SEDL / STP / STP1327-EB / STP12144S

Progress in Bearing Performance of Advanced Nitrogen Alloyed Stainless Steel, Cronidur 30

Trojahn, W
FAG, OEM and Handel GmbH, Schweinfurt,

Streit, E
FAG Aircraft and Super Precision Bearings GmbH, Schweinfurt,

Chin, HA
Pratt and Whitney, West Palm Beach, Florida

Ehlert, D
Pratt and Whitney, West Palm Beach, Florida

Pages: 13    Published: Jan 1998

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Abstract

The bearing rig tests performed in this study demonstrate superior bearing performance of Cronidur 30 steel over conventional bearing steels. In these tests the L¹⁰ life of Cronidur 30 steel as calculated by the DIN/ISO 281 method was 80 times the unfactored L¹⁰ life under full lubrication conditions. In boundary lubrication conditions, the Cronidur 30 steel demonstrated the L¹⁰ life capability typical of EHD lubrication conditions, whereas the other steels showed drastically reduced lives. In tests with predamaged races and boundary lubrication conditions, Cronidur 30 demonstrated 8 times the calculated L¹⁰ life, whereas the conventional steels exhibited further reduce in lives. The improved performance of Cronidur 30 steel over conventional bearing steels is attributed to its unique compositional formulation and microstructure that results in provision of balanced properties in the alloy — hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance.