SEDL / STP / STP987-EB / STP26228S

Effects of Material Properties on Bearing Steel Fatigue Strength

Schlicht, H
Vice president, manager, and general manager of Product Research and Development, FAG Kugelfischer Georg Schäfer, Schweinfurt,

Schreiber, E
Vice president, manager, and general manager of Product Research and Development, FAG Kugelfischer Georg Schäfer, Schweinfurt,

Zwirlein, O
Vice president, manager, and general manager of Product Research and Development, FAG Kugelfischer Georg Schäfer, Schweinfurt,

Pages: 21    Published: Jan 1988

Download this paper for $25 PDF (792K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

If rolling bearings are subjected to rolling contact stressing in case they are operated under elastohydrodynamic conditions, the formation of spalling in the raceway and consequently the failure of the rolling bearing are a result of fatigue of the material. Material properties have different effects on the rolling bearing life, depending on the contact pressure. Stressing conditions, therefore, must be precisely defined in order to describe these effects. A hypothesis, based on information obtained from the published literature and from our own research, is presented on the failure mechanism of bearings, the formation of spalling after subsurface cracks. The effect of material properties such as material discontinuities, strength, and residual stresses are discussed.