Bearing Life Extension

Practical Guidelines for Maintenance and Reliability

Engineers

Summary
Reliability and Maintenance Engineers are often given the task of
improving the reliability of bearing arrangements in a variety of
applications. Lubrication, contamination levels, and seals are key
areas to explore for improvement opportunities. For this article,
we use the New Life Method to review typical bearing
applications. The New Life Method is the latest calculation
technique for predicting the effects of lubrication and
contamination on bearing life. Practices such as proper
lubrication schedules, choosing correct lubricant viscosities and
film thickness, identifying and removing contamination sources,
and temperature control are advanced as potential strategies for
bearing life extension.
Joe Conyers
Reliability Maintenance Institute
12 pages
May 2002

SKF Reliability Systems

@ptitudeXchange
4141 Ruffin Road
San Diego, CA 92123
United States
tel. +1 858 244 2540
fax +1 858 244 2555
email: info@aptitudexchange.com
Internet: www.aptitudexchange.com

Use of this document is governed by the terms

and conditions contained in @ptitudeXchange.

Introduction
Reliability and Maintenance Engineers are
often given the task of improving the
reliability of bearing arrangements in a variety
of applications. Lubrication, contamination
levels, and seals are key areas to explore for
improvement opportunities. For this article,
we use the New Life Method to review typical
bearing applications. The New Life Method is
the latest calculation technique for predicting
the effects of lubrication and contamination on
bearing life. Practices such as proper
lubrication schedules, choosing correct
lubricant viscosities and film thickness,
identifying and removing contamination
sources, and temperature control are advanced
as potential strategies for bearing life
extension. Moreover, it allows engineers to
select cost-effective, practical solutions from
available practices - without guesswork. This
can be the first step in planning a strategy for
implementing a successful program plant-
wide.
Basic Life Equation
The basic method for determining bearing life
(by Lundberg and Palmgren) is well known.
Bearing life is a function of the applied load,
versus the basic dynamic load rating.
p life for the ball bearings in this application is
C 
L10 =  
P
1,000,000  C 
p reduction from something that appears, at the
L10 h =  
60n  P 
With:
L10 = basic rating life, millions of revolutions
L10 h = basic rating life, hours of operation
C = basic dynamic load rating
P = equivalent dynamic load
© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Bearing Life Extension
p = exponent of the life equation
p=3, for ball bearings
p=10/3 for roller bearings
n = speed, revolutions per minute
Two general conclusions we can draw from
the Basic Life Equation are:
1. Bearing life varies inversely with speed
(double the speed, life is reduced by half).
2. Bearing life varies exponentially with
applied load ( P ) (double the load, life is
reduced to 0.125 of its original value for
ball bearings and more for roller bearings).
The effects of these conclusions can be
dramatic operationally. Consider a conveyor
belt system whose speed is increased by 25%.
Perhaps we can accept a bearing life reduction
of 25% due to the speed increase. Are there
any other considerations? More material will
be conveyed per unit time, which increases
weight on the system. Loads on the bearings
also increase. If sheaves are changed to
achieve the speed increase, the V-belts may
begin to slip, which are tightened to
compensate. If the combined effect of these
changes increases the overall load only 10%,
reduced by an additional 25%. The overall
loss of life may be unacceptable. Significant
design changes may be required to offset life
outset, as a straightforward speed increase.
Adjusting the Basic Life Equation
The advent of cleaner bearing steels in the late
1950s had a dramatic improvement on bearing
life. Bearing manufacturing processes
continued to improve, and the basic life
equation was extended to reflect these
improvements. The Adjusted Life Equation
was the result:
2
 Bearing Life Extension

C 
p bearings and change them out at an
Lna = a1a23   operational life well below the predicted
P fatigue failure life to achieve an adequate
p
safety margin.
1,000,000 C
Lnah = a1a23   Reliability
60n P Lna a1

with: 90% L10 a 1

Lna = adjusted rating life, revolutions 95% L5 a 0.62

Lnah = adjusted rating life, hours 96% L4 a 0.53

a1 = reliability adjustment factor 97% L3a 0.44

a23 = material / lubrication adjustment factor 98% 0.33

The a1 factor allows us to adjust the basic life
rating equation for reliability greater than 90%
(Table 1). This factor can be used to down-
rate applications where safety is critical.
Another use of the a1 factor is high reliability
applications. For example, bearings in aircraft
turbine engines require extreme reliability.
The weight penalty from enlarging bearings
and support components to meet reliability
needs is unacceptable. In this case, a more
cost-effective decision is to use smaller
L2 a
99% 0.21
L1a
Table 1. The a1 factor Allows us to Adjust the Basic
Life Rating equation for Reliability Greater Than 90%.
The factors a2 (material adjustment) and
a3 (operating conditions) are interdependent,
and are combined as a23 . These adjustments
make corrections for the effects of modern
steels lubricant film thickness (Figure 1).

© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 3

 Bearing Life Extension

Factor a23
Use this chart to choose the value of a23
from a known viscosity ratio, Kappa (k).

The darkened area under the curve

represents better performance that may be
achieved with the addition of EP additives
to the lubricant.

Note: This chart applies only to standard

52100 bearing steels. Contact your
manufacturer if using stainless, ceramics or
other bearing materials.

Figure 1. The Factor a 23 as a Function of Viscosity and EP Additives.

In order to use factor a23 (Figure 1), we must required viscosity ( v ) of the application at the
first determine the viscosity ratio, k (kappa). operating temperature. These viscosities can
Kappa is the ratio of actual viscosity ( v1 ) to be calculated or selected from charts (Figures
2 and 3).

© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 4

 Bearing Life Extension

Figure 2. Minimum Required Oil Viscosity. Pitch Diameter dm is Defined as the Mean of Bore and Outer Diameter.

© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 5

 Bearing Life Extension

Figure 3. Viscosity-Temperature Chart. (Viscosity classification numbers are according to international standard
ISO 3448-1975 for mineral oils with a viscosity index of 95. Approximate SAE viscosity grades are shown in
parentheses.)

© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 6

 Bearing Life Extension

Applying the Adjusted Life 1,000,000 C 

p

Lnah = a1a23   =
Equation 60n P
To illustrate the effects of the Adjusted Life 1,000,000  35,100 
3

Equation, we examine a 6210 ball bearing in = ⋅ 1 ⋅ 1.15 ⋅  

60 ⋅ 3600  4000 
an oil-lubricated application. (This is an
example from the catalog reference [1].) = 3,600 hours

Example one: 6210 Single Row Deep Groove Ball Bearing New Life Method
Bearing: 6210
In many cases, using the Adjusted Life
Bearing Boundary Dimensions: 50mm bore x Equation is a good starting design point. But
90mm Outside
Diameter x 20mm some lightly loaded, clean applications have
wide operational lives far in excess of the life
Basic Dynamic Load Rating: 35,100 N predicted by the Adjusted Rating Life
Equation. Contaminated applications are
Operating Conditions:
tough design problems (and extremely dirty
Applied Load: 4,000 N Radial
applications defy accurate life prediction). The
Load
SKF New Life Method is an extension of the
Speed (n): 3,600 rpm
Adjusted Rating Life Equation and predicts
Bearing Operating Temp: 70°C bearing life much more accurately when
1,000,000  C 
p lubrication and contamination conditions are
L10 h =   = better known. It allows designers and
60n  P  manufacturers to take advantage of controlled
3
1,000,000  35,100  downsizing, exploit the enhanced life potential
=   = 3,130 hours of modern bearings, and recognize the
60 ⋅ 3600  4000 
significance of contamination. A simplified
In this case, life can be increased slightly equation that illustrates the relationship to the
when the effects of oil film are included. To two ISO (or ABMA) life equations was
determine the adjusted rating life, we need the derived:
a1 and a23 factor. Assume no change in desired p
reliability above the standard 90%, so a1 = 1. C 
Lnaa = a1askf  
To select a23, we need to know the required oil P
viscosity at the operating temperature of 70°C.
We use good quality, lightweight mineral oil 1,000,000 C 
p

(ISO VG32, VI 95). Figures 2 and 3 give the Lnaah = a1askf  

60n P
required oil viscosity for a 6210 bearing as 9
mm2/s. The actual viscosity of our ISO VG 32
with:
oil at bearing operating temperature is about
11 mm2/s, which makes the viscosity ratio,
Lnaa = adjusted rating life, new life method,
kappa, ~1.2. Figure 1 gives us a resulting a23
value of 1.15. The expected life becomes: millions of revolutions

