A Sensitivity Study of Frequency Response Method for Setting Bearing Preload Due to Manufacturing and Design Variation

Roller bearings are used in many rotating power transmission systems in the automotive industry. During the assembly process of the power transmission system, some types of roller bearings (e.g., tapered roller bearings) require a compressive preload force. Those bearings' rolling resistance and lifespan strongly depend on the preload set during the installation process. Therefore, accurate setting of the preload can improve bearing efficiency, increase bearing lifespan and reduce maintenance costs over the life of the vehicle. A new method for bearing preload measurement has shown potential for both high accuracy and fast cycle time using the frequency response characteristics of the power transmission system. One open problem is the design of the production controller which relies on a detailed sensitivity study of the system frequency response to changes in the bearing and system design parameters. Recently, an analytical model was developed for multi-row tapered roller bearings that includes all appropriate bearing and power transmission system design parameters. This work presents a sensitivity analysis of the analytical model for tapered roller bearings. This sensitivity study includes parameters that vary with changes in manufacturing tolerancing and parameters that vary with bearings and system design parameters. The sensitivity study determines the percentage change in the output of the analytical model due to a percentage change in each of the bearing and power transmission system parameters. A case study is provided to demonstrate applications of the sensitivity study in design.