The Effect of Contact Angle on Rolling-Contact Fatigue and Bearing Load Capacity

The NASA five-ball fatigue tester was used to determine the rolling-contact fatigue life of ½-in.-diameter M-1 steel balls applicable for high-temperature bearing use, and modified 204-size angular-contact ball bearings at various contact angles. For a constant Contact stress in the five-ball fatigue tester, fatigue life decreased with increasing contact angle. In contrast, relative thrust-load capacity increased with increasing contact angle. The Lundberg-Palmgren theory correctly predicts capacity at contact angles up to 30 degrees. Presented as an American Society of Lubrication Engineers paper at the Lubrication Conference held in Chicago, Illinois, October 1961. Notes Presented as an American Society of Lubrication Engineers paper at the Lubrication Conference held in Chicago, Illinois, October 1961.