Precision measurement technology in bearing design and manufacturing.

Oct 14, 2024

Precision measurement technology plays a vital role in the design and manufacturing process of bearings. It not only ensures the dimensional accuracy, shape accuracy and position accuracy of the bearing, but also directly affects the performance, life of the bearing and the stability and reliability of the entire mechanical system. With the continuous development of the manufacturing industry, precision measurement technology is also constantly innovating and upgrading to meet the production needs of higher standards and stricter requirements.

1. Overview of bearing design and manufacturing process.

As a key component in the mechanical transmission system, the design and manufacturing process of bearings involves multiple links, including material selection, structural design, process planning, processing and manufacturing, assembly and debugging, etc. In this process, precision measurement technology runs through the whole process, providing a strong guarantee for the quality control and performance optimization of bearings.

Material selection: The selection of bearing materials directly affects its load-bearing capacity, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and other properties. Through precision measurement technology, the physical properties, chemical composition, microstructure, etc., of the material can be accurately analyzed to provide a scientific basis for material selection.

Structural design: The structural design of the bearing needs to consider factors such as load distribution, lubrication conditions, and heat dissipation performance. Precision measurement technology can help designers accurately measure and verify design parameters to ensure the rationality and feasibility of the design scheme.

Process planning: In the bearing manufacturing process, process planning is an important link to ensure product quality. Through precision measurement technology, processing equipment, fixtures, tools, etc., can be accurately calibrated and adjusted to provide data support for process optimization.

Processing and manufacturing: Processing and manufacturing are the core links of bearing production. At this stage, precision measurement technology is widely used in dimension detection, shape control, position accuracy assurance, etc., to ensure the stability and consistency of the processing process.

Assembly and debugging: Bearing assembly and debugging are key steps to ensure its performance. Through precision measurement technology, various parameters in the assembly process can be accurately measured and adjusted to ensure the matching accuracy and installation quality of bearings and shafts, seat holes and other components.

2. Application of precision measurement technology in bearing design and manufacturing.

Dimension measurement:

Outer diameter and inner diameter measurement: For the outer diameter and inner diameter of the rolling mill bearing, traditional tools such as micrometers and vernier calipers are often used for measurement. However, with the improvement of measurement accuracy, advanced technologies such as laser measurement and image measurement are gradually being applied to this field. These technologies can more accurately obtain the inner and outer diameter dimensions of the bearing through non-contact measurement and reduce human errors.

Wall thickness measurement: For thin-walled bearings, wall thickness measurement is particularly important. Traditional wall thickness measurement methods may damage bearings due to excessive contact force. Therefore, non-contact measurement using high-precision laser sensors or ultrasonic sensors has become a more reliable option.

Shape and position accuracy measurement:

Roundness and cylindricity measurement: The roundness and cylindricity of bearings have an important impact on their performance. Through precision measurement technology, the roundness and cylindricity errors of bearings can be accurately measured, corrected and optimized.

Concentricity and parallelism measurement: In the bearing assembly process, the measurement of concentricity and parallelism is crucial. By using equipment such as high-precision laser trackers or three-coordinate measuring machines, the concentricity and parallelism errors of bearings and components such as shafts and seat holes can be accurately measured to ensure assembly accuracy.

Surface quality inspection:

Surface roughness measurement: Surface roughness is an important factor affecting the friction, wear and lubrication performance of bearings. Through precision measurement technology, the roughness value of the bearing surface can be accurately measured and optimized.

Defect detection: There may be defects such as cracks, scratches, and pits on the bearing surface. The use of advanced technologies such as machine vision and laser scanning can achieve rapid and comprehensive detection of the bearing surface, and timely discover and deal with defects.

Dynamic performance measurement.

Vibration spectrum analysis: By measuring the vibration acceleration, velocity and displacement values of the bearing at different frequencies and analyzing its spectrum characteristics, the operating status and potential faults of the bearing can be determined. This method requires the use of high-precision vibration sensors and spectrum analyzers, which have high measurement accuracy and reliability.

Shock pulse method: By measuring the shock pulse signal generated by the bearing during operation and analyzing its pulse amplitude and pulse frequency characteristics, the degree of damage to the bearing can be determined. This method has the advantages of being fast and simple, but its accuracy is slightly lower than that of the vibration spectrum analysis method.

3. Development trend of precision measurement technology.

Non-contact measurement technology: With the continuous improvement of measurement accuracy and the diversification of measurement needs, non-contact measurement technology will gradually become mainstream. This technology realizes non-contact measurement through laser, ultrasonic wave, machine vision and other means, which can avoid damage or contamination to the measured parts during the measurement process.

Automation and intelligence: With the development of intelligent manufacturing, precision measurement technology will also move towards automation and intelligence. By integrating intelligent components such as sensors and actuators, the automatic control and data analysis and processing of the measurement process can be realized; at the same time, combined with artificial intelligence algorithms and big data technology, the measurement data can be deeply mined and analyzed to provide more accurate and efficient decision support for bearing design and manufacturing.

High precision and high efficiency are equally important: while pursuing measurement accuracy, improving measurement efficiency is also an important direction for the development of precision measurement technology. Optimizing measurement algorithms, improving the performance of measurement equipment, and adopting strategies such as parallel measurement, rapid measurement and batch detection can be achieved while ensuring measurement accuracy.

Multi-sensor fusion technology: A single sensor may have limitations in the measurement process. Therefore, the fusion of multiple sensors can make full use of their respective advantages and improve the comprehensiveness and accuracy of measurement. For example, combining laser sensors with machine vision sensors can achieve all-round detection of bearing surface morphology and defects.

In summary, precision measurement technology plays a vital role in bearing design and manufacturing. With the continuous advancement of technology and the continuous expansion of applications, precision measurement technology will inject new impetus and vitality into the development of the bearing industry.