ME 308

MACHINE ELEMENTS II

CHAPTER 3

ROLLING CONTACT
(RCB)
BEARINGS_1
 CHAPTER OUTLINE

1. Bearing Types
2. Bearing Life
3. Bearing Load Life at Rated Reliability
4. Bearing Survival: Reliability versus Life
5. Rating Load, Life, and Reliability
6. Combined Radial and Thrust Loading
7. Variable Loading
8. Selection of Ball and Cylindrical Roller Bearings
9. Selection of Tapered Roller Bearings
Shaft used to transmit motion and power are usually supported at
certain points.
These support points are called bearings.
Bearings are the machine elements allowing free rotation of the shaft
with radial and axial load carrying capacities depending on the
bearing type.
Two main types of bearings are:
Journal (sleeve) bearings and Rolling Contact Bearings (RCB)
 Bearings that allow two surfaces to slide on each other like
the one below (with no rolling elements in between) are
usually called journal bearings.
Journal bearings are usually lubricated externally but some
times they are self lubricated

bearing length, L

Housing
Bearing
Shaft, or Journal

bearing dia., Db journal dia., Dj

Journal bearings are the supporting units based on
lubrication of two surfaces with almost no metal to metal
contact during relative movement and no rolling elements
in between.

The object of lubrication is to reduce friction, wear, and

heating of machine parts that move relative to each other.
The terms
• rolling bearing,
• rolling-contact bearing (RCB), and
• antifriction bearing
are all used to describe that class of bearing in which the main
load is transferred through elements in rolling contact rather
than in sliding contact.
In a rolling bearing the starting friction is
about twice the running friction, but still it
is negligible in comparison with the
starting friction of a sleeve (sliding)
bearing.

Load, speed, and the operating viscosity of

the lubricant do affect the frictional
characteristics of a rolling bearing.

It is probably a mistake to describe a rolling

bearing as “antifriction,” but the term is
used generally throughout the industry.
RC Bearings are generally described in
manufacturers catalogues with nominal
dimensions (bore, OD, width) and speed &
loads that the bearings can run for.

RCB’s , however, can run for a certain

number of revolutions since the elements of
bearings (races & rolling elements, ball &
rollers) are under a dynamic loading causing
a fatigue failure

RCB’s are generally selected from

manufacturer’s catalogues for different
application instead of designing bearings as
in other mechanical elements such as springs
or gears etc.
 3.2 BEARING TYPES
Bearings are manufactured to
take pure radial loads, pure
thrust loads, or a combination of
the two kinds of loads.

The nomenclature of a ball

bearing is illustrated in figure,
which also shows the four
essential parts of a bearing:
these are
outer ring,
inner ring,
balls or rolling elements, and
the separator.
Bearing Types According
to Loading
Radial bearings, such bearings
can be subjected to radial
loads and small thrust loads.
Radial bearing example
Thrust bearings, such bearings
can only be subjected to thrust
(axial) loads.

Combined (radial & thrust)

bearings ??

Thrust bearing example

Bearing Types According to Loading

Combined (radial &

thrust) bearings,
such bearings can
be subjected to both
radial loads and
thrust loads at the
same time.

Combined bearing example

Bearing Types According to Rolling
element
RC Bearings can also be
classified based on the
type of element
running/rolling between
inner and outer rings

a) Ball bearings
b) Roller bearings.
Bearing Types According to Structural
Style
1. The single-row deep-groove ball bearing will take
radial load as well as some thrust load. The balls are
inserted into the grooves by moving the inner ring to an
eccentric position. The balls are separated after loading,
and the separator is then inserted.

The use of a filling notch in the inner and outer rings

enables a greater number of balls to be inserted, thus
increasing the load capacity.
The thrust capacity is decreased, however, because of
the bumping of the balls against the edge of the notch
when thrust loads are present.
 2. The angular-contact ball bearing provides a greater thrust
capacity in addition to usual radial load capacity.

Double inner
Inseparable Separable
race

All these bearings may be obtained with shields on one

or both sides. The shields are not a complete closure
but do offer a measure of protection against dirt. A
variety of bearings are manufactured with seals on one
or both sides.

