Theoretical and experimental vibration studies of lubricated deep groove ball bearings having surface waviness on its races

A dynamic model has been presented to study vibrations of deep groove ball bearings having waviness on surface of bearing races. Masses of shaft, races, balls and housing have been considered in modelling. Stiffness and damping due to non-linear Hertzian contact and lubricant film have been incorporated in dynamic model. The coupled solution of governing equations of motions is obtained using Runge Kutta method. The vibrations velocity spectra of bearing housing computed through dynamic model have been validated with experimental results, which were generated using healthy and defective deep groove ball bearings. The effect of governing parameters like radial load, shaft rotational speed, waviness order, waviness amplitude on amplitude of waviness defect frequency have been investigated broadly using both theoretical and experimental results. Severe vibration amplitudes have been observed in presence of waviness order equal to number of balls. Good correlations between theoretical and experimental results have been observed. The present study would give researchers new insights into dynamic behaviour of shaft bearing system.