ISO 14839-5:2022

Overview

ISO 14839-5:2022 provides guidelines for the specification, design, testing and life‑cycle management of touch‑down bearings (also called backup, auxiliary, catcher or landing bearings) used with active magnetic bearings (AMBs) in rotating machinery. It clarifies typical system architectures, functional targets and the operational conditions that can produce rotor‑to‑bearing contact, while addressing failure modes, environmental influences, rotordynamic design considerations, acceptance testing, condition monitoring and maintenance planning.

Key topics and technical requirements

ISO 14839-5 covers practical, engineering‑oriented topics to ensure reliable touch‑down bearing performance:

• System architecture - typical components and their functions within touch‑down bearing systems.
• Functional requirements - performance targets (clearances, design life, load capacity, life‑cycle needs) to drive specification and procurement.
• Rotordynamic design - modelling considerations for rotor and housing, clearance and soft‑mount design, and friction/contact effects to optimize dynamic performance of AMBs and touch‑down bearings.
• Trigger events and failure modes - events leading to contact (overload, AMB instability, power loss, system faults, misoperation) and common rolling element / sliding bearing failure mechanisms.
• Environmental factors - corrosion, erosion/particulate contamination, liquid contamination, temperature and cooling flow considerations that affect bearing selection and protection.
• Design verification & testing - elements of the design process, analytical and simulation methods, and parameters for acceptance test programmes including required instrumentation and test conditions.
• Condition monitoring & inspection - event detection, data capture, non‑intrusive and intrusive inspection methods, damage estimation and criteria for continued operation.
• Maintenance & life cycle - inspection plans, routine checks, refurbishment/replacement strategies, spare parts, obsolescence management, and decommissioning/disposal considerations.

Applications and who uses this standard

ISO 14839-5 is intended for engineers and organizations involved with AMB‑equipped rotating machines:

• OEMs and machine designers specifying touch‑down bearings and designing rotordynamics.
• Controls and AMB system integrators assessing failure modes and controller actions after contact.
• Maintenance, reliability and condition‑monitoring engineers developing inspection, testing and life‑cycle regimes.
• Test laboratories and quality assurance teams establishing acceptance tests and instrumentation.
• Asset owners and operators who need actionable guidance on failure response, repair, spare management and decommissioning.

Keywords: ISO 14839-5, touch‑down bearings, backup bearings, active magnetic bearings, AMB, rotordynamics, condition monitoring, maintenance, acceptance testing.

Related standards (if applicable)

• Other parts of the ISO 14839 series (see ISO 14839‑1 for definitions and related guidance).