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Lubricant contamination is a frequent hazard to bearing grease or highly-filtered oil lubrication and will eventually
life in automotive transmissions. The “Sealed Clean” fail due to subsurface origin-type fatigue. Bearings
bearing concept uses dynamic, rubber seals to exclude subjected to a contaminated environment fail due to
significant contamination from transmission bearings. surface origin-type fatigue. Cleaner steel has been proven
However, there is often insufficient space in a roller to be effective in promoting the longer life of bearings
bearing application to accommodate seals. HTF steel operating in clean environments while “Sealed Clean”
specifications and processing were developed for such bearings are effective in promoting longer bearing life
applications. under contaminated conditions. Debris such as wear
Debris within a rotating bearing will create indentations particles are prevalent in automotive transmissions. This
in the raceway. Contact stress is concentrated at the debris generated surface origin fatigue and causes shorter
indentation edges and fatigue damage is accelerated. An bearing life. Sealed clean bearings use a light contact
indentation’s diameter and edge radius determine the rubber seal to exclude harmful transmission debris from
stress concentration between the ball and raceway. The entering the bearing. Unfortunately, sealed bearings are
HTF steel specification and tightly controlled heat not feasible in every application. High Tough bearings
treatment processing have been developed to provide long [HTF] are needed in those applications where insufficient
life despite the contamination hazard. Testing confirms the space exists or where a sliding surface requires abundant
effectiveness of the new material. lubricant to provide cooling, such as a taper roller bearing.
Sealed clean
EP steel tapered roller bearings
for roll-neck
HTF
Fig. 1 Approaches to longer bearing fatigue life
Main spindle
Indentation
Stress
concentration
Collar
Cracks
Stress
Step 2 Race
Ball
Flaking Race
Housing
a2 = –0.24
Co is called the furrow severity factor and is found by an assortment of material and heat treatment
using the following equation. processes.
Co = (π2 po/E') • (r/c) (2) A Vickers indentation was made on each test race.
r = radius of furrow shoulder, mm (3) r and c values created by the indentation were
c = half value of furrow width, mm measured.
po = nominal contact pressure, N/mm2 (4) Each test race was set in the test machine and
E' = reduced Young’s Modulus, N/mm2 submerged in a clean oil bath. Stress was applied by
rolling steel balls over the indentation with a
In the above equation, the shape of the indentation, in specified load.
terms of r and c (Fig. 3), applies a strong influence on the (5) The indentation contour was traced after removing
fatigue life of the bearing. A higher r/c value promotes a the test piece from the test machine.
longer life because of the lower stress concentration at the
edge of the indentation. Analysis of r/c versus cycles on the above test showed r/c
to stabilize after 3 000 cycles. Results from the above test
show (Fig. 5) that after one minute (3 000 cycles) of
2C
testing, the value of r/c goes up with increased volume
percentages of the retained austenite. The upper limit of
retained austenite is governed by the dimensional stability
and is mentioned later in this paper.
The test was next done with three different sets of
samples. Set ONE (●) had samples containing 32%
r
retained austenite (γR) and a hardness value of Hv802. Set
TWO (▲) had samples containing 33% retained austenite
Fig. 3 Enlarged view of indentation caused by contamination
and a hardness value of Hv716. Set THREE (■ ■) had
samples containing 10% retained austenite and a hardness
value of Hv739. By comparing set ONE with sets TWO and
3. Indentation Contour and Material
Factor
1.0
(1) Washer-type test pieces, which had a wide range of Retained austenite, %
hardness and retained austenite, were prepared from
Fig. 5 Relationship of r/c value and % amount of retained austenite
Counts
level (●) continue in stress relaxation due to the r/c value
200
continuing to increase.
100
1.5
γR = 32 %
0
Hv802
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4
Diameter, µm
1.0 γR = 33 %
r/c
Hv716
Fig. 7 Distribution of the carbo-nitrides in HTF material
0.5 γR = 10 %
after carburizing or carbo-nitriding. The results are shown
Hv739
in the following photos and figures.
Photo 1 and Fig. 7 show the distribution of carbo-nitrides
0
0 103 104 105
in the HTF material.
Photo 2 and Fig. 8 show the distribution of carbides in
Load cycle
conventional material.
