Selection and Design of Rolling Bearings

Several factors must be considered for an appropriate selection of a rolling

bearing for a particular application. The most important factors are load

characteristics, speed, lubrication, and environmental conditions. Load character-

istics include steady or oscillating load and the magnitude of the radial and axial

load components. In selecting a rolling-element bearing, the first two steps are (a)

to check whether the bearing can resist the static load and (b) the level of fatigue

under oscillating stresses. The fatigue life is estimated in order to ensure that the

bearing will not fail prematurely.