What causes the bearing cage to break?

The cage/retainer in the rolling bearing plays the role of equidistance separating the rolling elements and preventing the rolling elements from falling, guiding and driving the rolling elements to rotate.
Although the bearing is composed of many bearing parts, the first damaged/failed part of the bearing is often the bearing cage. The cage can be said to be the bearing "blood vessel", because it can evenly distribute the inner ring, the outer ring and the rolling element. The failure or damage of bearing cage will easily shorten the life of the bearing or even damage it. What causes the bearing cage to break?

◐◑ Insufficient bearing lubrication
Lubricating oil or grease is dry without adding in time / daily maintenance, or use the wrong label of the oil or grease.
◐◑ Bearing impact load
The intense vibrations in the impact load create an impact of the rolling elements on the cage.
◐◑ Bearing cleanliness
The bearing is not well sealed in the bearing box, and then dust may enter; the friction between the rolling element and the cage may be added, thus causing damage to the cage.
◐◑ Installation problem
The bearings are not installed correctly and damage the cage during installation.
◐◑ Bearing creep
Creep mostly refers to the sliding phenomenon of the ring. Under the condition of insufficient interference of the matching surface, the load point moves in the surrounding direction due to sliding, resulting in the deviation of the ring from position of the shaft or the outer casing towards the circumference direction.
Improper installation, the inclination, and too large interference will easily cause clearance reduction, increasing friction heat production, surface softening, and the abnormal peeling occurs prematurely. As peeling spreads, the foreign matter is peeled off into the pocket of the cage, resulting in the blockage of cage operation; the generation of additional loads increased the wear of the cage, and such a deteriorating cycle can cause the cage to break.
◐◑ Bearing cage material defect
Cracks, metal inclusions, shrinkage cavities, air bubbles and riveting defects, nails, padding, severe riveting, etc. may cause the cage to break.
◐◑ Intrusion of hard foreign objects
The intrusion of foreign hard foreign objects or other foreign matter increase the wear of bearing cage.
Bearing cage performance varies with cage materials and molding technology, ZYS can supply all types of bearing cage to meet the requirements of different applications. Besides the textile laminated phenolic resin, porous polyamide and PTFE engineering plastic, and other plastic cage materials, we can also supply finished cages according to the drawings provided by customers. For more information, please send email to zysdong@gmail.com or visit our website www.zysbearing.com.

Bearing components

1. Bearing part

One of the parts that make up the rolling bearing, but does not include all the accessories.

2. Bearing ring

Including the annular part of radial rolling bearing with one or several raceways.

3. Bearing washer

Including the annular part of thrust rolling bearing with one or several raceways.

4. Flat ring

A detachable flat washer with its inner or outer portion as a rib for the outer or inner ring of a radial cylindrical roller bearing.

5. Oblique ring (separable)

A separable ring with "L" shaped cross section with its outer portion as a rib of the inner ring of radial cylindrical roller bearing.

6. Middle retaining ring

A separable ring in a roller bearing with two or more rows of rollers for isolating the two rows of rollers and guiding the rollers.

7. Stop ring

A single port ring with constant cross-section, mounted in an annular groove, axially positions the rolling bearing within the housing or on the shaft.

8. Lock ring

A single-mouth ring with a constant cross-section, mounted in the annular groove as a retaining ring to hold the roller or cage in the bearing.

9. Spacer

It is a toroidal part used between two bearing rings or bearing washers or between two half bearing rings or between two half bearing washers to maintain a defined axial distance between them.

10. Sealing ring

An annular cover consisting of one or several parts, fixed to a ferrule or washer of the bearing and in contact with another ferrule or gasket or forming a narrow labyrinth gap to prevent leakage of lubricating oil and invasion of foreign objects.

11. Dust cover

It is an annular cover, usually stamped from a thin metal plate, fixed to a ferrule or washer of the bearing and extending toward the other ring or gasket to cover the inner space of the bearing, but not in contact with another ferrule or gasket. .

12. Guard ring

A part attached to the inner ring or shaft ring that utilizes centrifugal force to enhance the ability of the rolling bearing to prevent foreign objects from entering.

13. Rolling body

A ball or roller that rolls between the raceways.

14. Cage

A bearing component that partially wraps around and moves with all of the rolling elements to isolate the rolling elements and also generally guides the rolling elements and retains them within the bearings.