Phil Burge discusses research into the measurement of microstructure and pre-existing imperfections of bearing materials and how these measurements are aiding the development of predictive modelling tools to study the effects of metallurgical imperfections on the long term performance of bearings. Modern machinery is expected to work at or near its design limits, which places a considerable burden of responsibility on manufacturers of critical components such as bearings, to ensure that their materials of construction are resilient against such phenomena as rolling contact fatigue and white edge cracking, and are thus able to perform reliably in the long term under highly stressed conditions. Research on these fatigue mechanisms is thus fundamental to advancing bearing technology for challenging applications, and to better understand the effects of microstructure and pre-existing metallurgical imperfections on bearing performance.
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