.
 Self-aligning
Double-row

3. Self-aligning ball bearings

Single-row bearings will withstand a small amount of shaft misalignment of deflection,
but where this is severe, self-aligning bearings may be used.

4. Double-row ball bearings are made in a variety of types and sizes to carry heavier
radial and thrust loads.

Sometimes two single-row bearings are used together for the same reason, although
a double-row bearing will generally require fewer parts and occupy less space.
5. Thrust ball bearings can only carry thrust (AXIAL) loads

Single direction load thrust bearing Double direction load thrust bearing
 Free inner race Free outer race Inner race Inner race
6. Straight roller bearings will carry a greater with rib with flat ring
radial load than ball bearings of the same size
because of the greater contact area.

However, they have the disadvantage of requiring

almost perfect geometry of the raceways and
rollers. A slight misalignment will cause the rollers
to skew and get out of line. For this reason, the
retainer must be heavy.

Straight roller bearings will not, of course, take

Double row roller Four row
thrust loads.
bearing roller bearing
 7. The spherical-roller thrust bearing is useful where
heavy loads and misalignment occur. The spherical
elements have the advantage of increasing their contact
area as the load is increased.

Self-align
roller bearing

Thrust roller bearing

Tapered roller bearings combine the advantages
of ball and straight roller bearings,

They can take either radial or thrust loads or any

combination of the two,

They have the high load-carrying capacity of

straight roller bearings.

Tapered
roller bearing

Double-row tapered Four-row tapered

roller bearing roller bearing
 Needle bearings are very useful where radial space is limited. They have
a high radial/thrust load capacity when separators are used, but may
be obtained without separators. They are furnished both with and
without races.

Drawn Cup Heavy Duty

Thrust Cage
Other Types of Bearings

Sperical Polymer Bearings Bronze Bushings

 Failure Types of Rolling-Contact Bearings
The common failures occurring
on rolling-contact bearings are
• fatigue pitting,
• plastic deformation,
• abrasive and adhesive.
wear

If failures occur, severe

• vibration,
• noise and
• heat generation
will occur when the bearings are
operating. Fatigue Pitting
Plastic Deformation

Wearing
Failed Bearings
Production of Ball Bearings
Very Short Presentation of Famous SKF
Bearing Fits on a Shaft
 Bearing Life
Rating life of a group of apparently identical ball or roller bearings is defined as the
number of revolution’s (or hrs of run at a given constant speed) that the 90% of a group
of bearings will complete or exceed before a failure criteria develops in any of the
bearing elements.

The terms minimum life or life are also used to denote rating life, means the number
of revs up to which only 10% of bearing in a group fails (or 90% of bearings do not fail
which also mean a life with a reliability of 90%)

Fig. 3.1 Rating life of bearings

Rating life means the bearing can satisfy the running conditions and the required life
with 90 % reliability

If a life L is required with reliability R different from 90 % for an application, then a new
L10 life has to be calculated from the relation

L
L10 
1 1/1.17
6.84 * (ln )
R
where
L is the required life (in revs,(hours)),
R is the required reliability,
L10 is the rating life of the bearing used in catalogues (in revs, (hours))
 Bearing Load
If a bearing under a radial load F1 can run for a life of L1 before failure
occurs the same bearing under another radial load F2 can run for a life of
L2 and there will be a relation between the two cases as:

where
L1.F  L2 .F2
1
a a
a=3 for ball bearings,
a=10/3 for roller bearings

A load called ‘rating load C’ is defined to be the load for which a bearing can
run for 106 revs of inner ring.

Rating load is sometimes termed as ‘dynamic load rating’

‘basic dynamic capacity’
‘specific dynamic capacity’
Thus :if we call
L1  106 revs
F1  C
L1.F  L2 .F2
1
a a
L2  L
F2  F
then
10 .C  L.F
6 a a

a
C
L    x10 revs
6 C is usually given in
catalogues for
F bearings.

this L is the life that the bearing can run for under a
load F ( it would run 106 revs under load C )

106 revs
Or
1
 L  a
c   6  xF
 10 

this is what should be the rating of a bearing (in the catalogue) which is required to last for
L revs under a radial load of F.

