<b>EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ABRASIVE PARTICLE SIZE AND QUANTITY ON THE WEAR RATE OF ROLLING BEARING ELEMENTS</b>

One of the most important engineering problems is reducing bearing assembly wear, which has various scientific approaches and remains relevant over time. According to studies on the effect of changes in the size and quantity of abrasive particles involved in the wear process on the wear rate of rolling bearing elements, abrasive particles, i.e. mechanical impurities, penetrate into the working surfaces of the bearing and cause mechanical wear of the material. With an increase in the number of particles, the wear process accelerates, since more particles scratch and damage the working surfaces. At the same time, the size of the particles also affects the bearing elements. Small particles penetrate deeper into the bearing surfaces and cause micro-wear, while large particles cause surface scratches and cracks. As a result, the performance of the bearing elements is impaired, and the time required for maintenance is reduced. Studies have shown that optimal control of the amount and size of abrasive particles is important for increasing the wear resistance of bearings. According to the obtained analytical expressions, it was found that increasing the amount, size and strength of abrasive particles leads to an increase in the wear rate of bearing elements, and increasing the hardness of the friction surface material and its relative elongation coefficient leads to a decrease in the wear rate of bearing elements. KEYWORDS: Wear, abrasive particles, strength, hardness, ball, inner (outer) ring.