As part of using the BCS 622 mower for farm work, after approximately 40 years of operation, the bell housing broke during use. This event was the impetus for the creation of a master's thesis, whose aim is to analyze the causes of the damage and determine the critical locations. Using thermomechanical analysis and the critical plane method, it was examined
whether the measured load history could be used to predict the critical location for damage initiation and to estimate the service life of the bell housing. Additionally, a comparison of two materials was performed in terms of load-bearing capacity and service life, as well as an analysis of different damage rules for durability prediction. The results showed that the
bell housing made of gray cast iron is more durable compared to the one made of aluminum alloy. For the aluminium alloy bell housing, the elementary Miner’s rule proved to be more accurate in service life estimation, while for the gray cast iron bell housing, the Haibach rule performed better. The study contributes to a better understanding of damage mechanisms
and the service life of mechanical components, enabling improvements in design and optimization of materials and durability assessment methods in agricultural machinery.
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