An SEM Analysis of Bearing Failure Due to Electrical Arcing (Analyse par Microscopie Electronique a Balayage de l'Endommagement d'un Roulement a Billes a la Suite de Decharges Electriques Internes).

Abstract

Failure of a cam clutch after some 2,000 hours of operation was found to be due to bearing failure. When examined in the scanning electron microscope, evidence of molten metal in the form of craters or pools, and of minute globules of metal was found on the balls and races of the bearings. This suggested that electrical arcing between the balls and the races had occurred, and this was considered to be the primary cause of subsequent fatigue and other mechanical damage to these components.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1983
Accession Number
ADA127827

Entities

People

  • D. D. Morphy
  • W. Wiebe

Organizations

  • National Research Council Canada

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ball Bearings
  • Bearings
  • Electric Current
  • Electric Generators
  • Electron Microscopes
  • Electrons
  • Engineering
  • Failure Analysis
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Generators
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Microscopes
  • Roughness
  • Scanning Electron Microscopes

Readers

  • Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) EDI Research and Innovation.
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.
  • Tribology (the study of the boundary interaction between sliding surfaces, lubrication, wear and friction).

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems