New bearing model will extend lives and cut costs

Published: 08 June, 2015

The bearings manufacturer SKF has developed a new method for modelling the operating lives of roller bearings that will help users to match bearings better to their applications, resulting in better bearing performance and lower running costs.

The new model considers many more factors than the existing model, which was developed by SKF more than 30 years ago and is standardised in ISO 281. The current model is based mainly on assessing sub-surface fatigue damage, but today’s bearings rarely fail because of this damage. Failures are now usually due to surface damage caused by factors such as contamination, inadequate lubrication, and similar conditions.

The new model separates surface from sub-surface failure modes and adds in new parameters such as lubrication, surface strength and wear resistance. By accounting for more potential failure modes, the new model predicts bearing behaviour and life more realistically, under a wide range of field conditions.

SKF’s new bearing rating life model takes into account many more factors than earlier models

SKF’s new president and CEO, Alrik Danielson, says that the new model “will improve our ability to help customers select bearings to meet their specific application needs, in terms of bearing life, speed, energy use and more.”