Modelling of angular contact ball bearings and axial displacements for high-speed spindles

This paper presents modelling of moving sleeve and spindle tip displacements in spindle bearing systems equipped with angular contact ball bearings. The balance of axial forces produced in high-speed bearings is examined, with a particular consideration of centrifugal forces, gyroscopic moments, contact deformations, and contact angles. It has been shown that centrifugal forces acting on bearing balls do not cause sleeve axial shifts. Those sleeve shifts can only result from gyroscopic moments, and changes in spindle dimensions due to centrifugal forces. The proposed model has been verified experimentally, and can be used for compensation of spindle tip displacements.