Lnaah = adjusted rating life, new life method,

hours

askf = SKF adjustment factor

© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 7


The a skf factor brings in two new concepts
regarding bearing life:
1. There is a minimum load for every bearing
below which fatigue failure will not occur.
In other words, the bearing’s stress levels
are too low to produce subsurface
cracking.
2. The effects of solid particle contamination
on bearing life are quantifiable. The
relationship is complex, but is simplified
through the use of charts (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Factor a skf for Radial Ball Bearings.
© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Bearing Life Extension
General conclusions from Figure 4:
1. The thickness of lubricant film has a
significant role in bearing life.
2. Oil film thickness greater than four times
the required oil film thickness provides
marginal benefit.
3. Reducing the contamination in
applications greatly extends life.
Determining a more precise value ηc requires
a firm knowledge of application conditions.
However, we can successfully examine the
effect on life when changes are made to
existing conditions.
Using Tables to Explore the New
Life Method
Our life for the ball bearing application was
relatively short (approximately three months,
perhaps three and a half months using adjusted
life). What can be done to extend the life of
this application?
8
 Bearing Life Extension

Figure (6): Guideline values for factor ηc for different degrees of

contamination

Condition Values η c 1)
Very clean 1
Debris size of the order of the lubricant film thickness
Clean 0,8
Conditions typical of bearings greased for life and sealed
Normal 0,5
Conditions typical of bearings greased for life and shielded
Contaminated 0,5 ... 0,1
Conditions typical of bearings without integral seals; coarse
lubricant filters and/or particle ingress from surroundings
Heavily contaminated 0
(under extreme contamination values of η c can be outside the scale
resulting in a more severe reduction of life than predicted by the
equation for Lnaa )

1) The scale for η c refers only to typical solid contaminants.

Contamination by water or other fluids detrimental to bearing life is not considered.

Figure 5. Guideline Values.

One technique is to use a table of values. We Example 1: Ball Bearing

can explore the effects of varying a single
controllable factor at a time and observe the Example one: 6210 Single Row Deep Groove Ball Bearing
result on bearing life. This assists in selecting
the best practical solution for extending life. Bearing: 6210
Exploring alternatives is made easier with the Bearing Boundary Dimensions: 50mm bore x 90mm
Outside Diameter x
use of calculation programs (Reference [2]). 20mm wide
The user can easily change operating parameters Basic Dynamic Load Rating: 35,100 N
such as bearing size, oil film thickness,
Operating Conditions:
operating temperature, and contamination
conditions and record the results for a variety of Applied Load: 4,000 N Radial Load
cases. Let's explore the example case again. Speed (n): 3,600 rpm
Bearing Operating Temperature: 70°C

NOTE: We ignored secondary effects that

may occur as a result of changing a single
parameter. For example, increasing oil
viscosity may result in an increase in friction
and lower oil viscosity. For more accurate
results, actual bearing temperatures can be
estimated - contact your manufacturer.

© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 9

 Bearing Life Extension

Table I: Extending Life: 6210 Single Row, Deep Groove Ball Bearing
Modified Values are indicated in bold

Case Conditions Temp. ηc (Kappa) a23 L10h L10ah L10aah

askf

No. (oC) Hours

1 Existing Dirty Application 70 0.2 (1.2) 1.15 3130 3600 3410

1.1

2 Use Heavier Oil (VG 46) 70 0.2 (1.6) 1.4 3130 4380 4060
1.3

3 Reduce Temperature 50 0.2 (2.4) 1.8 3130 5630 5000

1.6

4 Increase Bearing Size to 6211 70 0.2 (1.3) 1.2 6000 7200 9000
1.5

5 With Sealed Bearings 70 0.8 (1.2) 1.15 3130 3600 21,300

6.8

Table 2. Extending Bearing Life (Ball Bearing).

Analysis prohibitive. Adding cost analysis to the tables

Sealing the bearings (Case 5) gives the most reveals your best choice.
dramatic life improvement: about six times
Example 2: Roller Bearing
that predicted by the adjusted life calculation.
Controlling the contaminants entering the
Example Two: Paper Machine Drying Cylinder
bearing nets a huge improvement in overall
life for very little cost. Secondary benefits Bearing: 22244
with seals are controlled lubrication and Bearing Boundary Dimensions: 220mm bore x 400mm
Outside Diameter x
prevention of over lubrication.
108mm wide
Basic Dynamic Load Rating: 1,760,000 N (Ref. (3))
The other cases give significant life
improvement, but may or may not be practical Operating Conditions:
Applied Load: 200,000 N Radial Load
in the application. For example, increasing the Speed (n): 250 rpm
oil viscosity (Case 2) may be precluded by Bearing Operating Temperature: 110°C
other components in the application that
require the original oil, such as a compressor.
Reducing the temperature (Case 3) or redesign
to accept a larger bearing (Case 4) may be cost
© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 10
 Bearing Life Extension

