BEARING FAILURE ITS CAUSES

AND COUNTERMEASURES

Prepared By : Dutt Thakar

Contents
• Introduction
• How Bearing life is defined ?
• Why a Bearing fails ?
• Bearing Failure Chart
• Types of Bearing Damage and Failures
• Research work
• Some Other type of Common Failures.
• References
Introduction
• Bearings are the most important components in majority of
machines .

• Their demands are made upon their carrying capacity and

reliability.

• The purpose of a ball bearing is to reduce rotational friction

and to support Radial and Axial loads.
How Bearing Life is defined ?
• Bearing life is defined as no. of revolutions a bearing can perform
before evidence of fatigue in any of its element.

• It is generally defined in terms of Millions of Revolutions or in

Hours.

• It is generally based on 90 % Reliability.

Lh = (106 /60N) * (C/P)a

where, Lh = Life in terms of Hrs.
N = RPM
C = Dynamic load carrying capacity
P = Load or Equivalent Load
a = Constant.
Why a Bearing fails ?
• Match bearing life with the service life of the machine
involved.

• Unfortunately it sometimes happens that a bearing

does not attain its calculated rating life.

• There may be many reasons for this

1. Heavier loading
2. Inadequate or unsuitable lubrication
3. Careless handling
4. Ineffective sealing or fits that are too tight
5. Insufficient internal bearing clearance.
Bearing Failure Chart
Life vs Dimension Stability
Types Of Bearing Damage and Failures

1. Primary Damage 2. Secondary Damage

• Wear • Flaking (Spalling)

• Indentations
• Smearing • Cracks
• Surface distress
• Cage damage
• Corrosion
• Electric current
damage
Wear Damage
• Wear may, however, occur as a result of the ingress of foreign
particles into the bearing or when, the lubrication is
unsatisfactory. Vibration in bearings which are not running
also gives rise to wear.

• Three types of Wear Damage

1. Wear caused by Abrasive particles
2. Wear caused by Inadequate lubrication
3. Wear caused by Vibration
Wear Damage by Abrasive Particles
• Appearance
Small indentations around the raceways
and rolling elements. Dull, worn surfaces.
Grease discolored green.

• Cause
Lack of cleanliness before and during
mounting operation. Ineffective seals.
Lubricant contaminated by worn particles
from brass cage.

• Action
Keep workshop clean and use clean tools.
Check and possibly improve the sealing.
Always use fresh, clean lubricant. Filter
the oil.
 Wear caused by Vibration
• Appearance
Depressions in the raceways. These depressions
are rectangular in roller bearings and circular in
ball bearings. The bottom of these depressions
may be bright or dull and oxidized.

• Cause
The bearing has been exposed to vibration
while stationary.

• Action
Secure the bearing during transport by radial
preloading. Provide a vibration-damping base.
Where possible, use ball bearings instead of
roller bearings. Employ oil bath lubrication,
where possible.
Indentations
• Raceways and rolling elements may become dented if the
mounting pressure is applied to the wrong ring, so that it
passes through the rolling elements, or if the bearing is
subjected to abnormal loading while not running. Foreign
particles in the bearing also cause indentations.

• Two types of Indentation Damage.

1. Indentations caused by faulty mounting or overloading
2. Indentations caused by foreign particles
Indentation due to faulty Mounting or
Overloading
• Appearance
Indentations in the raceways of both rings
with spacing equal to the distance between
the rolling elements.

• Cause
Mounting pressure applied to the wrong ring.
Excessively hard drive-up on tapered seating.
Overloading while not running.

• Action
Apply the mounting pressure to the ring with
the interference fit.
Avoid overloading or use bearings with higher
basic static load ratings.
 Smearing Damage
• When two inadequately lubricated surfaces slide against
each other under load, material is transferred from one
surface to the other. This is known as smearing.

• Types of Smearing Damage

1. Smearing of roller ends and guide flanges
2. Smearing of rollers and raceways
3. Raceway smearing at intervals corresponding to the roller
spacing.
4. Smearing of external surfaces
5. Smearing in thrust ball bearings
Hardness vs Time and Temperature
• As per American Bearing Manufacturer’s
association
Smearing of Roller end and Guide Flange
• Appearance
Scored and discoloured roller
ends and flange faces.

• Cause
Sliding under heavy axial
loading and with inadequate
lubrication.

• Action
More suitable lubricant.
 Raceway Smearing
• Appearance
Transverse smear streaks - spaced at intervals equal to
the distance between the rollers - in the raceways of
cylindrical roller bearings.

• Cause
Roller slipping due to excessive grease filling

• Action
Improve the preload
Improve the bearing clearance
Use a lubricant with good oil film formation ability
Improve the lubrication method
Improve the sealing mechanism
Smearing Of External Surfaces
• Appearance
Scored and discoloured ring bore or
outside surface or faces.

• Cause
Ring rotation relative to shaft or
housing.

