Lubrication Failure Analysis

Lubrication
Bearing Failure Patterns and Trouble-shooting
Bearing Failure analysis
Symptoms
Causes
Remedies
Holcim Group Support
Bearing failure & Troubleshooting
M25_Lubrication Management
DEA
False Brinelling
Symptoms
Elliptical wear marks in
an axial direction at
each ball position with
a bright finish and
sharp demarcation
Often surrounded by a
ring of brown
debris
DEA
False Brinelling
Causes
Vibrations in stationary
machines leading to
micro motion between
rolling elements &
raceways
When the bearing is not
turning, an oil film

cannot be formed to
prevent raceway wear
DEA
False Brinelling
Remedies
eliminate or absorb
external vibration
use lubricants containing
anti-wear additives
DEA
Overheating
Symptoms
Discoloration of the rings,
rolling elements and

cages from gold to blue
Temperatures in excess
of 200C can anneal ring

and rolling element
materials, reducing the
bearing capacity and
causing early failure
DEA
Overheating
Symptoms
In extreme case, the
bearing components will

deform
Temperature rise can
also degrade or destroy

lubricant
DEA
Overheating
Causes
Heavy electrical heat
loads
Inadequate heat paths
Insufficient cooling or
lubrication when loads

and speed are excessive
DEA
Overheating
Remedies
Thermal or overload
controls
Adequate heat paths
Supplemental cooling
DEA
Outer Ring Fracture

Symptoms
Typically a crack spreads
evenly in the
circumferential direction,
with several fractured
pieces often originating
With axial load, fractures
usually occur a little

beyond the middle of the
raceway
Outside outer ring shows
irregular load pattern

10
DEA
Outer Ring Fracture

Causes
Poor support of the rings
in the bearing housing
11
DEA
Outer Ring Fracture

Remedies
Improvement in bearing
mounting
Follow mounting instructions
for appropriate
recommendations
12
DEA
Misalignment
Symptoms
A wear path not parallel
to raceway edges on the

raceway of the no
rotating ring
13
DEA
Misalignment
Causes
Bent shafts
Burrs or dirt on shaft or
housing shoulders
Shaft threads that are not
square with shaft seats

Locking nuts with faces
that are not square to the

thread axis
14
DEA
Misalignment
Remedies
Inspect shafts and
housings for run-out of

shoulders and bearing
seats
Use single point-turned
or ground threads on
non-hardened shafts and
ground threads only on
hardened shafts
Use precision
grade locknuts
15
DEA
Slippage Tracks
Symptoms
Spotted smear marks
Roughening of rolling
elements or raceways
16
DEA
Slippage Tracks
Causes
Rolling elements slide on
the raceways when the load

is low and lubrication is
poor
Occasionally occurs if load
zones are too short, causing

rolling elements to
Also, fast changes in speed
brake in the unloaded zone

and accelerate again when
entering the load zone
17
DEA
Slippage Tracks
Remedies
Select bearings with
lower load carrying

capacity
Preload bearings
Reduce bearing
clearance
Improve lubrication
18
DEA
Tight Fits
Symptoms
A heavy rolling element
wear path in the bottom

of the raceway
19
DEA
Tight Fits
Causes
Excessive loading of the
rolling elements when

interference fits exceed
the radial clearance at
operating temperatures
Continued operation
under such conditions

leads to rapid wear and
fatigue
20
DEA
Tight Fits
Remedies
Decrease total
interference with better

matching of bearings to
shafts and housings
Consider operating
temperatures
Increased radial
clearance in bearing
selection
21
DEA
Axial Cracks
Symptoms
Inner ring partly or
completely cracked in the

axial direction
Slightly rounded fractured
edges indicate that the

fracture originated during
operation and was cycled
(cracked edges may break
off after prolonged
operation)
Sharp edged cracks indicate
fracture during dismounting

22
DEA
Axial Cracks
Causes
Bearing slippage
Rotation of inner ring on
the shaft
Inadequate lubrication
Too tight of fit to shaft
Grooved shaft
Out-of-roundness
Grazing against
surrounding parts
23
DEA
Axial Cracks
Remedies
Improve lubrication with
additives or increased oil

quantities
Select suitable fit
Avoid grazing
Provide for better seating
conditions
Consider special heat
treatment for rings
24
DEA
Normal Fatigue
Symptoms
Often referred to as spalling;
indicated by the fracture of

the running surfaces and
subsequent removal of small
discrete particles of material
from the inner ring, outer ring
or rolling elements
Spalling is progressive, and
once initiated will spread with

continued operation
Always accompanied by a
noticeable increase in
vibration
25
DEA
Normal Fatigue
Causes
Bearing has remained in
operation beyond its

calculated fatigue life
26
DEA
Normal Fatigue
Remedies
Replace the bearing
and/or consider
redesigning to use a
bearing with a greater
calculated fatigue life
27
DEA
True Brinelling
Symptoms
Brinell marks appear as
indentations in the
raceways, increasing
bearing vibration (noise)
Severe brinell marks can
cause premature fatigue

failure
28
DEA
True Brinelling
Causes
Static overload of the
bearing
Severe impact to the
bearing
Using a hammer to install
the bearing
Dropping or striking
assembled equipment
Pressing a bearing onto the
shaft by applying force

to the outer ring
29
DEA
True Brinelling
Remedies
Observe static load
ratings in making bearing

selection
Install bearings using
appropriate equipment
and by applying force
only to the ring being
press-fitted
30
DEA
Contamination
Symptoms
Denting of rolling
elements and raceways,

