Improved 2D model of a ball bearing for the simulation of vibrations due to faults during run-up

This paper present an improved 2D bearing model for investigation of the vibrations of a ball-bearing during run-up. The presented numerical model assumes deformable outer race, which is modelled with finite elements, centrifugal load effects and radial clearance. The contact force for the balls is described by a nonlinear Hertzian contact deformation. Various surface defects due to local deformations are introduced into the developed model. The detailed geometry of the local defects is modelled as an impressed ellipsoid on the races and as a flattened sphere for the rolling balls. The obtained equations of motion were solved numerically with a modified Newmark time-integration method for the increasing rotational frequency of the shaft. The simulated vibrational response of the bearing with different local faults was used to test the suitability of the continuous wavelet transformation for the bearing fault identification and classification.