Purpose. Under certain operating conditions, vibration in rotating rolling bearings can be of importance as an operating characteristic of such bearings. For this reason, the measurement of vibration emitted by a rolling bearing under specified test conditions is utilized for study and qualification as one facet of quality assurance.

This standard on rolling bearing noise and vibration serves to define and specify, for purposes of bearing quality assurance, the physical quantities measured and the test conditions utilized in measurement of vibration and noise generated by rolling bearings. Based on the standard, parties to the acceptance inspection of rolling bearings may, by agreement, establish acceptance specifications and grades of rolling bearings with which to control bearing vibration and noise.

Limitations of Standard. Rolling bearing vibration and noise are complex physical phenomena. The knowledge of vibration and noise of bearings under a given set of test conditions does not necessarily afford a means of judging the vibratory behavior of the bearing to be expected under different conditions, nor does it suffice for a prediction of the vibration of assemblies of which the bearing forms a part. No simple set of values characterizing vibration and noise of a bearing is adequate for the evaluation of the vibratory performance in all possible applications.

The field of application for standards on bearing vibration and noise is, therefore, not universal. It encompasses the applications where usefulness of these standards as a basis for bearing selection and specification has been proven by sufficient experimental evidence. In the current edition of this standard, only selected methods for the measurement of the (structure-borne) vibration of certain types of ball bearings have been specified. Other vibration measurement methods, as well as methods for the measurement of rolling bearing (air-borne) noise, may be specified in later editions.

Coverage. The standard covers two product types:

(a) Non-instrument ball bearings (Section 2)

(b) Instrument ball bearings (Section 3).

Section 2 provides, in Subsection 2.1, a general description of the principles used for the selection of test methods for non-instrument ball bearings. Subsection 2.2 describes one selected test method, in sufficient detail to permit correlation of test results obtained with different instruments meeting Subsection 2.2 specifications.

Section 3 provides concepts of the method for vibration testing instrument ball bearings. The current edition of this standard does not include detailed methods sufficient to permit correlation of test results obtained with different instruments adhering to Section 3 concepts.