Slip Characteristics in Cylindrical Roller Bearings. Part I: Influence of Cage Type on Rolling Set Slip

Abstract The slip behavior of four cage types was studied for an NU215 cylindrical roller bearing under radial forces lower than the minimum recommended by the manufacturer by performing force, speed, and oil flow ramp tests. In comparison, a specially designed full complement bearing was also tested as an alternative to the caged bearing variant. All the tested bearings started to operate slip-free at higher forces than those recommended by the bearing manufacturers. In addition to that, the increase in oil flowrate or rotational speed would increase the set slip under insufficient radial forces. Single-part outer-ring-guided brass cage experienced lower slip than its two-part equivalent while roller guidance possessed the least slip tendency among the tested cages. The polyamide cage offered the lightest weight reduction at the expense of a higher slip, whereas the full complement bearings also offer higher load-carrying capacity at the expense of higher slip.