TOOTH RICK MILLER

TIPS
PRESIDENT
INNOVATIVE DRIVE SOLUTIONS

CALCULATING THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE LOAD AND LIFE FOR BEARINGS

When considering gearbox applications, conditions for data points vary
and all must be considered.
IN MOST GEARBOX APPLICATIONS, THERE IS NOT
one single torque and speed that the gearbox operates
at but a series of torques and speeds and time intervals
at each condition. These various conditions constitute
data points on a duty cycle and together, they must be
considered in their entirety.
Both gears and bearings are typically sized, and life is
calculated based on the duty cycle from what is known
as the weighted average torque and speed that represents
a single torque and speed which would produce the same
life as would be achieved if the system operated at the full
duty cycle of torque speeds and percent times.
This month I will consider how to calculate the weight-
ed average load and life for bearings.
Using the standard ABMA formula for bearings:
e
L10 = (C\P) x 1,000,000/(60 S)

where L10 = bearing life in hours at 90 percent reli-
ability, C = bearing dynamic rating, P = bearing load, and e = 3 for
ball bearings and 10/3 for roller bearings.
For a duty cycle where there is variable torque (load), speed, and
percent (fraction) of time, the weighted average bearing radial load
or torque is:
3 3 3 0.3333
Fwt = (S1 T1 F1 + S2 T2 F2 = …. SnTnFn )/S)
where S = speed, T= fraction of time, F = radial force, and Fwt =
weighted average gearing radial load or torque
Since this value is a bearing radial force/load, this can be substituted
for P in the equation above, so that:
calculation, with the value of S being the same in both places.
It would seem that this value of S would be important to the
resulting life and that a weighted average speed would be required
for this equation, but that is not the case. There is no requirement to
calculate or use a weighted average speed in this formula, and since
the speeds cancel each other out, any speed used would produce the
same result. The differing speeds for the different points on the duty
cycle are taken into account and reconciled in the weighted average
radial load(force) calculation for P.
Another equation to calculate L10 bearing life for variable radial
load (force), fraction of time, and speed is:
L10 (weighted) = (1/(T1/(L10)1 + T2/(L10)2 + …. Tn/L10)n)

3 3 3 0.3333 3
L10 = (C/(S1 T1 F1 + S2 T2 F2 + …. SnTnFn /S) ) x 16667/S. This requires calculating the L10 bearing life for each part of the
duty cycle and entering it into the above equation.
Simplifying this produces: So, either the L10 bearing life must be calculated only once as
in the first example formula or calculated for each part of the duty
3 3 3 3
(C x S/(S1 T1 F1 + S2 T2 F2 + ….SnTnFn ) x 16667/S cycle, as in the last formula.
The main item to remember and consider is which type of bearing
The S’s cancel each other out, producing: you are analyzing. Ball bearings use 3 and 1/3 as exponents in the
equations and roller bearings (tapered, spherical, and cylindrical) use
3 3 3 3
(C /(S1 T1 F1 +S2 T2 F2 + …. SnTnFn ) x 16667 10/3 and 3/10 for exponents.
Keep in mind that these are ABMA life formulas, or so-called
Normally, it would have been necessary to use a value of S (speed) catalog life values, and do not consider or use any adjustment factors,
in both the weighted average load calculation and the bearing life such as those used for lubrication, cleanliness, or other factors. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rick Miller is president/sole member of Innovative Drive Solutions LLC, which provides gear design engineering services for optimizing
gears, gearboxes, and other geared devices. Miller has created over 300 original gearbox system designs. He is a member of AGMA, SAE, and ASME, and he
holds three patents. He is vice chairman of the AGMA Vehicle Gearing Committee. For more information, visit www.innovativedrivesolutions.com.

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