Study on Effective Case Depth for Case Hardened Rolling Bearings

The effective case depth for case-hardened rolling bearing has been discussed. For this purpose, rolling contact fatigue tests for ball bearings built with inner race of various hardness values were conducted until L₁₀ calculating rating life using a bearing life test machine under radial loading. Then, the distribution of residual stress below the inner raceway, which depended on the hardness value, was measured by X-ray diffraction. As a result, the linear relationship was established between the hardness value of the inner race and the theoretical shear stress evaluated at the depth where the residual stress disappeared below the inner raceway. Based on the relationship, it could be found that the factor of safety in bearing manufacturer’s rules for the effective case depth of case hardened rolling bearings was set higher. However, it could be also found that the hardness values at the depth where the maximum shearing stress acted below the raceway surface in a tapered roller bearing hardened by the carburizing process, were not sufficient for preventing plastic deformation under the basic dynamic load rating. Consequently, further efforts were still required to reduce or to disperse the contact load on the material design of a rolling bearing in order to prolong its life.

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