Effect of surface texturing on mixed lubricated non-conformal contacts

The behaviour of surface texturing based on shallow micro-dents was observed within mixed lubricated non-conformal contacts and compared with results obtained under thin film elastohydrodynamic conditions. Thin film colorimetric interferometry was used to observe the changes in lubrication film thickness. It was found that lubricant emitted by micro-dents could effectively lift off the real roughness features that provided an increase in average but also the local minimum film thicknesses. On the contrary to smooth contact conditions no film thickness reduction is obvious either downstream or upstream the micro-dent. The possible beneficial effect of surface texturing on mixed lubricated contact was checked through the qualitative wear test. It confirmed that an array of shallow micro-dents reduced asperity interactions of rubbing surfaces. Moreover, the effect of micro-dents on rolling contact fatigue was also considered in this study. It has been shown that individual dents would have to be much deeper compared to those used in surface texturing experiments to cause reduction in contact fatigue life. It can be suggested from the obtained results that properly designed surface texturing could help to increase the separation of rubbing surfaces under mixed lubrication conditions.     

Enhanced friction model for high-speed right-angle gear dynamics

The modeling of elastohydrodynamic lubrication friction and the analysis of its dynamic effect on right-angle gears, such as hypoid and spiral bevel types are performed in the present study. Unlike the classically applied empirical constant coefficient of friction at the contacting tooth surfaces, the enhanced physics-based gear mesh friction model is both spatial and time-varying. The underlying formulation assumes mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) condition in which the division and load distribution between the full film and asperity contact zones are determined by the film thickness ratio and load sharing coefficient. In the proposed time-varying friction model, the calculation of friction coefficient is performed at each contact grid inside the instantaneous contact area that is being subjected to mineral oil lubrication. The effective friction coefficient and directional parameters synthesized from the net frictional and normal contact forces are then incorporated into a nonlinear time-varying right-angle gear dynamic model. Using this model, the effect of friction on the gear dynamic response due to the transmission error and mesh excitations is analyzed. Also, parametric studies are performed by varying torque, surface roughness and lubrication properties to understand the salient role of tooth sliding friction in gear dynamics. The simulation results are included. But experimental verification is needed.     

Behavior of real roughness features within mixed lubricated non-conformal contacts

A combination of thin film colorimetric interferometry and phase shifting interferometry was used to study the effect of slide-to-roll ratio on the micro-elastohydrodynamic action and asperity-contact mechanism on the real asperity scale. The behavior of the roughness features of different scales in very thin film, real rough surface elastohydrodynamic contacts was observed from chromatic interferograms evaluated by thin film colorimetric interferometry. Obtained film thickness distribution was compared with undeformed ball surface topography measured by phase shifting interferometry. It was confirmed that the presence of deep grooves within lubricated contact can result in lubrication film breakdown under positive slide-to-roll ratio conditions when the rough surface is moving slower than the smooth surface. Negative slide-to-roll ratio conditions are much less critical from this point of view. Moreover, shallow pits formed naturally on rubbing surface as a result of surface finishing process were observed to significantly influence the film thickness formation. They act as lubricant micro-reservoirs and emit the lubricant into the contact under rolling/sliding conditions that enlarges film thickness. Such a behavior also suggests the possible beneficial tribological effect of surface texturing based on shallow micro-cavities under mixed lubrication of non-conformal surfaces.     

表面横向波形点接触弹流动压性能的研究

物体的表面结构形态在有些场合下对润滑状况有重要的影响作用.本文研究了考虑表面粗糙度的点接触问题的特点,建立了点接触的分析模型和接触物体表面的横向波形数学模型,应用多网格重积分方法求解了在给定条件下其与时间相关的弹流动压性能的解.主要分析了表面横向波形的点接触的润滑性能,揭示了油膜压力、油膜厚度在油膜接触区上随参数变化的特征和规律.     

