What factors affect bearing life?

The core factors affecting bearing life can be categorized into two main categories: internal material processing and external operating conditions.

Internal Material and Manufacturing Factors

Material Quality: The purity, hardness, and toughness of bearing steel directly determine the basic lifespan. Excessive impurities or improper heat treatment can accelerate wear.

Machining Precision: Substandard surface roughness and dimensional tolerances of raceways and rolling elements can lead to stress concentration and shorten service life.

External Operating Conditions

Loading Conditions: Heavy loads exceeding the rated load and impact loads can significantly reduce bearing lifespan. Unbalanced loads can also cause localized excessive wear.

Lubrication Conditions: Insufficient lubrication, deteriorated lubricant, or mismatched lubricant types can increase friction, leading to heat generation and seizure failure.

Operating Environment: Humid, dusty, and corrosive environments can cause bearing corrosion, while foreign matter can cause grinding damage.

Installation and Maintenance: Coaxial misalignment during installation, improper interference fit, and long-term lack of maintenance can accelerate bearing failure.