Design and Development of an SPM for Bearing Cage Assembly

Bearing is one of the most critical machine element in every rotating equipment. Its performance is crucial for proper functioning of the equipment. The performance of the bearing is dependent on its components, its manufacturing precision and the proper assembly of the bearing components. In bearing assembly process the assembly of the retainer/cage and the rolling elements plays a vital role with regards to the functioning of the rolling elements to carry the load evenly. This work is focused on the assembly of brass cage of Cylindrical roller bearing. The proper locking or riveting of the cage of a Cylindrical Roller Bearing is important otherwise it will lead to bearing failure. In this work a special purpose machine is design and developed to ensure correct locking/ riveting of the brass cage. The concept orbital riveting is used in the machine which ensures sufficient flaring of the material of the brass cage resulting in strong locking of the bearing cage. The machine developed are giving positive results in terms of the productivity and the quality of the cage locking process.