiple foreign ・ Improve sealing , and the
impression on the orbital
substances getin. infiltration of the foreign substances
plane and the rolling
contact surface of rolling must be prevented.
elements
 The damage of the bearing
Impression on
the orbital plane (inner ring)
Impressions
A big load acts at the time of a standstill of the bearing or at the
time of the low speed rotation, and the contact part of orbital
plane and the rolling surface get plastic deformation. The
phenomenon which brought about a hollow is said as
impressions. When foreign substance gets in, and the
condition that a little hollow is brought about in the rolling
surface is said as impressions, too.
Impression on the orbital plane (outer
Impression on the orbital plane Impressions on the orbital plane and
ring)
(inner ring) rolling surface

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition
The impression which
appeared in the orbital plane
and the rolling contact
surface of rolling element
The impression which
appeared in a pace of the
rolling element
Cause
・ A foreign substance bites it. bearing
・ An impact load in the
installation
・ In such cases as the
excessive load in a
standstill
Countermeasure
・ Elaborate washing around the
・ Sealing arrangement is
improved, and the invasion of the
foreign substance is prevented.
・ It is installed, the improvement of
the work
・ The improvement of handling of
the machine
 The damage of the bearing

Chipping
Damage which appeared at the collar head of the orbital ring or at the corner of the roller

The chipping at the collar head Chipping

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
・ Strike to the collar
・ Improvement of assembly
Chipping at the collar head head at the time of
installation
･ Excessive impact or load ・ Checking of the load condition
in axial direction
 The damage of the bearing

Crack Minute cracks, cracking

Cracking and chipping of outer ring and inner ring

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
・ Excessive fastening
Cracking of outer ・ Choose proper fitting
・ Excessive impact load
rings and inner rings ・ Checking of the loading condition
・ Flaking and seizing

・ Excessive impact load

Cracking of the rollers ・ Checking of the loading condition
･ Flaking and seizing
 The damage of the bearing
Rust : membrane formed on the metal surface by the chemical
Rust, action such as hydroxide or carbonate.
Rust on the cage

corrosion Corrosion : oxidization or dissolution of the surface which was

caused by chemical action of acid or alkali solution

Rust on the rolling element of the

Rust of the orbital plane (outer ring)
orbital plane (outer ring),
Rust with roller pitch on the one side of
orbital surface

Rust on the one side of orbital plane (outer

ring)

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
Rust which appeared on a ・ Defective storage condition ・ Improvement of the storage condition
part of the surface or on of bearings
the whole surface of the ・ Condensation ・ Improvement of the sealing device
bearing ・ Carry out rust protection when the
operation is stopped for a long time.

The rust and corrosion

・ Invasion of the water and the ・ Improvement of the sealing device
which appeared with roller
corrosive substance
pitch in the orbital plane
 The damage of the bearing

Seizing Bearing generates excessive heat because of some reason

Seizing on the end face of the roller

and on the inner collar head Seizing on of the self aligning roller bearing Seizing on the cylindrical roller bearing

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
Discoloration, ・ Too small gap inside the bearing ･ Determination of the proper gap
deformation, or inside the bearing
･ Improper lubricant or shortage of
welding caused ・ Check the lubrication method,
lubricant
by excessive heat and the type of lubricant
generated in the ・ Excessive load
･ Check the type of bearing and the
bearing ･ Influence from other bearing size
damage
･ Early detection of the bearing
damage and its countermeasure
 The damage of the bearing
Fretting on the side and on bore surface
(inner ring) In the contour side (outer ring),
Fretting fretting

A kind of wear phenomena occurred when

bearings receive vibration.
It generates abrasion powder of rust color.

