Multidimensional Study on the Wear of High-Speed, High-Temperature, Heavy-Load Bearings

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Tribology

Background:

• Bearing performance is critical for weapon system accuracy and maneuverability.
• Understanding wear mechanisms in high-stress environments is essential for reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the friction and wear behavior of weapon bearings under high-speed, high-temperature, and heavy-load conditions.
• To analyze multi-dimensional wear properties including surface wear, metamorphic layer, and elemental composition.

Main Methods:

• Conducted durability experiments on weapon bearings simulating operational stress.
• Analyzed wear properties using scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), residual stress, and retained austenite measurements.

Main Results:

• The rear bearing consistently operated at higher temperatures than the front bearing.
• A distinct gradient in metamorphic layer formation was observed: rear bearing > front bearing > unserviced bearing.
• SEM/EDS analysis revealed elemental variations, including oxygen, phosphorus, and strontium in the rear bearing's rolling elements, and a gradient of carbon and iron content across rolling elements.

Conclusions:

• Extreme operational conditions significantly impact weapon bearing wear.
• The rear bearing experiences more severe wear and material alteration than the front bearing.
• Elemental diffusion and surface transformations are key indicators of bearing degradation under load.