By The ASME Tribology Division Technical Committee

This Design Guide presents a calculation method for applying themost recent life rating procedure for ball and roller bearings,"Rolling Bearings-Dynamic Load Ratings and Rating Life," publishedby the International Standards Organization (ISO 281/2).

It incorporates the latest developments in bearing technology andpresents them in a straightforward manner.

It includes both surface and subsurface failure modes and theeffects on bearing life of material, residual stress, lubricationand contamination in addition to applied loading.

The calculation method is the result of extensive investigation andcollaboration between bearing manufacturers and users throughoutthe world and is intended to provide a common procedure for allbearing practitioners to calculate bearing life on a consistantbasis.

It defines the generalized bearing stress field and materialstrength parameters for both oil and grease lubricatedapplications.

It addresses the effects of lubricant properties and the modes ofoperation in elastohydrodynamic and boundary librication regimes.It recognizes the interdependence of all these parameters andcalculates a single integrated stress-life factor from thegeneralized stress field.

A computer program called ASMELife is included with the designguide to perform the calculations. The procedure has beensuccessfully correlated with numerous data sets over a wide rangeof applications for all common types of ball and roller bearings.