A simple theory of asperity contact in elastohydro-dynamic lubrication

The Greenwood and Williamson theory of random rough surfaces in contact has been combined with established elastohydrodynamic theory to provide a theoretical approach to highly loaded lubricated contacts in which the load is shared between hydrodynamic pressure and asperity contact. It is shown that, provided a major part of the load is carried by elastohydrodynamic action, the separation between the two rough surfaces is given (to a first approximation) by the film thickness which would exist between two smooth surfaces under the same conditions of load, speed and lubricant. It then follows that the asperity pressure, both real and apparent, is determined primarily by the ratio of theoretical film thickness to the combined roughness of the two surfaces (h_o/σ). A corollary of this result is that an increase in total load, which has only a small influence on the film thickness, is carried by an increase in fluid pressure and only gives rise to a small increase in asperity contact pressure.     

Integrated wear prediction model for cylindrical gear with variable hyperbolic circular arc tooth trace under mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication

Cylindrical gear with variable hyperbolic circular arc tooth trace (VH-CATT) is a new type of gear. Sliding wear is the main mode of the surface failure of multiple mechanical parts. Both the lubrication state and contact temperature considerably influence wear characteristics, which may aggravate the transmission performance of gear pairs. Wear, contact temperature, as well as lubrication states are jointly explored. Therefore, an integrated wear prediction model was proposed through taking into account flash contact temperature and surface roughness of VH-CATT cylindrical gears in mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication. According to the equivalent ellipse contact model of VH-CATT cylindrical gears and tooth surface equation, normal curvature and velocity relations for VH-CATT cylindrical gears were observed, and the normal meshing force was obtained through the consideration of load sharing coefficients and quality grades. Flash contact temperature was estimated by using the literature. This study proposes analytical solutions for investigating how various surface roughness, operation, and geometric parameters affect asperity contact ratio (ACR), asperity contact pressure (ACP), flash contact temperature (FCT), as well as wear depth (WD) related to driving gears. ACR, ACP, FCT, as well as WD initially decrease and then increase from engaging-in to engaging-out processes. The minimum occurs at the pitch point. The WD declines as module, cutter radius, and rotational velocity increase while augmenting when surface roughness and torques increase. The maximum and minimum wear depths in driving gears occur at the dedendum and pitch point, respectively. Its overall wear is reduced by 23.16 % compared to the wear of spur gears. The results are valuable for the studies of tooth pitting, wear resistance, and fatigue life improvement for VH-CATT cylindrical gear. These studies can provide verification data and references required for engineering designs and VH-CATT cylindrical gear operations.

     

Experimental and Numerical Study of Micropitting Initiation in Real Rough Surfaces in a Micro-elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Regime

Micropitting is a form of surface fatigue damage that happens at the surface roughness scale in lubricated contacts in commonly used machine elements, such as gears and bearings. It occurs where the specific film thickness (ratio of smooth surface film thickness to composite surface roughness) is sufficiently low for the contacts to operate in the mixed lubrication regime, where the load is in part carried by direct asperity contacts. Micropitting is currently seen as a greater issue for gear designers than is regular pitting fatigue failure as the latter can be avoided by control of steel cleanliness. This paper describes the results of both theoretical and experimental studies of the onset of micropitting in test disks operated in the mixed lubrication regime. A series of twin disk mixed-lubrication experiments were performed in order to examine the evolution of micropitting damage during repeated cyclic loading of surface roughness asperities as they pass through the contact. Representative measurements of the surfaces used in the experimental work were then evaluated using a numerical model which combines a transient line contact micro-elastohydrodynamic lubrication (micro-EHL) simulation with a calculation of elastic sub-surface stresses. This model generated time-history of stresses within a block of material as it passes through the contact, based on the instantaneous surface contact pressure and traction at each point in the computing mesh at each timestep. This stress time-history was then used within a shear-strain-based fatigue model to calculate the cumulative damage experienced by the surface due to the loading sequence experienced during the experiments. The proposed micro-EHL model results and the experimental study were shown to agree well in terms of predicting the number of loading cycles that are required for the initial micropitting to occur.     

