This paper describes the profile change around an indentation and the result of rolling contact fatigue test using a test bearing simulating a thrust ball bearing with an artificial indentation in housing washer raceway .
This study clarified that a minute crack grew to flaking occurred inside the pitch circle of the housing washer raceway and backward of the indentation and propagated to the pitch circle, and the height of indentation edge was considerably reduced by a few contact cycles, and it depends on the plastic deformation around indentations whether flaking initiates from the indentation or not.