Since Lrevs  Lhrs xnrpm x60

1
 Lhrs xnrpm  a
Thus C   xF
 16667 

When the similar things are applied to tapered roller bearings TIMKENS’S relation is used:
1
 LD xnD  a
CR  F  
 LR xnR 
 1
where
 LD xnD  a
CR  F   LR  3000hrs
rated values by TIMKEN.
 LR xnR  nR  500rpm
LD  design life required by user in hrs

nD  design speed required by user in rpm

F Effective (design) radial load required to be carried

by the bearing for LD life at nD speed.

CR  rating load to be found in catalogue for LR life

at nR speed.

This is the what should be the basic load rating C in the catalogue of TIMKEN for tapered
bearings if the bearing is required to carry a radial load of F for a life of LD hrs at a speed
of nD rpm.
This relation could be used in another form as:
a
LR .nR  CR 
LD   
nD  F 
to find what will be the actual running life LD in hrs, for a speed of nD rpm and for
an applied load of F, if a tapered bearing with dynamic load rating C is used.

If a reliability of R  90%is used then TIMKEN eqn changes to

1
 LD xnD  1  a
1
CR  F    x 1
 LR xnR  6.84    1 1.17 a
 ln 
 R
Selection of Ball & Straight Roller Bearings
To select a ball or straight roller bearing from a catalogue, there
are two ways:
1) first the required load rating Creq is determined & then one bearing
with C  Creq is chosen from catalogue with bore or OD fits the required
geometries.

2)Try selecting a bearing from catalogue with load ratings C & Co (dyn &
static load ratings) for specified geometries such as bore dia or OD and
then check if this bearing can run for the required life under the load
applied.
 1) Lets calculate the required load rating Creq & then select one bearing from
catalogue with C  Creq and also sizes (bore or OD etc) fits the required
geometries
1
where Lrevs is the required life in revs Feqv
L  a
Creq   revs6  xFeqv is the equivalent radial load composed
 10  of both radial & axial loads.
1
 Lhrs xnrpm a
Feqv  V  Fr if only radial load exists
Creq   xFeqv
 16667  Feqv  V  XFr  YF a if both radial &axial loads exist

V=1.0 if inner ring rotates

V=1.2 if outer ring rotates
V=1.0 for self-aligning bearings
X & Y are the factors found in manufacturer’s
catalogues & values depend on factors such
Fa Fa
as: , & e (found in catalogue)
Co Fr
2) Lets do trial & error process; selecting a bearing from the catalogue with load
ratings C & Co (dyn & static load ratings) for specified geometries such as bore dia or
OD, and then check if this bearing can run for the required life under the load
applied.

First determine Feqv  V . XFr  Y .Fa

Fa Fa
X & Y from catalogue depends on factors , & e.
Co Fr

If Feqv  Fr then Feqv  Feqv

If Feqv Fr then Feqv  Fr
 Also depending on the severity of the application Feqv is increased by an
application factor af = 1.0………….3 (see table ?.? İn textbook)

af = 1.0-1.2 with no impact

Feqv  af .Feqv = 1.2-1.5 with light impact
= 1.5-3.0 with moderate impact

Then use
a a
 C   C  16667
Lrevs   x10
6
or Lhrs   x
F F nrpm
 eqv   eqv 

to see if Lhrsor Lrev > Lreq; Lreq is the required life in problem
If so Lrev > Lreqthen selection is OK.

If not, use another bearing with larger C & Co

Example
A geared printing roll rotates at 300 rpm under loads shown. By using af of 1.2 and life
of 30 kh select a suitable radial contact ball bearings for both bearings A & O.
 y

5.75
Roy
Roz 5.75

2.75
z
A 200sin 20
  8 x10  160lb RAz 200 cos 20
x – y plane
RAy B
M z 0 x

 x5.75  RAy x11.5  200sin 20 x14.25  0

RAy  4.76lb
F y  0;   RAy  200sin 20  Roy  0
Roy  96.35lb
z – y plane

M y 0; F z 0;
200 cos 20  14.25  RAZ  11 .5  0 200 cos 20  ROZ  R AZ
RAZ  232.88 lb ROZ  44.94 lb