A multi-scale model for friction in cold rolling of aluminium alloy

A simple and robust friction model is proposed for cold metal rolling in the mixed lubrication regime, based on physical phenomena across two length scales. At the primary roughness scale, the evolution of asperity contact area is associated with the asperity flattening process and hydrodynamic entrainment between the roll and strip surfaces. The friction coefficient on the asperity contacts is related to a theoretical oil film thickness and secondary-scale roll surface roughness. The boundary friction coefficient at the “true” asperity contacts is associated with tribo-chemical reactions between fresh metal, metal oxide, boundary additives, the tool and any transfer layer on the tool. The asperity friction model is verified by strip drawing simulations under thin film lubrication conditions with a polished tool, taking the fitting parameter of the boundary lubrication friction factor on the true contact areas equal to 0.1. Predicted values of average friction coefficient, using a boundary friction factor in the range 0.07–0.1, are in good agreement with measurements from laboratory and industrial rolling mill trials.     

航空发动机主轴圆柱滚子轴承弹流动态性能仿真

基于现代弹流理论和弹性力学理论建立了圆柱滚子轴承等温稳态、非等温时变及其接触面粗糙的热弹流分析模型和应力分析模型,用数值分析方法对模型进行了求解,并对圆柱滚子轴承弹流动态性能和滚动体接触应力进行了仿真。仿真结果表明,轴承速度、载荷、粗糙度是影响轴承弹流性能的主要因素;在不考虑其它因素情况下,接触区内中部的接触应力最高。     

Effects of Loading Process and Contact Shape on Point Impact Elastohydrodynamics

The squeeze effect is an important subject in studies of elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL). By impact loading, the oil between point contact surfaces is entrapped at the central region or the peripheral region depending on the initial conditions. The effects of the loading process, surface roughness, and ellipticity ratio of contacts on the film thickness and pressure distributions are not fully understood yet. In the current study, those effects are elucidated through numerical analyses by specified initial impact gaps, which produce the central or the peripheral oil entrapments. The loading process, which can produce rather low pressure, has been proposed. Moreover, conditions, under which a microdimple is produced in the central circular bump are clarified.     

Fatigue Life Reduction in Mixed Lubricated Elliptical Contacts

Highly loaded ball and rolling element bearings are often required to operate in the mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication regime in which surface asperity contact occurs simultaneously during the lubrication process. Predicting performance of components operating in this regime is important as the high asperity contact pressures can significantly reduce the fatigue life of the interacting components. Rolling contact fatigue is one of the most dominant causes of failure of components operating in mixed lubrication regime. Contact fatigue begins with the initiation of microscopic fatigue cracks in the rolling contact surfaces or within the sub-surface regions due to cyclic shear stresses. Investigation of mixed lubrication effects on performance of machine components is of significant importance in order to understand and enhance their load carrying capacity. This article investigates the effects of mixed lubrication and surface roughness on machine components performance. Results from a mixed lubrication model are utilized to investigate the effects of different operating conditions on fatigue life of the components. Simple rough surfaces consisting of single hemispherical bump as well as complex rough surfaces consisting of a numerically generated 3D rough surface operating under mixed lubrication conditions are studied and results presented. The stress-based Ioannides and Harris model incorporating the fatigue limit is used to evaluate the fatigue life variation. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) technique is used to significantly reduce the time required for the computation of internal stresses.     

Effect of surface texturing on elastohydrodynamically lubricated contact under transient speed conditions

Effect of surface topography modifications on lubrication film thickness within non-conformal lubricated contact operated under transient speed conditions is observed. Optical test rig is used to observe the lubricant film behaviour between the flat surface of a chromium coated glass disc and a steel ball under simplified operational conditions modelling the cam and tappet contact. Numerical simulation was used to be able to choose the operating conditions suitable for experiments. An array of micro-dents was produced on the ball surface to be able to demonstrate the effect of surface topography on lubrication film formation. Experiments were carried out under elastohydrodynamic lubrication conditions. Obtained results have shown that surface texturing could represent the way how to increase lubrication efficiency of rolling/sliding non-conformal contacts under transient operational conditions through the lubricant emitted from micro-dents. It was found that the lubricant emitted from the micro-dents helps to separate rubbing surfaces especially under thin film lubrication conditions where the rubbing surfaces moves in the opposite direction.     

