Nonlinear vibration analysis of full-ceramic bearing considering surface waviness under starved lubrication

Full-ceramic bearings, with their high rigidity, low thermal deformation and excellent stability, have become the core supporting components of high-speed precision rotor systems. However, under high-speed conditions, lubricants tend to leak from the contact area between the balls and the raceways, leading to starved lubrication, which in turn intensifies friction and severely restricts the reliability and lifespan of the bearings. Therefore, this paper focuses on the full-ceramic bearing with waviness defects under starved lubrication, establishing a 10 degree of freedom nonlinear dynamic equation for the bearing. Besides, by using the Polytec laser vibrometer and infrared thermal imaging platform, to verify the accuracy of the model. By simulating this system, the paper analyzes the influence of rotational speed, thermal deformation, lubrication state and waviness order on the nonlinear vibration of the bearing. The results show that under insufficient lubrication, as the rotational speed increases, the vibration response of the bearing exhibits strong nonlinear characteristics. The average time-domain amplitude difference of 3.4 mm/s which confirms the accuracy of the proposed analytical model. Experimental results confirm the high accuracy of the proposed model. This study offers a theoretical foundation for exploring the bearings’ dynamic behavior.