Resultant radial loads on bearings

O& A
RA  RAy 2  RAz 2  4.762  232.882  232.92lb

RO  ROy 2  ROz 2  96.352  44.942  106.31lb

Fa  0, Fr  232.92lb For point A
Fa  0, Fr  106.31lb For point O

A bearing with 25 mm diameter (1”) will suit the geometry of the printing roll.
Thus start choosing a 25 mm bore diameter bearing and check if the L10 life is
satisfactory or not (L10 ≥ 30000 hr).
 a
 C  16667
Lhrs   n=300rpm, Fe =?
 Fe  nrpm
Let’s use the 2nd method of try and see if OK?
1st trial; Choose SKF 6005 for both points with d=25mm and with C and Co
C  8650 N
Fa Fa x 1
Co  5600 N  0 so e  0.22;  0 e  0.22 thus
Co Fr y0
Fe  V . XFr  YFa
FeA  1x1x 232.92lb  232.92
FeO  1x1x106.31lb  106.31lb  To be multiplied by AF
FeA  1.2 x 232.92  279.50lb(1245 N )
FeO  1.2 x106.31  127.57lb(568 N )
3
 8650  16667
LhrsA    18632hrs 30.000hrs not satisfactory
 1245  300
3
 8650  16667
LhrsO     196218hrs30.000hrs too much life
 568  300
 Try a stronger one for A : Try SKF 6205
C  10.800 N
3
 10.800  16667
Co  6950 N  Lhrs A     36266hrs 30.000 satisfactory
 1245  300
Try one level low for O : Try SKF 16005

C  5850 N
3
 5850  16667
Co  4000 N  LhrsO    60695hrs 30.000 satisfactory
 568  300
If we have tried SKF 61805
C  2280 N
3
 2280  16667
Co  1700 N  LhrsO    3593hrs 30.000 Not satisfactory
 568  300
Proposed RC bearings with 25 mm bore diameter are
SKF 6205 for point A and
LA  36000 hours
SKF 16005 for point O with approximate lives
LO  60000 hours

The first method of method of determining Creq and then choosing a bearing
from the catalogue could also be used ,

the factors X and Y are generally need to be known which requires

parameters Fa, C0, Fr (but C0 requires knowing the bearing already).

However , in this problem Fa=0, thus

Fa
If  0  x 1, y  0 for all bearings of deep groove type
Co
For point A

Fa  0
Fr  232.92lb 
Fe  V . XFr  YFa  1.1xFr  0.Fa  Fr  233lb.
Feqv  A.FxFe  1.2 x 233  279.5lb  1245 N
1
 30.000 x300  3
Creq A   1245  10138 N  C
 16667 

In catalogue with d=25mm,

SKF 6205 bearing has C=10800N >10138N
and will be suitable for point A
 For point O

Fa  0
Fr  106.31lb 
Fe  V . XFr  YFa  1.1x106.31lb
Feqv  A.FxFe  1.2 x106.31  127.6lb  568 N
1
 30.000 x300  3
Creq    568  4625 N  C in catalogue
 16667 
d  25, 16005 bearing has C=5850N >4625N OK

Fa
NOTE: when Fa  0  is unknown hence e is not known .
Co
If e is not known  then X & Y can not be determined.
?
In such cases, try selecting a bearing and then check the life if L10  Lreq
 Time Varying Loads
If the load on the bearing is not constant over the life-time of the bearing but varies with
time or revolution of bearing then we have to find an equivalent or mean load which is
assumed to be constant over the life-time of the bearing and use it in following
calculations.

Fig. 3.2 Time varying loads on bearings

 Fig. 3.3 Time varying loads on bearings

By using the load life relation of the bearing:

Load Revs, hrs n

F1 N1 L .N1  L2 .N 2
1
a a
F .N  F2 .N 2   Fi a .N i
1
a
1
a a

i
F2 N2
F3 N3 Fm a .N  F1a .N1  F2 a .N 2  F3a .N 3  ...
F4 N4
. . Fm a .N   Fi a .N i
. .
 1
or   Fi a .N i  a where
Fma    N  N1  N 2  N 3
 N 
a=3 for balls
a=10/3 for rollers

Then use Fmin other equations such as

Feqv  V . XFmr  Y .Fma

Fm 
Fmin  2 Fmax  C 
Lrevs   x10
6
3 F
 eqv 

Fig. 3.4 Time varying loads on bearings