Nonlinear Vibration Analysis of Bearing with Coupled Ball and Outer Ring Raceway Defects

Angular contact ball bearings exhibit superior performance, and are extensively utilized in high-precision instruments. Nonetheless, prolonged interaction among the bearing's components might result in gradual wear and defects. Firstly, the dynamic properties of the bearings are investigated by thoroughly analyzing the entire contact process of a defective ball within the outer or inner ring area. A composite fault dynamics model of the ball-outer ring is established, taking into account thermal deformation, time-varying displacement, and impact excitation conditions. The impact of composite defects on the system's nonlinear vibration is analyzed using phase trajectory, Poincaré diagram, and bifurcation diagram. After all, experimental methods are employed to acquire vibration data. Results show amplitude increases upon ball and outer ring faults, with time-domain vibration signals exhibiting clear periodicity. Then, the frequency domain graphic facilitates the identification of frequency components related to the ball and outer ring, including fb, fo, as well as frequencies associated with the cage, such as nfc and mfb ± nfc. Finally, the maximum error when comparing the simulated results with the experimental data is 2.04%. It provides invaluable information for fault identification and health assessment of angular contact ball bearings.