Shallow, often shiny or rust-ringed depressions spaced at the rolling element pitch, caused by fretting wear when a stationary bearing is vibrated, typically in transport or on a standby machine next to running equipment. It mimics true brinelling, the plastic dent from impact or static overload, but here metal is worn away rather than pushed aside. Shipping locks on rotors and rotating standby units by hand every week prevent it.
Standby pump bearings show false brinelling at every ball spacing, start bumping it over weekly.
Also heard as
- false brinell
Do not mix it up with
- Electrical fluting: Fluting forms evenly spaced bands right across the race from current in a running bearing; false brinelling forms dents at rolling element positions in a stopped one.
Related terms
Fretting
Wear from tiny oscillating slips between clamped parts, leaving reddish-brown oxide debris.
Electrical fluting
Washboard pattern on bearing races caused by electric current arcing through the rolling contacts.
Spalling
Flaking of large chunks from a bearing race or gear tooth after fatigue cracks below the surface link up.