Non-destructive roller bearing inner ring tightness testing - by evaluating pulsed ultrasonic reflection from interface between bearing and shaft

摘要

A non-destructive method of testing roller bearing inner rings seated on shaft shanks for insufficient tightness of fit involves ultrasonic impulse echo techniques. It enables prompt identification of loose inner rings during periodic maintenance such that the bearing system will not fail with loose inner rings before the next examination. An ultrasonic transducer coupled to the inner ring surface (2) enables the ring seating to be evaluated from the acoustic pressure of the ultrasonic wave either passing through or reflected from the boundary (7) between the inner ring and shank. The ultrasonic wave (4) is incident on the boundary surface (1) either normally or at an angle. Either the echo from the boundary or the nth repetition of the cho is evaluated following one or more boundary reflections.