In order to rank bearing materials, lubricants and other design variables using rolling-element bench type fatigue testing of bearing components and full-scale rolling-element bearing tests, the investigator needs to be cognizant of the variables that affect rolling-element fatigue life and be able to maintain and control them within an acceptable experimental tolerance. Once these variables are controlled, the number of tests and the test conditions must be specified to assure reasonable statistical certainty of the final results. There is a reasonable correlation between the results from elemental test rigs with those results obtained with full-scale bearings. Using the statistical methods of W. Weibull and L. Johnson, the minimum number of tests required can be determined. This paper brings together and discusses the technical aspects of rolling-element fatigue testing and data analysis as well as making recommendations to assure quality and reliable testing of rolling-element specimens and full-scale rolling-element bearings.

This book deals with wear and performance testing of thin solid film lubrication and hard coatings in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV), a process which enables rapid accumulation of stress cycles compared with testing in oil at atmospheric pressure. The authors’ lucid and authoritative narrative broadens readers' understanding of the benefits of UHV testing: a cleaner, shorter test is achieved in high vacuum, disturbance rejection by the deposition controller may be optimized for maximum fatigue life of the coating using rolling contact fatigue testing (RCF) in a high vacuum, and RCF testing in UHV conditions enables a faster study of deposition control parameters. In short, Rolling Contact Fatigue in a Vacuum is an indispensable resource for researchers and engineers concerned with thin film deposition, solar flat panel manufacturing, physical vapor deposition, MEMS manufacturing (for lubrication of MEMS), tribology in a range of industries, and automotive and marine wear coatings for engines and transmissions.

This book comprehensively presents the computational design of rolling bearings dealing with many interdisciplinary difficult working fields. They encompass elastohydrodynamics (EHD), Hertzian contact theory, oil-film thickness in elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), bearing dynamics, tribology of surface textures, fatigue failure mechanisms, fatigue lifetimes of rolling bearings and lubricating greases, Weibull distribution, rotor balancing, and airborne noises (NVH) in the rolling bearings. Furthermore, the readers are provided with hands-on essential formulas based on the up-to-date DIN ISO norms and helpful examples for computational design of rolling bearings. The topics are intended for undergraduate and graduate students in mechanical and material engineering, research scientists, and practicing engineers who want to understand the interactions between these working fields and to know how to design the rolling bearings for automotive industry and many other industries.

Fatigue Testing and Analysis: Theory and Practice presents the latest, proven techniques for fatigue data acquisition, data analysis, and test planning and practice. More specifically, it covers the most comprehensive methods to capture the component load, to characterize the scatter of product fatigue resistance and loading, to perform the fatigue damage assessment of a product, and to develop an accelerated life test plan for reliability target demonstration. This book is most useful for test and design engineers in the ground vehicle industry. Fatigue Testing and Analysis introduces the methods to account for variability of loads and statistical fatigue properties that are useful for further probabilistic fatigue analysis. The text incorporates and demonstrates approaches that account for randomness of loading and materials, and covers the applications and demonstrations of both linear and double-linear damage rules. The reader will benefit from summaries of load transducer designs and data acquisition techniques, applications of both linear and non-linear damage rules and methods, and techniques to determine the statistical fatigue properties for the nominal stress-life and the local strain-life methods. - Covers the useful techniques for component load measurement and data acquisition, fatigue properties determination, fatigue analysis, and accelerated life test criteria development, and, most importantly, test plans for reliability demonstrations - Written from a practical point of view, based on the authors' industrial and academic experience in automotive engineering design - Extensive practical examples are used to illustrate the main concepts in all chapters