Free bearing tool
Bearing failure analysis: diagnose the damage
Describe what you see on a damaged bearing, and the Rotec AI Failure Analysis tool ranks the likely failure modes, the causes behind them, and what to change.
What is in the Failure Analysis tool
| View | What it does |
|---|---|
| Diagnose | Pick what you see, where, and what the machine did. Failure modes are ranked by how well they match. |
| Damage atlas | All 23 failure modes with schematics |
| Read the path | Reads the wear track pattern on the raceway |
| Cause map | Links causes to the failure modes they produce |
| Troubleshoot | Symptom-led checks |
| Lubrication | Damage from poor lubrication |
| Inspection playbook | What to check and record |
| Field cases | Real case write-ups |
All failure modes
Subsurface-initiated fatigueSurface-initiated fatigue (surface distress)Abrasive wearAdhesive wear (smearing & skidding)Moisture corrosionFretting corrosionFalse brinellingExcessive current erosionCurrent leakage erosion (fluting)Overload deformation (true brinelling)Indentations from particlesForced fractureFatigue fractureThermal crackingOverheating & lubricant breakdownSeizure (end-stage failure)Cage damageMisalignment & distorted seats (edge loading)Handling and installation damageExcessive endplay and loose setting (scalloping)Ring creep and loose fitsLubricant failure (starved, over-filled, mixed or worn-out)White etching cracks (brittle flaking and axial cracks)
Failure modes are grouped in the ISO 15243 way: see the full guide.
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Questions
How do I find out why a bearing failed?
Look at where the damage is on the raceways, what it looks like and what the lubricant and seals look like. Then match that to a failure mode. The Diagnose view does the matching.
Why do bearings fail before their calculated life?
Contamination, poor lubrication, rough handling and bad running conditions cause most early failures, not fatigue.
Results are starting points from standard engineering practice. Confirm critical selections with the bearing or lubricant maker.