Dynamic modeling and vibration response simulations of angular contact ball bearings with ball defects considering the three-dimensional motion of balls

A dynamic model to investigate the dynamics and vibration responses of angular contact ball bearings with ball defects is proposed. In the proposed model, each ball has 6 degrees of freedom (DOFs), meaning that the three-dimensional motion of balls is considered. The results show that whether a ball hit a race and the frequency property of the envelope spectrum largely depend on the geometrical characteristics and operating conditions. This increases the difficulty in diagnosing the ball defect when using vibration-based monitoring techniques. The current investigation suggests that the vibration response simulations should be carried out to investigate the vibration mechanism and to diagnose the ball defect more effectively.