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Mastering Knowledge Of Bearing Brinelling： Expert Insights
Introduction
Bearings may encounter various forms of damage during use, among which brinelling is a common and destructive problem.
Bearing Brinelling damage results in uneven bearing surfaces, which will increase friction, reduce operating efficiency, and cause vibration and noise during operation. Worse still, these dents can serve as starting points for fatigue cracks, shortening the bearing’s service life. In high-speed or high-load applications, brinelling damage can quickly lead to complete bearing failure.
Bearing design life is based on expected performance under normal use conditions. However, the brinelling phenomenon directly weakens the structural integrity of the bearing, causing the bearing to fail to reach its originally designed life. Even minor bearing brinelling can cause significant performance degradation, requiring more frequent maintenance and earlier replacement, increasing maintenance costs and downtime.
Understanding Bearing Brinelling
What is bearing Brinelling
Bearing Brinelling refers to the indentations that appear on the rolling elements or raceways of a bearing. These indentations are caused by static overloads or impact loads. When a bearing is exposed to forces that exceed its design load, the hard steel balls or rollers can press into the bearing’s steel ring, forming small dimples. This damage will cause the bearing’s running surface to no longer be smooth, thereby affecting the bearing’s operating performance.
There are generally two types of bearing brinelling: true and false. Each has a different cause.
True brinelling
True brinelling is a permanent indentation of a rolling element (e.g. ball or roller) into the track caused by the direct action of an overload (e.g. heavy drop, excessive force used in mounting, etc.) on the bearing. This type of indentation is characterized by deep and pronounced physical damage, usually with one or more dents visible in the rolling path of the bearing.
False brinelling
False brinelling, also known as vibratory brinelling, is caused by external vibration or cyclic loading of the bearing while it is not rotating. This vibration causes the bearing element to be repeatedly loaded in the same position without fully rotating, resulting in minor fatigue damage to the surface material. False brinelling manifests itself as a series of tiny dents evenly distributed on the raceway.
Common Types of Bearing Failures
In addition to Brinelling, bearings may encounter the following types of failure during operation:
- Fatigue degradation: material fatigue under long-term operation leads to cracks, spalling, and other phenomena.
- Corrosion and erosion: Chemical reaction or friction leads to material surface damage.
- Sliding wear: Wear caused when bearings slide rather than roll correctly in operation.
- Electrical erosion: Localized high temperatures are caused by the passage of electric current through the bearing, which in turn causes material loss.
- Contamination damage: Particle impurities enter the bearing interior and cause wear or impede motion.
What is the Difference Between Brinelling and False Brinelling?
Although true and false brinelling may appear similar in appearance, their causes, characteristics, and effects are significantly different:
Cause:
- True Brinelling: Directly caused by a single or multiple major overload events.
- False Brinelling: Caused by repeated, minor vibration loads, often during transportation or incorrect storage conditions.
Features:
- True Brinelling: Indentations are deep and concentrated, usually limited to specific load areas. It can cause immediate failure of the bearing or significantly reduce its performance, increasing the risk of fatigue damage.
- False Brinelling: The indentations are shallow and more evenly distributed, and are common on the entire raceway surface. It may not cause bearing failure immediately, but it will increase noise and vibration during operation and gradually reduce the service life of the bearing.
Causes of Bearing Brinelling
Recognizing the Signs of Bearing Brinelling
Identifying traces of brinelling is a critical step in ensuring prompt maintenance and preventing further damage. The following are common signs of identifying Brinelling on bearings:
- Dents: Visible dents visible on the raceways or rolling elements of a bearing. These indentations are usually circular and correspond to the shape of the rolling elements.
- Increased vibration and noise: Damaged bearings may produce unusual noise or vibration during operation, which is caused by uneven rolling paths.
- Unsmooth running: Brinelling damage will cause the bearing to feel uneven when running, especially when it feels jumping or bumpy during rotation.
- Localized wear: Excessive wear of the bearing surface may be seen around dents due to the repeated movement of the rolling elements in the damaged area.
Causes of Bearing Brinelling
If a bearing is subjected to loads beyond its design standards during installation or use, it can cause permanent deformation of the material. For example, incorrect mounting force, impact loads or operating errors.
Or use excessive force to knock or press the bearing, especially through the inner or outer ring, rather than through the parts designed for load-bearing capacity.
