Simulation and Experimental Research on Rolling Bearing with Rolling Body Defect under Starved Lubrication Condition

The starved lubrication caused by long-term operation of deep groove ball bearing (DGBB) will change the interaction between components, causing changes in the vibration characteristics of bearing with local defect in rolling element (RE), which is not conducive to accurate identification of bearing fault. In this paper, starved lubrication condition was quantified by relying on lubricant flow rate, and the bearing motion equation by introducing the RE local defect model was established. The results indicated that the degree of starved lubrication increased, the thickness of the oil film decreased, and the lubrication condition of the bearing deteriorated. The contact force and friction between RE and the raceway increased, and the increased friction suppressed the sliding effect of the bearing, manifested as a decrease in the sliding speed between RE and the raceway and an increase in the speed of the cage. Meanwhile, the vibration characteristic frequency of bearing with RE defect increased and approached the theoretical value, but still differed from the theoretical value. The research results provide reference for the fault identification technology of DGBB, which requires identifying bearing fault characteristics based on actual lubrication conditions.