A review of bearing failure Modes, mechanisms and causes

This work reviews the failure modes, mechanisms and causes of bearings in mechanical equipment. Bearings are among the most important basic mechanical components. Their operating conditions directly affect the safety and stability of mechanical equipment. In industries, users have very high requirements for the quality, accuracy, and service life of bearings and pay much attention to the selection, installation, use, and maintenance of bearings. However, bearing failures during operation has not been eliminated. Possible failure modes of bearings include fracture, corrosion, deformation and wear have been reviewed. Failure analysis is crucial for the safe operation of bearings. By identifying the modes and causes of failure, effective measures can be proposed to improve the service life of the bearings and eliminate potential accidents. Herein, the contributions of various researchers to bearing failure analysis over the past 20 years are reviewed. The failure modes and mechanisms of the bearings are classified and discussed. Typical bearing failure cases are discussed. According to statistical results, wear and fatigue are the most common failure modes of bearings, as bearings are affected by cyclic loads, friction, and lubrication during operation. Incorrect assembly, use, and maintenance is the main causes of bearing failure. The aim of this review is to provide information on systematic failure analysis of bearings, identify the failure mechanisms under different conditions, and propose an effective plan to improve the bearing reliability, reducing the occurrence of similar bearing failures.