Bearing in the operation process of its bearing capacity, operating speed, temperature, precision and any other loss of function, so that the bearing can no longer maintain the host of the relevant functional requirements, that is, for failure. And fatigue damage is one of the main forms of rolling bearing failure. Fatigue life test is through a group of test (usually first according to the design parameters of the bearing to make test programme) to verify the test bearing samples can achieve its due design life. The test is usually through a certain set of parameters in the test machine (such as load, speed, ambient temperature, etc.) to assess the actual bearing can run with the test time (no fatigue damage).

Bearing fatigue life test method in the relevant national standards have provisions, and its compliance requirements (limit value requirements) in the inspection can be based on the standard or contract requirements for qualified judgement.