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Bearing Life Calculator

Calculate L10 life for ball or roller bearings, life hours from rpm, equivalent dynamic load, and static load safety factor.

Bearing Life inputs

Calculations are performed locally in your browser and are not submitted to a third-party calculation API.

Calculation mode

Display precision

Bearing ratings and loads

Bearing type

Bearing load mode

Dynamic load rating C

Dynamic load rating C unit

Equivalent dynamic load P

Equivalent dynamic load P unit

Radial load

Radial load unit

Axial load

Axial load unit

Dynamic radial factor X

Dynamic axial factor Y

Custom life exponent

Life adjustment factor

Rotational speed

Rotational speed unit

Static load rating C0

Static load rating C0 unit

Static equivalent load P0

Static equivalent load P0 unit

Operating hours per day

Result section

warningdirect-equivalent-load

Basic L10 life

2,083.33 h

Secondary results

Basic L10 life: 125 million rev
Equivalent dynamic load: 10 kN
C/P ratio: 5
Life exponent: 3
Rotational speed: 1,000 rpm
Equivalent operating days at entered hours/day: 260.417 days
Static equivalent load: 20 kN
Static safety factor s0: 2

Unit conversion summary

Unit-normalization summary: 50,000 N; 10,000 N; 1,000 rpm

Warnings

Calculations are performed locally in your browser and are not submitted to a third-party calculation API.
Material properties vary with grade, condition, temperature, manufacturing process, loading direction, heat treatment, applicable standard, and data source. Verify all properties for the actual material.
These calculations are preliminary scalar mechanics checks and do not certify design adequacy.
No manufacturer catalogue lookup, lubrication, contamination, misalignment, temperature, reliability-table adjustment, or bearing selection database is included.

Assumptions

Basic rating-life equation with user-entered bearing ratings and equivalent-load factors.
L10 is a statistical rating basis, not guaranteed life.

Calculation steps

Resolve equivalent load10,000 N
Select life exponentball: 3
Calculate rating life125 million rev
Convert to hours2,083.33 h

Basic rolling-bearing rating life

L_10=(C/P)^p; h=L_10 10^6/(60n)

L10 in million revolutions equals (C/P)^p. Hours equal L10 x 1e6 divided by 60n.

L10 = (50,000 N / 10,000 N)^3

hours = 125 million rev x 1e6 / (60 x 1,000 rpm)

Technical visual

Engineering interpretation

Use the life estimate for early screening only. Confirm bearing type, ratings, loads, lubrication, mounting, and reliability requirements from manufacturer and standards data.

What is the bearing life calculator?

This calculator estimates basic rolling-bearing rating life using C/P raised to the ball or roller exponent. It reports L10 life in million revolutions, life hours, equivalent load, and a basic static safety factor.

How to use the bearing life calculator

Choose the bearing load mode that matches the hand calculation you want to perform.
Enter geometry, loads, material values, and units from a consistent source.
Review the primary result, secondary values, formula substitution, assumptions, and warnings.
Use the related-tool links only as a workflow aid; verify every transferred value before design use.

Input explanations

Dynamic load rating C and static rating C0 must come from the actual bearing catalogue or standard data.
Equivalent load can be entered directly or calculated from radial and axial loads using user-entered X and Y factors.
Ball bearings use exponent p = 3; roller bearings use p = 10/3 unless custom is selected.
Life hours require rotational speed in rpm.

Notation

Formula notation
Symbol	Meaning	Unit
C	Basic dynamic load rating	N
P	Equivalent dynamic bearing load	N
p	Life exponent	-
L10	Basic rating life	million rev
s0	Static safety factor	-

Worked examples

C = 50 kN, P = 10 kN, and ball exponent p = 3 gives L10 = 125 million revolutions.

At 1000 rpm, 125 million revolutions is about 2083.33 hours.

Roller exponent p = 10/3 with C/P = 5 gives about 213.746 million revolutions.

Cross-tool workflow

The bearing workflow supports preliminary load-life checks without manufacturer catalogue lookup or bearing selection databases.

Use shaft design workflow Use bolt preload workflow

Common mistakes

Using catalogue dynamic rating without checking operating conditions and applicability.
Treating L10 as guaranteed life.
Ignoring lubrication, contamination, misalignment, temperature, reliability adjustment, and mounting effects.
Using manufacturer-specific X and Y factors without confirming the bearing type and load ratio.

Limitations

Basic rating-life estimate only.
No manufacturer catalogue lookup, bearing selection, reliability adjustment tables, lubrication, contamination, temperature, misalignment, or housing stiffness model.
Actual bearing life can vary widely from L10 statistical rating life.

References

Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design: Budynas and Nisbett, Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design.
Machinery's Handbook: Machinery's Handbook reference material for machine-element formulas and terminology.
ISO 281: ISO 281, Rolling bearings - Dynamic load ratings and rating life.
NIST SP 811: NIST Special Publication 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units.

What is L10 life?

L10 is the basic rating life at which 90 percent of a sufficiently large bearing population is expected to meet or exceed that life under defined conditions.

What is dynamic load rating?

The dynamic load rating C is a catalogue or standard rating used in the basic life equation.

Ball versus roller exponent?

Ball bearings commonly use p = 3; roller bearings commonly use p = 10/3.

How is life converted to hours?

Million revolutions are converted by multiplying by one million and dividing by 60 times rpm.

Is L10 guaranteed life?

