The Advantages of a Double Taper Roller Bearing

The angled surfaces of the rollers, cones and cups in this type of bearing allow it to support both radial and axial loads. They also maintain rigid shaft guidance by absorbing the axial force at the point of contact, hence their high load capacity.

However, the optimum functioning of double taper roller bearing is impeded by foreign material, such as sand and fine metal particles. This can result in reduced life span and misalignment of the bearing.

Corrosion

In many cases, corrosion is caused by moisture that accumulates in the bearing. This can happen during operation or through incorrect cleaning and storage. Moisture can enter through damaged or worn seals, and it can also get into the bearing if too little lubricant is used during assembly or if the bearings aren’t dried thoroughly after they have been removed for inspection or cleaning.

In addition, excessive pretension can cause the metal to fatigue. This produces nicks or dents on the inner and outer race track and rollers and generates metallic noise.

Another common problem is spalling. This damage mode occurs when there’s high stress on specific areas of the race and roller tracks. It can be caused by misalignment, deflection or shaft machining errors. Eventually, these areas will become worn away, leading to failure.

Damage

While a double taper roller bearing can support both radial and thrust loads, they do not tolerate dynamic misalignment as well as spherical or cylindrical roller bearings. This type of misalignment can create vibrations and premature damage to the bearing assembly.

DEBRIT PITTING AND BRUISING Hard debris contaminants such as dirt, sand or environmental particles rolling through the bearing can cause pitting and bruising of the races, rolling elements and shaft. This type of damage results in raised metal that acts as surface-stress risers promoting spalling and reducing bearing life.

Excessive preload can cause this type of damage. This excessive load can exceed the capacity of the bearing assembly and result in fatigue spalling. This can occur even when the lubricant is designed to withstand high-load conditions. This damage mode is a primary indication of a bearing that needs to be replaced. This damage can be detected using a health monitoring system that integrates oil debris analysis with vibration measurement technology.

Noise

The conical geometry of the rollers produces a linear contact patch that allows greater loads to be carried than those of spherical bearings, which have point contact. This arrangement also reduces vibration and noise caused by uneven distribution of loads.

The flange’s surface polish and the roller end’s optimum design both encourage the formation of a lubricant film that reduces friction. This translates to lower frictional heat and flange wear, less shaft displacement or misalignment, and a higher level of performance.

A high-quality bearing will have minimal noise, but even small imperfections in the rolling surfaces of the components can create dynamic forces that vibrate or pulse the bearing. These vibrations can cause a whine or other abnormal noise. The best way to avoid this is to keep the bearing and its surroundings clean. This can help you detect irregular operation and make repairs before they become serious. It’s also important to install your tapered bearing correctly.

Wear

A double taper roller bearing is a type of cylindrical roller bearing that can support radial and axial loads. This type of bearing is usually used in gearboxes and rolling mills. The apexes (or 'vanishing points') of adjacent roller rows face inward towards each other, allowing them to accommodate greater load capacities and higher speeds than single-row tapered bearings.

Abrasive contamination from hard particles can cause grooving. This wear generates circular grooves in the ring raceway, which can affect rolling contact geometry and reduce bearing life.

Improper installation or assembly practices can also impact the condition of a bearing. This can lead to misalignment, causing vibrations and damage. The use of analysis techniques like the fast Fourier transform and Shannon entropy can help to detect these problems. These techniques can be used to monitor the vibration signal and identify faults that might not be visible on the acoustic and visual inspection of the bearings. This will allow the bearing to be repaired or replaced sooner, reducing equipment downtime.