Multi-energy field composite manufacturing of high-performance bearings for high-end equipment

Abstract As a core supporting component in high-end equipment, the bearings with synergistical strength–toughness matching have always been urgently demanded. However, traditional manufacturing processes of bearings separate the two crucial processes, mechanical field manufacturing (rolling deformation) and thermal field manufacturing (heat treatment), that determine the microstructure. The processes relying on a single process alone and neglecting the genetic effects make it difficult to achieve superior strength–toughness matching. This review presents the multi-energy field composite manufacturing, while systematically reviewing the related research progress in microstructural genetic evolution, strengthening and toughening mechanisms, and process synergistically matching of high-performance bearings for this composite manufacturing method. By reasonably combining mechanical field and thermal field for manufacturing, synergistic strengthening–toughening mechanisms are realized, including flow lines optimization, grain refinement, bainitic toughening, precipitation strengthening, and martensite/bainite multiphase heterogeneity. This approach has enabled the high strength–toughness matched bearings, with successful engineering applications in aeroengines, high-speed machine tools, and new energy vehicles. In addition, this review addresses the challenges associated with micro-scale damage control under single mechanical–thermal fields, and highlights the latest advances in mechanical–thermal–electric–magnetic field composite manufacturing for precise microstructure regulation of bearings, including emerging techniques such as electric field-assisted rolling and magnetic field-assisted heat treatment. Furthermore, it looks forward to future technological trends for high-performance bearing steels, focusing on the multi-scale mechanisms, data-driven strategies, and engineering application of multi-energy field composite manufacturing.