Table II: Extending Life: 22244 CCK Spherical Roller Bearing

Modified Values are indicated in bold

Case Conditions Temp. ηc (Kappa) a23 L10h L10ah L10aah

askf

No. (oC) hours

1 Existing Application 110 0.2 (0.6) 0.4 93800 35000 28000

0.3

2 Filter to Improve 110 0.74 (0.6) 0.4 93800 35000 75000

Contamination 0.8

3 Use Heavier Oil (VG 320) 110 0.2 (0.7) 0.6 93800 53200 37500
0.4

4 Add Lube with EP additives 110 0.2 (0.6) 0.8 93800 73400 62000
2.2*0.3
(doubtful
because
ηc < 0.5 )

5 Reduce Temperature 90 0.2 (1.0) 1.0 93800 94000 66000

0.7

Table 3. Extending Bearing Life (Spherical Roller Bearing).

Analysis Changing to oils with EP additives (Case 4)

This application’s adjusted rated life is
severely degraded by the lack of adequate oil
film thickness. The basic rated life of 10.7
years is reduced to just 4 years due to poor oil
film thickness (and resultant low kappa
values). Generally, SKF recommends hc
values between 0.1 and 0.3 for paper mill
applications. Readjusting with the New Life
Method gets us back to 3.2 years, quite low
for a papermaking machine.
Reducing the application temperature (Case 5)
might be accomplished by increasing oil flow
rates. This may be impractical, as the
manufacturer generally optimizes drying
cylinder oil flow rates.
must be undertaken with extreme care. Some
EP additives used in applications over 80oC
can have a detrimental effect on bearing
steels. They may chemically react with the
steel, which can cause surface distress and
premature failure. Also for low hc values SKF
does not recommend to increase askf because
of the additives (See SKF General Catalogue).
Heavier oils (Case 3) could be considered. A
thorough analysis (contact your manufacturer)
should be made of the operating temperature
change that may occur when thicker oil is
used. The temperature increase may offset the
beneficial effect of the thicker oil on kappa
values and askf.

© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 11


Filtration (Case 2) is a good area to explore
for improvement. This case introduced a 12-
micron absolute filter with filter efficiency
200 to improve the ηc value to 0.74, which
resulted in a life improvement to 8.6 years.
For new paper machines, a 6-micron filter
with efficiency 200 is recommended by SKF.
Exploring different filtration cases may help
you choose the most cost effective strategy.
Additional Strategies
You can extend the value of these tables by
factoring in the cost of applying the solutions
and the expected return on your investment.
The objective is to ensure the practicality of
the applied solutions to extend life:
1. Cleaner mounting processes. For example,
simply putting up plastic barriers or
moving the bearing assembly area to a
cleaner atmosphere
2. Grease and oil quality sampling as part of
your supplier acceptance process
3. Oil Pre-filtering
4. Cleaning and flushing new applications
after run-in. Portable filter carts are also
available for temporary use during the run-
in period.
5. Consider portable and fixed water removal
systems. The New Life Method does not
account for contamination other than solid
particles. The effects of water and other
chemical contaminants must be addressed
to achieve acceptable life extension using
the New Life Method. Anecdotal evidence
reveals that as little as 0.1% water in oil
(approximately one teaspoon water in one
gallon of oil) can reduce the effective
viscosity of oils by up to 50%. Strive for
200-500 ppm water in your applications.
After applying your solution, take time to
verify your results. Lubrication condition
monitoring can be prime sources for data.
Particle counting, ferrography, and
© 2002 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Bearing Life Extension
spectroscopy can determine the size, number
and composition of contamination particles
before and after you implement your
improvement strategy. Collect failure
statistics. Examine failed bearings for root
cause and correlate the results with your life
improvement tactics.
Conclusion
The New Life Method can be used to explore
practically deployable strategies to
successfully extend bearing life in rotating
mechanical equipment. Using case analysis
tables with the New Life Method allows us to
choose the most cost-effective course of
action to extend bearing life.
References
[1] SKF USA, Catalog 4000 US Third
Edition, 1999-01.
[2] SKF Interactive Engineering Catalogue
[3] SKF Publication 4401/I E, SKF spherical
roller bearings.
Acknowledgements
Dan Snyder, Director, SKF USA
Applications Engineering
Mark Cutler, North American Engineering
Manager, SKF USA Industrial Division
About RMI
The Reliability Maintenance Institute® (RMI)
is a comprehensive offering of training
courses designed to help eliminate machinery
problems and achieve maximum reliability
and productivity. When you attend an RMI
class, you learn about the latest in precision
maintenance techniques, skills, and
technologies.
Contact RMI: http://www.skfusa.com/rmi
Toll free +1 866 753 7378 (US only)
or +1 717 646 2900
12