ISO classification of bearing damage

and failure modes

The ISO 15243 standard is based primarily on features that are visible on the rolling elements, raceways and other functional surfaces
Causes of pre-operational damage: Causes of operational damage:
Electrical erosion
Incorrect shaft and housing fits Material fatigue
Defective bearing seats on shafts Ineffective lubrication Excessive voltage
and in housings Ineffective sealing
Sparking and localized hea-
Static misalignment Vibration (false brinelling)
ting from current passage
Faulty mounting practices Operational misalignment
in the contact area because
Passage of electric current through Passage of electric current
of ineffective insulation
the bearing (excessive voltage) through the bearing (current
Transportation, handling and storage leakage)
Current leakage

The generation of shallow

Fatigue craters from (low) current
Subsurface initiated fatigue passage. They develop over
time into flutes
Spalling of particles as a
result of microcracks below
the raceway surface Plastic deformation
Overload
Permanent deformation
Surface initiated fatigue
caused by static or shock
Distress of the surface. overloads (true brinelling)
Failure of the rolling contact
metal surface asperities due
to inadequate lubrication Indentation from debris
Dents as a result of particles
Wear that are over-rolled in the
raceway/rolling element
Abrasive wear
contact areas
The result of inadequate
lubrication or the ingress
of contaminants Indentation from handling

Bearing surfaces that are

dented or gouged by hard,
Adhesive wear sharp objects

Material transfer from one

surface to another as a
result of frictional heat Fracture and cracking
Forced fracture
A fracture resulting from a
Corrosion stress concentration in
excess of the materials
Moisture corrosion
tensile strength
Oxidation of the surfaces
in the presence of moisture
Fatigue fracture

A fracture resulting from

frequently exceeding the
Fretting corrosion fatigue strength limit of
the material
The oxidation and wear of
surface asperities under
oscillating micromovement Thermal cracking
between mating surfaces Cracks that are generated
by high frictional heating.
They usually occur perpen-
False brinelling
dicular to the direction of
Shallow depressions in the sliding motion.
raceway/rolling element
contact caused by cyclic This poster is provided as a courtesy of:
vibrations on a non rotating
bearing

For more information on bearings damage, refer to the chapter Bearing damage and their causes
on the SKF bearing maintenance handbook.