Since 1983 Touchsone Research Laboratory has provided fast, accurate and affordable failure analysis to a wide range of industries – from underground mines to advanced spacecraft.

Engine Bearing Failure

Touchstone was commissioned to examine engine bearing failures.

Engine bearing specimens were evaluated in an attempt to identify manufacturing characteristics that may have led to engine failure.

The following tests were performed:

1) Elemental analysis of the lead babbitt overlay of the used, new, and diesel truck engines.

2) Thickness measurements of 6 bearings, including 2 of the bearings from the damaged engine, one new bearing, and one bearing from a used diesel truck engine.

Visual examination found that one bearing was significantly more damaged than the other and demonstrated severe overheating.

The cause was assigned to localized blockage of an oil port that deprived one bearing of oil. The debris form this bearing then caused secondary damage to the rest of the engine.

Failure Analysis Examples

If you don’t see a case study related to your interests, please contact us, as we likely have solved the same or similar problem in the past.