Evaluation of Electron-Beam Welded Hollow Balls for High-Speed Ball Bearings

An experimental investigation was performed with two series (115 and 215) of 75 mm bore ball bearings using hollow balls as the rolling elements. The bearings were tested at 500 and 1000 pounds thrust loads at shaft speeds up to 24000 rpm. The 115 series bearings with 1/2-in. SAE 52100 steel balls showed very little difference in torque, outer-race temperature, or rolling-element fatigue life when compared to similar data for a solid ball bearing. The 215 series bearings with 11/16-in. AISI M-50 steel balls showed only slight differences in torque and outer-race temperature but a very significant decrease in rolling-element fatigue life compared to a solid ball bearing. The balls failed in flexure fatigue, due to a stress concentration in the weld area.