Numerical Study on Raceway Wear of Angular Contact Ball Bearings Considering Curvature Radius Variation

Based on outer raceway control theory and a five-degree-of-freedom quasi-static model of angular contact ball bearings, a raceway wear model considering curvature radius variation is proposed, which couples the quasi-static model with a modified Archard wear formulation and a dynamic curvature radius update mechanism. As wear accumulates, the worn curvature radii are fed back into the quasi-static model to recalculate the raceway contact dynamic parameters. Taking the SKF 7012ACE/HCP4A spindle bearing as an example, the wear depth evolution and the variations of contact ellipse area, contact stress, sliding velocity, and wear coefficient with wear time are investigated under combined loads. The results indicate that as wear progresses, the raceway curvature radii increase, leading to a decrease in contact ellipse area but an increase in contact stress and sliding velocity, which in turn accelerates the wear process. The findings demonstrate that the degradation of raceway curvature radius has a cumulative and non-negligible influence on wear evolution and should be incorporated into bearing wear calculations for more accurate life prediction.