ABSTRACT
Many structural materials exhibit a strain limit under load beyond which full recovery of the
original elemental dimensions is not possible when the load is removed. Bearing steel loaded
in compression behaves in a similar manner. Thus, when a loaded ball is pressed on a bearing
raceway, an indentation may remain in the raceway and the ball may exhibit a flat spot after
the load is removed. These permanent deformations, if they are sufficiently large, can cause
excessive vibration and possibly stress concentrations of considerable magnitude.
