General static load-carrying capacity for the design and selection of four contact point slewing bearings: Finite element calculations and theoretical model validation

In previous publication, the authors developed a theoretical model to evaluate the static load capacity of four contact point slewing bearings. The method culminated in the formulation of an acceptance surface in the load space, in such a way that the validity of a load combination is assured by an inside-surface checking. In the present work a multiparametric Finite Element model has been developed. Three commercial bearings are analyzed using this model and the FE acceptance surfaces are obtained. From the comparison of the theoretical and the FE surfaces, the strengths and weaknesses of the theoretical model are discussed.