Optimal Design of Tapered Roller Bearings Based on Multi⁃Physics Objectives Using Evolutionary Algorithms

Rolling element bearing is the most common machine element in rotating machinery.An extended life is among the foremost imperative standards in the optimal design of rolling element bearings,which confide on the fatigue failure,wear,and thermal conditions of bearings.To fill the gap,in the current work,all three objectives of a tapered roller bearing have been innovatively considered respectively,which are the dynamic capacity,elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication(EHL)minimum film⁃thickness,and maximum bearing temperature.These objective function formulations are presented,associated design variables are identified,and constraints are discussed.To solve complex non⁃linear constrained optimization formulations,a best⁃practice design procedure was investigated using the Artificial Bee Colony(ABC)algorithms.A sensitivity analysis of several geometric design variables was conducted to observe the difference in all three objectives.An excellent enhancement was found in the bearing designs that have been optimized as compared with bearing standards and previously published works.The present study will definitely add to the present experience based design followed in bearing industries to save time and obtain assessment of bearing performance before manufacturing.To verify the improvement,an experimental investigation is worthwhile conducting.

Influence of the Number of Rollers on a Tapered Roller Bearing

In roller bearings, the outer ring is usually fixed and the inner ring has the rolling motion. Concerning TRB （tapered roller bearings）, this motion generates forces that are transmitted to the outer ring by the tapered rollers. Thus, contact stresses occur and the number of rollers plays a major role with respect to the load distribution. This influence is analyzed in this study by the FEM （finite element method） with commercial code ABAQUS, where two models were evaluated： a common TRB and the same one but with fewer rollers. As an application, a manual automotive transmission was considered for the input loads.

Friction moment calculation method for tapered roller bearings under combined loads

Tapered roller bearings(TRBs) can withstand axial loads, radial loads, and overturning moments. The performance, safety, and efficiency of rotating machinery are directly influenced by the friction moments within the TRBs. However, most current research has relied on empirical formulas that focus on axial loads. Additionally, the friction coefficient between the rollers and the inner ring rib has been defined using simple empirical methods. In actual applications, the loads on TRBs are not purely axial or radial, and simple empirical friction coefficients do not adequately account for the varying lubrication conditions. To address this challenge, this study proposes an improved method for calculating the friction moments of TRB under combined axial and radial loads. This study employs a calculation method for sliding friction coefficients that can model dry, boundary, elastohydrodynamic, and mixed lubrication conditions. To demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method, the friction moments obtained using the existing and proposed methods are compared. Additionally, the influence of TRB structural parameters on the friction moment is discussed. An experimental study is conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The findings provide valuable insights for designing TRB structural parameters to minimize friction moments.

Modeling the frictional torque of a dry-lubricated tapered roller bearing considering the roller skewing

In this paper, an equation for the calculation of the frictional torque of a dry-lubricated tapered roller bearing(TRB) is provided in which the effect of the roller skewing is emphasized. Calculations were performed to investigate the effect of the roller skewing on the torque of dry-lubricated TRB for two representative preload methods, that is, axial force preload and axial displacement preload. The results show that a proper roller skewing angle under axial force preload benefits the reduction of the TRB torque. However, the roller skewing angle should not exceed a certain critical value;otherwise, it will cause a steep rise in the TRB torque. Finally, the critical value of the roller skewing angle as a function of the friction coefficient and cage pocket clearance is presented. The developed torque model provides a tool for the internal design and torque optimization of dry-lubricated TRBs.