Capstone

Bearing Life Tester

Sponsor: Varian Medical Systems

Team: Precision Bearing Life

Coach: Daniel Smoot

Students: Jared Warren, Tylers Jeffs, Michael Johnson, Levi Leishman, Kurt Anderson.

Varian Medical Systems is a leader in x-ray tube technology. The component that most commonly fails is the target assembly. This failure usually occurs with the metal-lined anode bearing. Since the bearing is a critical part of the x-ray assembly, Varian has considerable interest in obtaining better information about these bearings.

For that reason, Varian asked BYU Capstone to create an accelerated life testing machine for anode bearings. A final design was chosen by the team which allows for the ability to accurately simulate the performance of the bearing being tested, and the ability to identify when the bearings have failed. The machine can also achieve 3600 rotations per minute at a temperature of 300 degrees Celsius.

2008/2009 Projects

• ATK Launch Systems
• Boeing (Auburn)
• Boeing (Everett)
• Burr Oak Tool, Inc.
• BYU
• Care for Life
• General Mills, Inc.
• Schlumberger
• Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC
• Varian Medical Systems