ROLLING CONTACT BEARINGS

A rolling contact bearing consists of four parts inner and outer races, a rolling element like ball,
roller or needle and a cage which holds the rolling elements together and spaces them evenly
around the periphery of the shaft. Depending upon the type of rolling element, the bearings are
classified as ball bearing, cylindrical roller bearing, taper roller bearing and needle bearing.
Depending upon the direction of load, the bearings are also classified as radial bearing and thrust
bearing.

Figure shows the common single-row, deep-groove ball bearing. Usually the outer race is
stationary and is held by the housing of the machine. The inner race is pressed onto the rotating
shaft and thus rotates with it. Then the balls roll between the outer and inner races. The load
path is from the shaft, to the inner race, to the balls, to the outer race, and finally to the housing.
The presence of the balls allows a very smooth, low-friction rotation of the shaft.

The types of rolling contact bearings, which are frequently used, are shown in Figure.
The characteristics of these bearings are as follows:

(i) Deep Groove Ball Bearing

The most frequently used bearing is the deep groove ball bearing. The radius of the ball is slightly
less than the radii of curvature of the grooves in the races.

Kinematically, this gives a point contact between the balls and the races. Therefore, the balls and
the races may roll freely without any sliding. Deep groove ball bearing has the following
advantages:

(a) Due to relatively large size of the balls, deep groove ball bearing has high load carrying
capacity.

(b) Deep groove ball bearing takes loads in the radial as well as axial direction.

(c) Due to point contact between the balls and races, frictional loss and the resultant
temperature rise is less in this bearing.
(d) Deep groove ball bearing generates less noise due to point contact.

The disadvantages of deep groove ball bearings are as follows:

(a) Deep groove ball bearing is not self-aligning. Accurate alignment between axes of the shaft
and the housing bore is required.

(b) Deep groove ball bearing has poor rigidity compared with roller bearing. This is due to the
point contact compared with the line contact in case of roller bearing. It is unsuitable for
machine tool spindles where rigidity is important consideration.

ii) Roller Bearing

When maximum load carrying capacity is required in a given space, the point contact in ball
bearing is replaced by the line contact of roller bearing. A cylindrical roller bearing consists of
relatively short rollers that are positioned and guided by the cage. Cylindrical roller bearing offers
the following advantages:

(a) Due to line contact between rollers and races, the radial load carrying capacity of the
cylindrical roller bearing is very high.

(b) It is more rigid than ball bearing.

(c) The coefficient of friction is low and frictional loss is less in high-speed applications.

The disadvantages of cylindrical roller bearing are as follows:

(a) It cannot take thrust load.

(b) It is not self-aligning.

(c) Cylindrical roller bearing generates more noise.

DEFINITIONS

The static load carrying capacity of a bearing (C0 ) is defined as the static load which corresponds
to a total permanent deformation of balls and races, at the most heavily stressed point of contact,
equal to 0.0001 of the ball diameter.

The dynamic load carrying capacity (C) of a bearing is defined as the radial load that 90 % of a
group of identical bearings can carry for one million revolutions before the first evidence of
fatigue crack.

The life of an individual ball bearing is defined as the number of revolutions, which the bearing
runs before the first evidence of fatigue crack in the balls or races.

The rating life (L10 life) is defined as the number of revolutions that 90% of a group of identical
bearings can complete before the first evidence of fatigue crack.

The median life (L50 life) is defined as the number of revolutions that 90% of a group of identical
bearings can complete before the first evidence of fatigue crack.

The Equivalent dynamic load is defined as the constant radial load in radial bearings, which if
applied to the bearing would give same life as that which the bearing will attain under actual
condition of forces.

The expression for the equivalent dynamic load is written as,

P = XVFr + YFa

P = equivalent dynamic load (N)

Fr = radial load (N)

Fa = axial or thrust load (N)

V = race-rotation factor
X and Y are radial and thrust factors respectively and their values are given in the manufacturer's
catalogues.

The race-rotation factor depends upon whether the inner race is rotating or the outer race. The
value of V is 1 when the inner race rotates while the outer race is held stationary in the housing.
The value of V is 1.2 when the outer race rotates with respect to the load, while the inner race
remains stationary. In most of the applications, the inner race rotates and the outer race is fixed
in the housing.

Bearings are designated with a number which is indicative of the bore diameter of the inner
rings, type of service and type of bearing.

The leftmost number indicates the type of bearing , second digit represents the type of service-
light ,medium and heavy duty .The last 2 digits when multiplied by 5 gives the bore diameter of
the inner race.

SKF 6205 means deep groove ball bearing with light service and bore diameter = 9X5 = 45 mm.

Mounting of Bearing

When two bearings are mounted on the same shaft, the outer race of one of them should be
permitted to shift axially to take care of axial deflection of the shaft caused either by thrust load
or by the temperature variation.

It is necessary to position inner and outer races axially by positive means. There are several
methods such as providing shoulders for the shaft or the housing, lock nut, snap ring or cover
plates as shown in Figure. The basic principle is to restrict the displacement of inner as well as
outer race in axial direction by positive means. Figure shows the mounting suitable for a long and
continuous shaft. It consists of an adapter sleeve, which is provided with a small taper. The
bearing is press fitted on this adapter sleeve. Because of the taper, the displacement of the inner
race to the left side is restricted. A washer and lock nut is provided to restrict the displacement
of the inner race to the right side. Two methods of restricting the displacement of the inner race
are illustrated in Figure. In both the cases, the shaft is provided with a shoulder to restrict the
displacement of the inner race to the left side. In Figure, the displacement of the race to the right
side is restricted by a plate, which is bolted to the shaft.

In Figure, a snap-ring is used in place of the plate. In Figure, the housing is provided with a
shoulder to restrict the displacement of the outer race to the left side. A circular ring of the cover
plate restricts the displacement to the right side. The cover plate is bolted to the housing.

Comparison of Sliding contact and rolling contact bearings

SLIDING CONTACT ROLLING CONTACT

High starting friction Low starting friction
Relative motion is sliding Relative motion is rolling
Requires more axial space Requires less axial space
Requires less radial space Requires more radial space
Generate less noise Generate more noise
More cost Less cost
Higher damping capacity Lesser damping capacity