If the machine suddenly stops or an external impact causes the rolling elements inside the bearing to violently hit the raceway, dents will form.
When the bearing is not rotating and is affected by external vibration, such as environmental vibration during transportation or when the machine is idle, the rolling elements will move slightly on the track and load the same point repeatedly.
Intermittent loads during equipment start-up and stop may cause repeated impact of rolling elements on the raceway, especially before the bearing reaches sufficient rotational speed.
Vibrations from the storage environment, especially when bearings are stacked together or close to operating equipment, can cause microscopic damage to non-rotating bearings.
This series of phenomena and operations are all causes of bearing indentations.
How to Prevent Brinelling
How does brinelling cause bearing failure in metal?
Brinelling, is the appearance of dents on the surface of a bearing, a type of damage that can directly affect the function of a metal bearing and ultimately lead to its failure. These dents cause stress concentrations on the bearing surface, which accelerates the formation of fatigue cracks. Once the rolling surface of a bearing is damaged, excessive friction and heat are generated, increasing the rate of bearing wear. In addition, dents can affect the running accuracy of the bearing, leading to increased vibration and noise, further accelerating bearing wear and damage.
Preventive Strategies
Preventive Measures for True Brinelling：
- Correct mounting method: Mount the bearing using appropriate tools and techniques, making sure that the force applied is even and relevant, avoiding the direct application of force through the inner or outer ring. The use of mechanical or hydraulic tools is recommended over hammering.
- Avoid overloading: Ensure that the bearings are operated within their load-carrying capacity. Use the appropriate bearing type and size for the expected load and operating conditions.
- Protective measures: In applications where accidental impacts may occur, consider using guards or cushioning to minimize the effects of sudden stops or external impacts.
Preventive Measures for False Brinelling：
- Vibration control: During transport and storage, ensure that the packaging of bearings is sufficient to prevent the transmission of vibrations. The use of anti-vibration materials and fixed bearing mountings can reduce the effects of vibration on bearings.
- Proper storage: When storing bearings, avoid placing them in areas where they may be subject to vibration, such as near machinery or in areas with heavy traffic. Ensure that bearings lie flat and are not pressed by other heavy objects.
- Avoid intermittent loads: During the use of the bearings, try to avoid intermittent loads caused by frequent starting and stopping of the equipment. Ensure that the bearings are well lubricated before starting the machine and that the operating speed is as smoothly as possible.
Common Solutions on How to Prevent Bearing Brinelling
Brinelling's influence
Brinelling phenomenon has many effects on bearings and the entire mechanical system. First, brinelling will cause local damage to the bearing surface and form tiny pits. These pits will cause stress concentration and accelerate the fatigue damage of the material.
Secondly, brinelling will affect the rolling smoothness of the bearing, causing the bearing to generate additional vibration and noise during operation, which not only reduces the working efficiency of the mechanical equipment, but also increases energy consumption. In the long term, this vibration and noise may have a negative impact on the stability and life of the entire mechanical system, increasing repair and replacement costs.
In order to reduce the occurrence of brinelling, the following measures can be taken:
Use elastic washers: Use special elastic washers when installing bearings, which can absorb part of the impact and vibration and reduce the force acting directly on the bearing.
Choose high-quality bearing materials: Bearings made of materials with high hardness and toughness can better resist deformation and damage caused by load.
Lubrication improvement: Ensure that the bearing has sufficient lubrication during use. The lubricant can form a protective film to reduce direct metal contact and reduce the risk of wear and impact.
Bearing Isolation: When designing mechanical systems, reduce vibrations transmitted to the bearings from other parts of the machine through the use of isolation materials or isolation techniques.
Regular maintenance and inspection: Develop a regular bearing inspection and maintenance plan to promptly discover and repair problems that may cause Brinelling.
Conclusion
Bearing Brinelling is a common problem in the use of bearings. It not only damages the bearing surface, but may also cause the performance of the entire mechanical system to decrease, increase maintenance costs and shorten the service life of the equipment. Therefore, understanding and taking appropriate preventive and management measures is critical to keeping mechanical equipment operating efficiently and extending its life.
References
- 1. About the difference between ”False Brinelling and Brinelling“ MN Company;
- 2. About how to Prevent ”False Brinelling“ on Bearings from Motion Control Tips ;
- 3. Detailed explanation of ”false Brinelling“from Wikipedia.
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