IMPROVING THE SURVIVABILITY OF HIGH-SPEED BALL-BEARINGS UNDER OIL SHUTOFF CONDITIONS BY CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF THE SURFACE

Oil shut-of tests were performed using 150 mm bore M50-steel ball bear ings under high speed rotation conditions. This investigation demonstr ated that bearings that had received chemical modification of the surf ace were able to delay the onset of bearing seizure after lubricant sh ut-off. Comparing the chemically modified surface to a conventional be aring surface, this paper describes the differences and changes in the bearing temperature rise and the cage rotation speed after oil shut-o ff In addition, this paper presents an analysis on the changes of roll ing element motion during oil shut-off for bearings with and without s urface modification.