Fig. 6 Changes of r/c after cycilc loading
Based on the results of this study, new HTF steel
specifications were formulated. These specifications
New material requirements — Since retained austenite include the following elemental content:
itself is soft, it is difficult to produce a part with both high
hardness and high volume of retained austenite. Therefore C Si Mn Cr
new steel specifications were required. Innovative heat 0.42% 0.39% 1.24% 1.23%
treatment processes were created to overcome the special
requirements in the steel. This was done by increasing the
chromium content of the steel, resulting in a greater
number of fine carbides or carbo-nitrides distributed
within the material matrix. Conventional heat treatment
processes cannot attain the required material properties.
Conventional is identified as being carburized or through
hardened bearings, since the life results are similar in a
contaminated environment. New heat treatment processes
were developed to refine the carbides or carbo-nitrides
300
The bearings in this test were run in contaminated gear
oil. The contamination was mixed thoroughly with the oil
200
allowing the mixture to pass through the test bearing. The
oil temperature was controlled to maintain the viscosity.
100
The results of life testing with tapered roller bearings can
be seen in Figs. 11 and 12. HTF bearings ran successfully
0 for a life that was 7 to 11 times longer than the
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4
conventional carburized or through hardened taper
Diameter, µm
bearings.
Percent failed 90
50
HTF
107 Conventional
Fatigue life cycle
10
5 10 50 100 500
HTF Life, hrs
Carburized
106
Bearing number: L44649 / 10 Cr = 27 600 N
0 Cor = 32 000 N
0 20 30 40
Retained austenite, % Load: Fr = 11 760 N and Fa = 3 528 N
Speed: 4 000 rpm
Lubrication: gear oil 75W-90
Fig. 9 Relationship between fatigue life and % of retained austenite
Temperature: 80°C
under contaminated lubrication
Contamination: Hardness Hv870
Size 70 to 147 µm
Volume 150 ppm
Support bearing
Test Test Fig. 11 Life test of taper bearings with contaminated lubrication
bearing Radial load bearing
90
90
Percent failed, %
Percent failed, %
50
50
10 10
5 5
Conventional HTF
100
quantitative manner. As fatigue progresses, a change
Conventional
occurs in the martensite crystal lattice and retained
80
austenite converts into martensite. Measuring both factors
HTF
Fatigue progress, %
Rolling direction
Close – up view of photo
Rolling direction
100µm
20µm
0.06
0.03
0.02
0.01
crack
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Hrs
R27
20µm
20µm
Photo 9 Edge of model indentation 75 hours after start of test. The R47
crack has resulted in a large area of flaking.
20µm
20µm
Tested
bearing
20µm
Motor-dynamometer
Motor-dynamometer
Transaxle to be tested
Gear box
Sample #1
Bearing A
Sample #2 Fixed test
piece
Sample #1
Bearing B
Rotated test
Sample #2 piece
Sample #1
HTF bearing
Sample #2
Case hardened
3
HTF material
Seizure limit
8. Conclusion
2
(1) For bearings in applications with contaminated
lubrication, such as transmissions, a material with a
1 high volume of retained austenite and a high hardness
Seizure limit
provides longer life.
(2) To attain such properties new steel specifications and
0 tightly controlled heat treatments were developed and
0 1 2 3 4
Sliding speed, V (m/sec) implemented to produce HTF material.
(3) HTF bearings have more than 6 times longer life over
Fig. 22 Comparison of wear resistance and seizure limit
conventional bearings under similar contamination and
Load = 36.1N
0.08 40
Expansion ratio, %
0.06 30
130˚C
0.04 20
0.02 10
0 60
10 102 103
Time, hrs
loading conditions.
(4) HTF bearings have a slower rate of fatigue progress.
Crack initiation is delayed, and crack propagation is
slower at the shoulder of the indentation.
(5) HTF bearings have 8 times more life than that of
conventional bearings when compared in an actual
transaxle dynamometer life test.
(6) HTF bearings provide advantages in both wear
resistance and seizure limit. Dimensional stability is
between that of through hardened and case-hardened
materials.
References:
1) Murakami, Y. and Matsumoto, Y.
“Study of Long Life Bearing Materials”
Preprints of JAST Tribology Conference, Okayama, (1988) 297
– 300. [in Japanese]
2) Chiu, Y. P. and Liu, J. Y.
“An Analytical Study of the Stress Concentration Around a
Furrow Shaped Surface Perfect in Rolling Contact,” Trans.
ASME, JOLT, (1970) 258-263.
3) Tanaka, A., Furumura, K., and Ohkuma, T.
“Highly Extended Life of Transmission Bearings of Sealed-
Clean Concept,” SAE Paper 830570 (1983).
Yasuo Takaaki
Murakami Shiratani