• Action
Select heavier interference fits.
Improve Lubrication method.
Surface Distress
• If the lubricant film between
raceways and rolling elements
becomes too thin, the peaks of
the surface asperities will
momentarily come into contact
with each other.
• Small cracks then form in the
surfaces and this is known as
surface distress.
• The surface distress cracks are
microscopically small and
increase very gradually to such a
size that they interfere with the
smooth running of the bearing.
• Appearance
Initially the damage is not visible
to the naked eye. A more
advanced stage is marked by
small, shallow craters with
crystalline fracture surfaces.
• Cause
Inadequate or improper
lubrication.
• Action
Improve lubrication.
Damage due to Corrosion
• Rust will form if water or
corrosive agents reach the inside
of the bearing in such quantities
that the lubricant cannot provide
protection for the steel surfaces.
This process will soon lead to
deep seated rust.
• Appearance
Grey-black streaks across the raceways, mostly
coinciding with the rolling element spacing. At a
later stage, pitting of raceways and other surfaces
of the bearing.
• Causes
Entry of corrosive gas or water Improper lubricant
Formation of water droplets due to condensation
of moisture
High temperature and high humidity while
stationary
Poor rust preventive treatment during
transporting
Improper storage conditions
Improper handling
• Actions
Improve the sealing mechanism
Study the lubrication method
Anti-rust treatment for periods of non-running
Improve the storage methods
Improve the handling metheod
Damage due to Electric Current
• When an electric current passes
through a bearing, i.e. proceeds from
one ring to the other via the rolling
elements, damage will occur. At the
contact surfaces the process is similar
to electric arc welding.
• Appearance
Dark brown or grey-black fluting
(corrugation) or craters in raceways and
rollers.
Balls have dark discoloration only.
Sometimes zigzag burns in ball bearings
raceways.
Localized burns in raceways and on
rolling elements.
• Cause
Passage of electric current through
rotating bearing.
Passage of electric current through non-
rotating bearing
• Actions
Design electric circuits which prevent
current flow through the bearings
Insulation of the bearing
Flaking (Spalling)
Fatigue is the result of shear Four stages of Flaking.
stresses cyclically appearing
immediately below the load
carrying surface.

After a time these stresses

cause cracks which gradually
extend up to the surface. As the
rolling elements pass over the
cracks fragments of material
break away and this is known
as flaking or spawling.
 Flaking (Spalling)
• Appearance
Heavily marked path pattern in raceways of both rings. Flaking usually in the most
heavily loaded zone.
Rough and Coarse texture.

• Cause
Excessive load
Poor mounting (misalignment),Entry of foreign debris, Poor lubrication, Improper
lubricant, Unsuitable bearing clearance
Improper precision for shaft or housing
Progression from rust, corrosion pits, smearing, dents.

• Actions
Improve the mounting method, Improve the sealing mechanism. Use a lubricant with a
proper viscosity.
Improve the lubrication method , Check the precision of shaft and housing
Check the bearing internal clearance
Cracking Damage
• Cracks may appear in Bearing due to so many reasons.
• The most common cause is rough treatment when the
bearings are being mounted or dismounted.
• Hammer blows, applied direct against the ring which
results in breaking of the parts of Bearing.
• Cracks may appear due to
1. Rough treatment
2. Fretting
3. Smearing
4. Excessive Drive-up.
 Cracking Damage
• Appearance
Cracks or pieces broken off, generally at one face of the bearing.
• Causes
Excessive interference
Excessive load, shock load
Progression of flaking
Heat generation and fretting caused by contact between mounting parts and
raceway ring
Heat generation due to creep
Poor taper angle of tapered shaft
Poor cylindricality of shaft
• Actions
Correct the interference
Check the load conditions
Improve the mounting method
Use an appropriate shaft shape
Cage Damage
• There are certain main causes of cage failure
1. Vibration
2. Excessive speed
3. Wear
4. Blockage.
Cage Failure
• Appearance
Cracks, cage deformation, Fracture.
• Causes
Poor mounting (Bearing misalignment).
Poor handling.
Shock and large vibration.
Excessive rotation speed, sudden acceleration and deceleration.
Poor lubrication.
Temperature rise.
• Actions
Check the mounting method.
Check the temperature, rotation, and load conditions.
Reduce the vibration and use vibration damping base.
Select a cage type properly.
Select a lubrication method and lubricant.
Research work
Failure analysis of bearing in wind turbine generator gearbox.
Presented By:- Sanskar S., Nataraj M. and Prabhu Raja V.

• This research paper describes the failure analysis of bearing in Wind Turbine Generator
(WTG) gearbox. The two-stage filter element and the gearbox were examined at turbine
tower top called nacelle to find out the reason for filter choke alarm in the turbine
controller. Drive train alignment was ensured between the asynchronous generator
shaft and the gearbox shaft to conclude the mode of bearing failure.
Research Work
• Conclusion
The visual observation and the microstructure examination confirmed that an
excessive damage of the roller as well as the surface of the race is due to the
debris collected at the filter unit resulted from contact wear (Scoring) followed by
surface and sub-surface wear (Spalling) on rollers and races of an intermediate
non-drive end bearing.

It is obvious from failure analysis that the failure of bearing is due to high cyclic
fatigue fracture. It is clear that the failure of the bearing has happened due to
continuous peak power generation of the WTG during high wind season and the
presence of bauxite element such as aluminum oxide, calcium oxides and silicon
oxides in the gearbox oil.
Some Other types of Common Failures
• Failure due to Creep
• Failure due to Pitting
• Failure due to False Brinneling.
• Failure due to Seizure or Excessive Heating.
• Failure Due to Reverse Loading.
References
• “Failure Analysis Of Bearing In Wind Turbine Generator Gearbox” by
Sanskar S., Nataraj M. and Prabhu Raja V. in Journal of Information
Systems and Communication Vol-III, 2012.

• “Tech Talk Roller bearing life at High Temperatures” Published by NSK

Americas. NSK Bearings, NSK America Corp.

• “ New Bearing Doctor” Published by NSK Europe. NSK Bearings. NSK

Europe corp.

• “Bearing Failure Causes and Curses” Published by Wilcoxon Research.

• An Article on “Bearing Life” and catalogue Published by SNR bearings.

• “Bearing Failures and its Causes” published by SKF bearings Sweden.

THANK YOU