The pursuit of higher rotational speeds; developments in bearing design and materials

The advance in electric motors has been characterised by a trend towards even higher speed and accuracy. Such demands can no longer be satisfied by bearings of standard design, accuracy or materials. Speedability in ball bearings is generally limited by the hertzian contact stress levels between the ball and raceway and heat generation of the bearing components. By selective design and material configurations, the speedability of ball bearings can be increased. This paper describes how Barden have been successful in optimising design and materials to maximise speedability for high-speed applications. The culmination of this work is the Barden/FAG high-speed "HSS" motor bearing product series.