Method for manufacturing a rolling element bearing

US8793878B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AKTIEBOLAGET SKF · SE

Inventors

• Juergen Gegner · Forchheim, DE
• Wolfgang Nierlich · Schweinfurt, DE
• Armin Olschewski · Schweinfurt, DE
• Kenred Stadler · Schweinfurt, DE
• Arno Stubenrauch · Aidhausen, DE
• Markus Volkmuth · Zeuzleben, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 15, 2012
• Grant date: Aug 5, 2014
• Expiry date: Nov 15, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T29/49709
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a rolling-element bearing includes forming an inner ring from a steel having a sulfur content of 0.002 to 0.015 mass % and an oxygen content of less than 15 ppm, subjecting the inner ring to a hardening heat treatment that ends by performing a final heat treatment step at a predetermined temperature, cold working the inner-ring raceway to generate compressive residual stresses at least in a surface layer of the inner-ring raceway, subjecting the inner ring to a bluing treatment and subjecting the blued inner ring to a thermal post-treatment process at a temperature below the predetermined temperature of the final hardening heat treatment step. The resulting rolling-element bearing may exhibit compressive residual stresses having an absolute value of at least 200 MPa at 0.1 mm beneath the outer surface of the inner-ring raceway and a maximum value of 1500 MPa or less throughout the inner ring.