Fretting of the bore surface

Fretting (miss alignment) on the symmetrical

Scuffing and fretting on the bore side (inner ring), position (the bottom of the top ) of the major
(Oblique press fit or biting of foreign substance) diameter of external thread side (outer ring),
fretting (Miss alignment)

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
The abrasion powder of
the rust color which ・ Lack of fitting tolerance ･ Make fitting tolerance larger.
appeared on the fit side ・ Apply lubricant to the fit side.
(Fretting ・ corrosion)
 The damage of the bearing

Electrolytic corrosion
Pitch-shaped damage which appears when electric current passes in the bearing during the rotation 【 a spark
appears through the very thin oil film of the rolling contact section and part of the surface dissolves locally 】 . A hollow
can be seen which has the form of the crater when the part of the pit is seen with a magnifier. The rolling surface
sometimes becomes washboard shape and is said as ridge mark.

The washboard- like The washboard –like

electrolytic corrosion electrolytic corrosion
on the orbital plane on the orbital plane
(inner ring) (inner ring)

Electrolytic corrosion The washboard –like

on the orbital plane electrolytic corrosion
(inner ring) on the rolling contact
rolling surface surface

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
・ The establishment of the bypass
The pitch-shaped or ・ The spark which is
which electric current doesn’t pass
washboard- like damage generated when electric
through in the bearing
on the orbital plane and current passes
the rolling contact ・ The adoption of the insulated
bearing
 The damage of the bearing

Damage of the cage

The material of the cage often causes scratches and deformation by external power or by
touching other parts because it is not hard enough. Sometimes chipping and cracking takes
place. It often comes with deformation, which lowers the precision of the cage and can give
a bad influence on the movement of the roller.

Damage of the cage Damage of the cage Damage of the cage

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure

Scratches, deformation, ・ An excessive vibration, ・ Checking of the loading

chipping, crack and
excessive wear of the cage
shock condition
・and moment
Improper lubricant or
・ Checking of the lubrication
shortage of lubricant
method and the type of lubricant

・ Defective installation ・ Make mounting error small

Looseness or cutting of (tilted ・ Check the type of cage
the rivet ・ installation)
Scratch by hitting ・ Improve mounting
 The damage of the bearing

False brinelling When fretting occurred in the orbital plane, the abrasion condition looks
like a brinel indentation. Thus it is called false brinelling.

False brinelling on the orbital plane (inner ring),

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition Cause Countermeasure
Brinel indentation ･ Improvement of the fixing method of
appeared on the orbital ･ Vibration and rocking
shaft and housing
plane with the pitch of during the bearing stop
・ Pre-load is given to bearing.
rolling body
 The damage of the bearing

Struck dent
When a bearing is struck with a hammer etc., the part which it got stuck becomes dented

The struck dent of the cage

Cause and countermeasure

Damage condition
The struck dent which
appeared in the orbital plane,
the rolling contact surface of
balls and the cage
Cause Countermeasure
・ Handling defect ・ It is installed, the
improvement of the work and
the handling work
(2) Gear Failures And Their Root Causes
Damage of toothed gears

Excessive Wear
Classification Phenomenon Cause

Deterioration of tooth Although wear does (1) In spite of the load

surface wear not look serious from imposed on the tooth
outside, actually the and the roughness of
tooth surface is the tooth surface, oil
chipped away film is very thin. Thus
the effect of
lubrication is almost
none, which causes
severe metal contact
repeatedly.
(2) The existence of
minute abrasive
foreign body may also
be the cause of the
wear.
Damage of toothed gears

Scratching
Classification Phenomenon Cause

Deterioration of tooth Deep and linear (1) Solid foreign body

surface : wear scratches appear with the diameter
parallel to the sliding bigger than the
direction of tooth thickness of the oil
surface. film between two
tooth surfaces gets in.
(2) The surface of a
tooth is scratched
against its opposite
tooth surface with a
built in foreign body.
(3) Chain Failures And Their Root Causes

Insufficient oiling
Insufficient oiling
Symptoms/conditions Anticipated cause Countermeasures
of damages

The wear takes place Insufficient oiling and Periodically supply

at a part of the chain. uneven oiling the lubrication oil with
The chain is condition proper viscosity.
elongated and thus
that part does not
bend smoothly.
The pin with
lubrication oil is worn
out, and the one
without lubrication oil
shows adhesion
wear.