Hybrid Bearings Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE)

The objective of this proposed effort is to develop and demonstrate improvements to current non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods to facilitate inspection of hybrid bearing roller elements for both internal and surface defects. Hybrid bearings constructed of ceramic rolling elements (ceramic balls) on metal ring bearings hold a great deal of promise as an improvement over conventional bearings made entirely of steel. Hybrid bearings provide higher stiffness, lower thermal expansion, lighter weight, increased corrosion resistance, and higher electrical resistance than comparable steel products. However, ceramics are a relatively brittle material and the presence of any defect in the ceramic balls is detrimental to the performance of the bearing and can lead to catastrophic failure.