TLT: How long have you worked in a tribology and lubrication-related field, and how did you decide to pursue a career in the bearings industry?
Londhe: During my time in high school, I enjoyed the content in mathematics classes and physics lectures, particularly those focusing on mechanics. This sparked a keen interest in pursuing a career in mechanical engineering. In graduate school, I got the opportunity to work with Dr. Nagaraj Arakere at University of Florida. He introduced me to the world of rolling element bearings. I still remember that he gave me the Harris and Kotzalas book titled “Essential Concepts of Bearing Technology” to read during the 2012 winter break. I took immense pleasure in reading that book. The more I delved into its pages, the greater my curiosity grew about bearings. I noticed that different questions that came to my mind were already addressed in the book, presented in a clear and comprehensible manner. The interest sparked during that time has not decreased at all to this date. I have been engaged in the field of tribology and lubrication engineering for approximately 12 years.
Rolling element bearings, highly engineered products, find application in a diverse array of industries and products. These include, but are not limited to, railways, airplanes, automobiles, wind turbines, spacecrafts, rotor craft and ships. The prospect of working on applications spanning numerous industries through the utilization of bearings presents a significant opportunity for any mechanical engineer. There will always be a need for power-dense bearings and efficient mechanical transmissions. Recognizing the opportunity to both learn and contribute, I decided to pursue a career in the bearing industry.
TLT: What does a typical workday look like for you?
Londhe: As a part of the product R&D team, I engage in industrial research with a focus on practical applications. I have provided technical leadership to several projects related to bearings, gears and traction drives. I work on developing high fidelity models to reliably predict bearing performance to optimize their use and improve their performance in applications such as electric vehicles, aerospace, wind energy, steel production, industrial robots, construction and mining equipment, etc. These include models for statistical data analysis, solid mechanics, contact mechanics and fatigue and fracture mechanics studies on rolling element bearing components. We make use of advanced numerical techniques to develop cutting edge solutions for bearing analysis. Tools that we develop take into consideration the effect of supporting structure and simulate the actual environment in which bearings operate in service. We possess strong experimental data that corroborates the modeling predictions generated by the tools we have developed.
I collaborate with engineers to work on product development, process development, application engineering and quality projects. I support different bearing fundamentals and application tests for different customers. These include design of experiments, test planning and monitoring—pre- and post-test studies of components. Some of the projects that I work on are strategic projects aimed at cost effective manufacturing, new product designs testing and validation.
A component of the role includes leading sessions in advanced design and application engineering training programs for fellow associates, as well as participating in technical events organized for customers. Every day at work is dynamic, and there is always a fresh challenge or project to engage in.
Nikhil Londhe studying a bearing roller in the lab.
TLT: What are the STLE benefits to industry professionals, and why should one get more involved with STLE?
Londhe: I believe participating in STLE is useful to everyone including university students, academic researchers and industry professionals. I have participated in STLE conferences and events since my graduate school studies. So far I have presented my research work at seven STLE Annual Meetings. I have seen that these events are perfect venues to showcase research work, exchange ideas and discuss problems relevant to the tribology and lubrication engineering community. Moreover, networking opportunities provide a means to connect with professionals in this field from all over the world. I vividly recall my time as a graduate school student when I had a significant opportunity to converse with top technical experts in the field and interact with leading companies in the industry. Each conference I have attended has offered fresh insights and perspectives, enriching my research to be more beneficial for the community.
STLE’s various publication awards also serve as a valuable source of encouragement for professionals in the field. Being recognized through these awards provides meaningful motivation. I also have benefitted from various leadership opportunities offered on STLE’s administrative and technical committees. Engaging in committee activities provides ample chances to enhance soft skills and foster personal growth.
For the past six years, I also have been an active member of the STLE Canton Section in Canton, Ohio. The technical meetings organized by this section have offered professional education and networking opportunities conveniently close to my location. Local sections also provide scholarships to university students to fund their tribology and lubrication engineering-related research expenses.
As a researcher in the bearing industry, I consistently find that the technical content provided by STLE is at the forefront and of world-class quality. STLE provides a multitude of benefits. Therefore, I strongly encourage professionals in the bearing industry to actively participate in STLE.
TLT: Which are typical methods to validate that bearings or bearing lubricants are correct for an application?
Londhe: There are several ways to validate bearing and bearing lubricant selections for any application. The two most prevalent methods utilized are physical tests and modeling simulations of real-world applications. These methods can be employed independently or in conjunction with each other. Physical tests tend to be more costly and time consuming, whereas modeling simulations are more economical and faster. Physical tests encompass various options, such as full-scale bearing tests, subscale tests and fundamental tests. The selection of each depends on the purpose of the tests, bearing size, budget considerations and the complexity of application conditions. Often physical tests are performed under accelerated test conditions to minimize test time. These include high load, thin film conditions to check if bearings meet desired life, temperature or torque requirements. These data are used to predict bearing performance under actual application conditions. Typical bearing lubricants are oils and greases. Sometimes lubricant specific tests also are performed to gauge their performance in service.
Modeling simulations are often used to select appropriate bearing type, size and lubricant based on operating conditions. These simulations provide a valuable insight into the anticipated contact stresses and bearing life in service. Modeling simulations are the only viable option to vali date certain bearings like ultra large bore bearings used in wind turbines. Physical tests on these bearings are cost prohibitive. Reliability of modeling output data is often dependent on reliability of input data. Modeling tools use sophisticated techniques, which have been developed over many years of research that is backed by robust experimental data. Modeling simulations are advantageous in that they allow bearing validation under a wide range of operating conditions of loads and speeds. Over the years, modeling simulations have become computationally intensive to enhance the accuracy of bearing analysis. They harness the growing computing power resulting from the advancement of personal computers.
TLT: What are the typical goals of making recommendations for the correct bearing?
Londhe: Rolling element bearings are a crucial component of mechanical transmissions, hence require a high level of reliability. Bearings are employed to support loads while enabling the rotation of or around shafts in a wide range of machines. Therefore, the correct bearing must be able to withstand application loads for the desired hours of operation while minimizing frictional losses. An undersized bearing might experience higher contact stresses between bearing components and cause premature fatigue failure. Bearing life should meet application requirements, which generally are bearing service intervals or warranty claims on transmission. Some critical aerospace and machine tool spindle applications require stiffer bearings to restrict shaft deflections. In automotive applications, oversized bearings are not favored, as they have the potential to diminish the efficiency of the powertrain. Food and beverage applications require compatibility of bearing lubricant with food items and processing. Ultra large bore bearings for wind turbines are selected based on application load conditions and manufacturing cost. For aerospace and outer space applications, high- and low-temperature resistant and high-corrosion resistant bearings are used. In tough application requirements such as in agricultural machinery, woodworking machinery, construction and mining equipment, contaminant resistant bearings are used. In railway applications, one of the considerations for bearings is to withstand shock loads. Marine applications require corrosion resistant bearings.
Different applications have different requirements, therefore bearings are designed and selected based on that. Modeling simulations and/or physical tests are commonly used to choose an appropriate bearing for each application.
You can reach Nikhil Londhe at nikhil.londhe@timken.com.