Cage Wear Prediction for Traction Motor Bearings of Railway Vehicles Based on Measurement of Contact Force between Rolling Element and Cage

Abstract

Traction motor bearings of railway vehicles are used at high rotational speeds and under light loads, so that their life is determined by cage wear rather than raceway flaking. In this study, the contact forces between the rolling elements and the cage were measured to predict cage wear. As a result, the magnitude, duration, and frequency of the forces were obtained. In addition, the forces were integrated with time to obtain impulses to show the relationship between impulses and cage wear.