No. It is a statistical rating basis and real conditions can reduce or increase life.

Does this select a bearing?

No. It does not contain a manufacturer catalogue or selection database.

Does it include lubrication and contamination?

No. Those effects require manufacturer or standards-based adjustment methods.

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Professional FEA, simulation setup, solid-mechanics calculations, mechanical-design review, technical documentation, and research support are available through the connected services website. These calculators remain free to use without purchasing services.

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Engineering disclaimer

This tool is intended for educational, estimation, and preliminary engineering use. It does not certify designs or replace applicable codes, standards, validated software, physical testing, or qualified professional engineering judgment.

Need Professional Support?

ScholarTool is powered by ScholarEase Consultancy Services LLP. Professional engineering, simulation, research, and technical documentation support is available through the connected services website.

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Last reviewed: 2026-06-30

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Bearing Life inputs

Calculations are performed locally in your browser and are not submitted to a third-party calculation API.

Calculation mode

Display precision

Bearing ratings and loads

Bearing type

Bearing load mode

Dynamic load rating C

Dynamic load rating C unit

Equivalent dynamic load P

Equivalent dynamic load P unit

Radial load

Radial load unit

Axial load

Axial load unit

Dynamic radial factor X

Dynamic axial factor Y

Custom life exponent

Life adjustment factor

Rotational speed

Rotational speed unit

Static load rating C0

Static load rating C0 unit

Static equivalent load P0

Static equivalent load P0 unit

Operating hours per day

Result section

warningdirect-equivalent-load

Basic L10 life

2,083.33 h

Secondary results

Basic L10 life: 125 million rev
Equivalent dynamic load: 10 kN
C/P ratio: 5
Life exponent: 3
Rotational speed: 1,000 rpm
Equivalent operating days at entered hours/day: 260.417 days
Static equivalent load: 20 kN
Static safety factor s0: 2

Unit conversion summary

Unit-normalization summary: 50,000 N; 10,000 N; 1,000 rpm

Warnings

Calculations are performed locally in your browser and are not submitted to a third-party calculation API.
Material properties vary with grade, condition, temperature, manufacturing process, loading direction, heat treatment, applicable standard, and data source. Verify all properties for the actual material.
These calculations are preliminary scalar mechanics checks and do not certify design adequacy.
No manufacturer catalogue lookup, lubrication, contamination, misalignment, temperature, reliability-table adjustment, or bearing selection database is included.

Assumptions

Basic rating-life equation with user-entered bearing ratings and equivalent-load factors.
L10 is a statistical rating basis, not guaranteed life.

Calculation steps

Resolve equivalent load10,000 N
Select life exponentball: 3
Calculate rating life125 million rev
Convert to hours2,083.33 h

Basic rolling-bearing rating life

L_10=(C/P)^p; h=L_10 10^6/(60n)

L10 in million revolutions equals (C/P)^p. Hours equal L10 x 1e6 divided by 60n.

L10 = (50,000 N / 10,000 N)^3

hours = 125 million rev x 1e6 / (60 x 1,000 rpm)

How to use the bearing life calculator

Choose the bearing load mode that matches the hand calculation you want to perform.
Enter geometry, loads, material values, and units from a consistent source.
Review the primary result, secondary values, formula substitution, assumptions, and warnings.
Use the related-tool links only as a workflow aid; verify every transferred value before design use.

Input explanations

Dynamic load rating C and static rating C0 must come from the actual bearing catalogue or standard data.
Equivalent load can be entered directly or calculated from radial and axial loads using user-entered X and Y factors.
Ball bearings use exponent p = 3; roller bearings use p = 10/3 unless custom is selected.
Life hours require rotational speed in rpm.

Symbol

Meaning

Unit

Basic dynamic load rating

Equivalent dynamic bearing load

Life exponent

L10

Basic rating life

million rev

Static safety factor

Common mistakes

Using catalogue dynamic rating without checking operating conditions and applicability.

Treating L10 as guaranteed life.

Ignoring lubrication, contamination, misalignment, temperature, reliability adjustment, and mounting effects.

Using manufacturer-specific X and Y factors without confirming the bearing type and load ratio.

References

Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design: Budynas and Nisbett, Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design.

Machinery's Handbook: Machinery's Handbook reference material for machine-element formulas and terminology.

ISO 281: ISO 281, Rolling bearings - Dynamic load ratings and rating life.

NIST SP 811: NIST Special Publication 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units.

Bearing Life inputs

Calculation mode

Bearing ratings and loads

Result section

Secondary results

Unit conversion summary

Warnings

Assumptions

Calculation steps

Basic rolling-bearing rating life

Technical visual

Engineering interpretation

What is the bearing life calculator?

How to use the bearing life calculator

Input explanations

Notation

Worked examples

Cross-tool workflow

Common mistakes

Limitations

References

Related tools

Professional support from ScholarEase Consultancy Services LLP

Print summary

Engineering disclaimer

Need Professional Support?

Bearing Life inputs

Calculation mode

Bearing ratings and loads

Result section

Secondary results

Unit conversion summary

Warnings

Assumptions

Calculation steps

Basic rolling-bearing rating life

Technical visual

Engineering interpretation

What is the bearing life calculator?

How to use the bearing life calculator

Input explanations

Notation

Worked examples

Cross-tool workflow

Common mistakes

Limitations

References

Related tools

Professional support from ScholarEase Consultancy Services LLP

Print summary

Engineering disclaimer

Need Professional Support?