causing vibration
31
DEA
Contamination
Causes
Air-born dust, dirt or
abrasive substances
from contaminated work
areas
Dirty hands or tools
Foreign matter in
lubricants or cleaning
solutions
32
DEA
Contamination
Remedies
Clean work areas, tools,
fixtures and hands reduce

the risks
Isolate bearing assembly
area from any grinding

operations
Leave bearings in their
original packaging until time

of installation
For contaminated operating
environments,sealing
arrangements should be
considered
33
DEA
Lubricant Failure
Symptoms
Discolored rolling
elements (blue/brown)
and rolling element
tracks
Excessive wear of rolling
elements, rings, and

cages follow, resulting in
overheating and
catastrophic
failure
34
DEA
Lubricant Failure
Causes
Restricted lubricant flow
Excessive temperatures
that degrade the lubricant
35
DEA
Lubricant Failure
Remedies
Use of the appropriate
and correct amount of

lubricant
Ensure proper bearing fit
Control preload to reduce
bearing temperatures
36
DEA
Corrosion
Symptoms
Corrosion results from the
chemical attack on bearing

materials by hostile fluids or
atmospheres
Red/brown stains or
deposits on rolling
elements, raceways or
cages
Increased vibration followed
by wear
Increase in radial clearance
or loss of preload
37
DEA
Corrosion
Causes
Exposing bearings to
corrosive fluids or
atmospheres
38
DEA
Corrosion
Remedies
Divert corrosive fluids
away from bearing areas

Use integrally sealed
bearings
Consider external seals
for particularly hostile

environments
39
DEA
Fluting
Symptoms
Brownish marks parallel
to the axis on a large part

of the raceway, or
covering the entire
raceway circumference
40
DEA
Fluting
Causes
Electrical Fluting occurs
when a current is passed

through the bearing,
instead of to a grounded
source.
Constant passage of
alternating or direct
current
Even low currents
41
DEA
Fluting
Remedies
Prevent currents from
flowing through the

bearing by means of
grounding or insulating
Use current insulated
bearings
42
DEA
Excessive Loads
Symptoms
Heavy rolling element wear
paths
Evidence of overheating
Widespread fatigue areas
(spalling)
Symptoms are the same as
normal fatigue, although

showing heavier ball wear
paths, greater evidence of
overheating, and a more
widespread and deeper
spalling (fatigue area)
43
DEA
Excessive Loads
Causes
Excessive loading of the
bearing
44
DEA
Excessive Loads
Remedies
Reduce the load
Redesign using a bearing
with greater capacity
45
DEA
Lip Fractures
Symptoms
Supporting lips are partly
or completely broken off

or cracked
46
DEA
Lip Fractures
Causes
Axial load unacceptably
high
Lip insufficiently
supported
Axial shock load
Mounting damage
47
DEA
Lip Fractures
Remedies
Ensure good lip support
design
Keep load within
specified limits
Observe appropriate
mounting instructions
& procedures
48
DEA
Fretting
Symptoms
Fretting, the generation
of fine metal particles

which oxidize, leaving a
distinctive brown color
Wear at the fitting
surfaces causing noise &

runout problems
Possible fatigue fracture
Possible disturbance of
floating bearing function
49
DEA
Fretting
Causes
Micro motion between
fitted parts where the fits

are too loose in relation
to the acting forces
50
DEA
Fretting
Remedies
Follow mounting
instructions for
appropriate fit
recommendations
51
DEA
Seizure
Symptoms
Partial or large-area
welding and deep

scratches in the lip and
roller face areas
Also lubricant coking in
this area
52
DEA
Seizure
Causes
with high loads and high

speeds (quantity or
operating viscosity of
lubricant too low)
with high loads

and low speeds (when
there is no hydrodynamic
lubricating film between
the roller face and lip)
53
DEA
Seizure
Causes
Detrimental preload due
to heat expansion
Skewing of rollers due to
raceway wear or ring

tilting
Axial load too high on
cylindrical roller bearings

Axial preload too high for
out-of-square mating
surfaces
54
DEA
Seizure
Remedies
Improve lubrication
(increase viscosity, EP
additives, increase
quantity)
Ensure correct
adjustment of bearings
55
DEA
Reverse Loading
Symptoms
Balls will show a grooved
wear band caused by the

ball riding over the outer
edge of the raceway
Failure mode is very
similar to that of heavy

interface (tight) fits.
56
DEA
Reverse Loading
Causes
Angular contact ball
bearings are designed to

accept an axial load in
one direction only
When loaded in the
opposite direction, the

elliptical contact area on
the outer ring is truncated
by the low shoulder on
that side of the outer ring
57
DEA
Reverse Loading
Causes
Result is excessive
stress and an increase in

temperature, followed by
increased vibration and
early failure
A thrust load applied to
the wrong bearing face

results in a wear band on
the balls.
58
DEA
Reverse Loading
Remedies
Ensure proper installation
of angular contact
bearings
59
DEA

Lubrication Failure Analysis

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Lubrication

Bearing Failure Patterns and Trouble-shooting

Bearing Failure analysis

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

turning, an oil film

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

rolling elements and

of 200C can anneal ring

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

bearing components will

also degrade or destroy

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

lubrication when loads

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Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

Outer Ring Fracture

usually occur a little

irregular load pattern

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

Outer Ring Fracture

in the bearing housing

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

Outer Ring Fracture

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

to raceway edges on the

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

square with shaft seats

that are not square to the

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Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

housings for run-out of

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Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

the raceways when the load

zones are too short, causing

brake in the unloaded zone

Holcim Group Support

Bearing failure & Troubleshooting

lower load carrying