Flaking
How does flaking differ from brinelling?
Flaking arises from rolling fatigue over time, while brinelling (smearing/dents) is permanent deformation from static overload or impact.
What metric quantifies flaking progression in reliability models?
Flaking progression is often modeled using fatigue life equations (e.g., Lundberg-Palmgren) correlating load, speed, and lubrication to expected failure time.
Can flaking be reversed?
No; once flaking initiates, it propagates irreversibly, requiring bearing replacement to prevent catastrophic failure.
In industrial maintenance and asset reliability, flaking is a surface fatigue failure where small pieces of bearing material split off from the smooth raceway or rolling elements due to rolling fatigue, creating rough, coarse-textured regions.
Flaking is detected via visual inspection, vibration analysis, or ultrasonic testing during routine maintenance; it is logged in CMMS (e.g., ServiceGrid) as a critical asset condition to trigger preventive replacement or lubrication adjustments.
Excessive load beyond bearing design limits, accelerating rolling fatigue.
Poor mounting (e.g., misalignment or uneven housing rigidity), inducing uneven stress distribution.
Inadequate lubrication (wrong viscosity, contaminated oil, or insufficient flow), failing to separate rolling elements and raceways.