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Creeping

Creeping

Condition
  • Fitting surfaces are glazed or matted, and sometimes spalled as well.
Cause
  • Fitting of inner ring is loose on inner ring drive bearing, and that of the outer ring is loose on outer ring drive bearing.
  • If the housing is made of a light alloy such as aluminum, fit may become loose due to the difference of thermal expansion.
Solution
  1. Improvement in fit
  2. Improvement in machining accuracy of shaft and housing

Photo: Inner ring of deep groove ball bearing

  • Inner ring of deep groove ball bearing
  • Bore wall glazed by creep

Photo: Inner ring of tapered roller bearing

  • Inner ring of tapered roller bearing
  • Spalling due to creep at the middle of bore wall

Photo: Inner ring of thrust ball bearing

  • Inner ring of thrust ball bearing
  • Spalling and friction cracking due to creep on bore wall.

Photo: Inner ring of tapered roller bearing

  • Inner ring of tapered roller bearing
  • Spalling and friction cracking on width surface due to creep crack developed into a split reaching bore wall.