BEAST—a rolling bearing simulation tool

Abstract

Rolling bearings are high-precision, low-cost machine elements used in all kinds of rotating machinery. Dynamic simulations of rolling bearings bring increased understanding of their dynamic behaviour and shorten product development time. Owing to the high demands on contact geometry description and contact force calculations (including traction), simulations are computationally intensive and cannot generally be done with traditional multibody dynamic programs. A rolling bearing simulation model called BEAST (BEAring Simulation Tool) has been developed by SKF. It is used daily by SKF engineers to improve their understanding of bearings and, as a consequence, improve the bearings themselves. A few typical examples of BEAST usage are presented.