Experimental and numerical studies on the roller–cage collision mechanism in a cylindrical roller bearing

In rolling bearings, roller–cage collisions are one of the primary causes of cage damage. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, particularly under high radial loads. In this work, a roller–cage collision experiment is conducted by measuring the cage beam force. Two distinct roller–cage collision modes are found: Under low radial loads, the rollers primarily drive the cage’s motion within the load zone, whereas under high radial loads, the cage beam initially encounters resistance before being driven by the roller. Bearing tribo-dynamic simulations reveal that the two distinct roller–cage collision modes are primarily caused by changes in contact deformation, which affects the relative surface velocities of the inner and outer raceways. The multimode characteristics of roller–cage collisions revealed in this work, as well as the mechanisms underlying them, are common in various types of radial bearings.