Patent ID: 9546691
Date: 2017-01-17
CPC Classifications: F16C,Y10T

Claim:
1. A method for adjusting an axial preload in a bearing assembly having an axis of rotation and comprising two rolling-element bearings configured to be axially pressable against each other, each of the two rolling-element bearings including a first ring, a second ring and a row of rolling elements disposed between the first ring and the second ring, the method comprising: providing a marking on one of a rolling element in the row of rolling elements and a cage guiding the row of rolling elements; rotating the first ring while holding the second ring fixed, with no or only a small amount of axial preload in the bearing assembly; illuminating the bearing assembly with a stroboscope lamp; after rotating the first ring, adjusting a frequency of the stroboscope lamp based on an initial angular speed of the marking about the axis of rotation of the bearing assembly; after adjusting the frequency of the stroboscope lamp, increasing the axial preload in the bearing assembly while continually illuminating the bearing assembly with the stroboscope lamp at the frequency; calculating a current angular speed of the marking based upon locations of the marking when the bearing assembly is illuminated by the stroboscope lamp such that the current angular speed of the marking is not calculated by using vibrations of the bearing assembly and no vibrations of the bearing assembly are measured; determining a change of angular speed of the marking by comparing the initial angular speed and the current angular speed; stopping the increasing of the axial preload in the bearing assembly in response to a the change of angular speed equaling a predetermined change of angular speed of the marking about the axis of rotation which corresponds to a predetermined preload.