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Taking the rotor system supported by angular contact ball bearing as the research object, the dynamic model of rotor bearing system is established by using Lagrange equation. Based on the Archard wear model, the calculation model of wear depth of bearing raceways considering lubrication effects is presented. The wear depth is introduced into the system dynamics model as the bearing clearance. The dynamic characteristics of rotor-bearing system and the evolution of bearing wear are carefully analyzed taking into account the rotor speed, bearing preload and disc position. The results show that the influence of bearing wear on dynamic characteristics of rotor-bearing system is closely related to rotor speed and bearing preload. Changing disc position does not lead to the significant variation of dynamic characteristics of rotor-bearing system with wear depth of bearing raceways. The rotor speed significantly affects the bearing wear, the bearing preload has very limited effect on bearing wear, and the variation of the disc position results in the weak difference of wear depth of bearings.

Bearing preload significantly affects the running performance of a shaft-bearing system including the fatigue life, wear, and stiffness. Due to the mounting error, the bearing rings are often angularly misaligned. The effects of the combined bearing preload and angular misalignment on the fatigue life of ball bearings and a shaft-bearing system are analyzed in this paper. The contact force distribution of angular contact ball bearings in the shaft-bearing system is investigated based on the system model. The system model includes the bearing model, and the shaft model is verified by comparing with the manufacturer's manual and the results from other theoretical models, with the difference between the results from the present bearing model and manufacturer manual within 3%. The global optimization method is used to replace the Newton–Raphson algorithm to solve the ball elements' displacements and friction coefficients, which improves the computation efficiency of the system model. The fatigue life of each bearing is evaluated with the consideration of the two preload methods and two angular misalignment cases. The fatigue life results show that the system life at the optimal angular misalignment is more than 1.5 times that without angular misalignment at the low preload value, and this ratio decreases as the preload value increases. The optimal angular misalignment of both the shaft-bearing system and the misaligned bearing is not always consistent, which depends on the preload value and bearing life. Both the constant-displacement preload and constant-force preload do not cause a significant difference in the highest system life. The different misaligned bearings can lead to different highest system lives as the preload value is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bearing preload significantly affects the running performance of a shaft-bearing system including the fatigue life, wear, and stiffness. Due to the mounting error, the bearing rings are often angularly misaligned. The effects of the combined bearing preload and angular misalignment on the fatigue life of ball bearings and a shaft-bearing system are analyzed in this paper. The contact force distribution of angular contact ball bearings in the shaft-bearing system is investigated based on the system model. The system model includes the bearing model, and the shaft model is verified by comparing with the manufacturer’s manual and the results from other theoretical models, with the difference between the results from the present bearing model and manufacturer manual within 3%. The global optimization method is used to replace the Newton–Raphson algorithm to solve the ball elements’ displacements and friction coefficients, which improves the computation efficiency of the system model. The fatigue life of each bearing is evaluated with the consideration of the two preload methods and two angular misalignment cases. The fatigue life results show that the system life at the optimal angular misalignment is more than 1.5 times that without angular misalignment at the low preload value, and this ratio decreases as the preload value increases. The optimal angular misalignment of both the shaft-bearing system and the misaligned bearing is not always consistent, which depends on the preload value and bearing life. Both the constant-displacement preload and constant-force preload do not cause a significant difference in the highest system life. The different misaligned bearings can lead to different highest system lives as the preload value is low.

The variable preload method varies preloads according to rotation speed and operational conditions. Variable preload technology is necessary when performing machining processes under both low and high speed conditions. The author suggested the concept for an automatic variable preload device using an eccentric mass in a previous study. This study develops and evaluates an automatic variable preload device using a uniformly distributed eccentric mass for practical use. It can help increase preload efficiency by increasing the eccentric mass. A finite element analysis is performed and the results confirm the deformation of a uniformly distributed eccentric mass device according to its rotation speed. Based on the analysis results, a spindle prototype subjected to a maximum speed of 10,000 rpm is fabricated. The axial force of the uniformly distributed eccentric mass device is measured during operation and the results confirm that the variable preload operates effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed machining spindles are high-precision mechanisms with a complex and very sensitive behavior. Frequency response functions are required to avoid unstable cutting conditions that lead to premature failure of spindle and tool. However, FRFs are affected by stiffness loss of the bearings at high speed. Indeed, the rotor's behavior is driven by its boundary conditions which are the preloaded bearings. In order to obtain an accurate model of the preloaded bearing system, this paper focuses on the axial spindle behavior. An analytical model that computes the equilibrium state of the shaft, rear sleeve, and bearing arrangement is presented. A model enrichment method is presented with several new physical phenomena: the macroscopic deformations of the shaft and bearing rings as well as the rear sleeve's complex behavior. The significance of these phenomena is evaluated with a sensitivity analysis and used for the model updating to obtain a just accurate enough model. The contributions of these enrichments are presented for a case study performed on an industrial spindle. A good agreement between the simulation and the experimental results are achieved that validates the model updating strategy and the phenomenologically enriched model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]