Thrust ball bearings are specially designed to bear axial loads and are widely used in various types of machinery and equipment, such as heavy machinery, chemical equipment, oil and gas industries, etc. Thrust ball bearings are mainly composed of inner race, outer race, balls, and retainer. Their design ensures good performance when bearing axial force, but long-term or excessive axial force may lead to bearing failure. The following will discuss the correlation between the failure forms of thrust ball bearings and excessive axial force, as well as the possible causes.

Failure forms of thrust ball bearings

Common failure forms of thrust ball bearings include wear, fatigue failure, plastic deformation, etc. Among them, wear is the most common form of failure, including surface wear, pitting, spalling, etc. When the axial force is excessive, these failure forms may be exacerbated, leading to a shorter service life of the bearing.

The relationship between excessive axial force and bearing failure

Surface wear: When the axial force is excessive, the contact surface between the inner and outer rings of the bearing will bear greater pressure, which will lead to intensified wear of the surface material, ultimately resulting in surface wear and pitting.

Fatigue failure: Excessive axial force may also cause fatigue in the internal structure of the bearing, especially under high load conditions, where the fatigue strength of the material will decrease, leading to fatigue failure of the internal structure of the bearing.

Plastic deformation: Long-term bearing of excessive axial force may cause plastic deformation of the internal structure of the bearing, which in turn affects the normal working performance of the bearing.

Reason for analysis

Unreasonable design: If the size of the axial force is not fully considered during the design process, it may cause the bearing to withstand excessive axial force during actual operation, thereby accelerating its failure.

Improper installation: Incorrect installation position or method of the bearing can lead to uneven distribution of axial force, increasing the burden on the bearing to withstand axial force.

Poor lubrication: Insufficient lubrication or improper lubrication methods can also exacerbate bearing wear, leading to a shorter service life of the bearing.

Severe operating environment: Conditions such as temperature and humidity have a significant impact on the service life of the bearing, and severe working conditions can accelerate the wear of the bearing.

In summary, excessive axial force is one of the important reasons for the failure of thrust ball bearings. In order to extend the service life of the bearing, it is necessary to consider comprehensively in the design, installation and use process to ensure that the bearing can withstand reasonable axial force while maintaining good lubrication status and a suitable working environment.