表面粗糙度对三叉杆滑球式万向联轴器弹流润滑特性的影响*

为了研究表面粗糙度对三叉杆滑球式万向联轴器滑球与滑道之间弹流润滑特性的影响,基于线接触等温弹流润滑数值计算模型,建立考虑表面粗糙度的线接触等温弹流润滑数值计算模型。采用随机表面粗糙度来代替实际的粗糙表面,计算中采用Newton-Raphson方法对方程进行数值求解,改变表面粗糙度的幅度和间距来研究它们对膜厚和〖JP2〗压力的影响。结果表明：改变表面粗糙度幅度后,膜厚曲线和压力曲线在中心区域产生波动,随着表面粗糙度的增大,两者波动程度逐渐剧烈,产生的压力波动区域的局部压力较大;表面粗糙度间距缩小一倍后,膜厚曲线和压力曲线在波动区域所产生的波动程度更密,随着表面粗糙度的增大,两者波动程度逐渐剧烈,膜厚和压力最大值略微增大。     

斜齿轮非稳态等温弹流润滑数值分析

建立了渐开线斜齿圆柱齿轮弹流润滑计算的数学模型,将渐开线斜齿圆柱齿轮的啮合等效为长椭圆接触的弹流润滑问题,针对实际高速列车用齿轮在平稳运行和启动工况下,应用统一Reynolds方程方法求得了轮齿在不同啮合瞬时的非稳态弹流润滑完全数值解.结果表明:随啮合位置不同,啮合线上各点的压力、膜厚分布均有很大变化;油膜形状受瞬态挤压效应影响,与稳态解有明显不同;主动轮齿顶/被动轮根部位润滑条件相对较差.     

A deterministic model for line-contact partial elastohydrodynamic lubrication

A deterministic model for partial elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) is presented in this paper. The modelling methodology adopts some of the concepts used in the stochastic modelling of partial EHL and some of the procedures for deterministic calculation of asperity pressures. The model is shown to be capable of simulating the basic process of asperity interaction and solid-to-solid contact within an EHL conjunction of rough surfaces. Deterministic results of transient partial EHL in line contacts are obtained when one pair or multiple pairs of asperities collide. The model may help to gain a fundamental understanding of the transient behaviour of asperity interactions in lubricated concentrated contacts of rough surfaces. Asperity pressures may be calculated more accurately than the conventional analyses under dry and static contact conditions. The work represents a first attempt in deterministic modelling of tribo-contacts operating in the mixed regime of micro-EHL and boundary lubrication. Future work will aim at developing more realistic models incorporating factors such as three-dimensional asperity contacts, asperity plastic deformation, thermal effects and the effect of tribo-chemistry.     

Modeling of lubrication in micro contact

A thorough understanding of the mechanisms of micro contactlubrication and failure is required in order to optimize machinecomponent design for extreme operating conditions. In the verylow ratio, the ratio of lubricant filmthickness to surface roughness, asperity contacts play animportant role. Analysis of lubrication and failure of microcontact should include details of surface topography and itscharacterization, asperity contact pressure, micro lubricationpressure and film shape, as well as micro contact temperature.These aspects are discussed in this paper and typical numericalresults are given. Modeling and simulation tools are availableto describe the solid contact of asperity tips and the collapseof the lubricant film. It appears possible to investigate thetransition from full EHL to boundary lubrication by using themodel developed.     

Lubrication in helical gears

In this paper, a method to determine elastohydrodynamic film thickness in helical gears is developed by combining the Dowson-Higginson elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) formulation with helical gear geometry and kinematics. Comparisons are made with traditional gear film thickness models. This analysis is then used to characterise the film thickness and lambda ratio in an automotive planetary gearset. Methods to measure surface roughness in fine-pitch gears are described.     

Effect of real longitudinal surface roughness on lubrication film formation within line elastohydrodynamic contact

In many applications (e.g. roller, barrel or needle bearings) surface features exhibit longitudinal alignment to the direction of motion. These features are produced by surface finishing techniques in the circumferential direction and are associated with line or very wide elliptical contact geometries. In such a case, the contact length in the direction of motion is considerably shorter comparing its width and the effect of a longitudinal roughness could significantly influence the lubrication film formation. Recent experimental studies have indicated less severe effect of a longitudinal roughness on lubrication film formation in the comparisons with that observed with transversely orientated roughness caused by the inlet perturbation. Nevertheless, these experimental studies have been focused on the behaviour of artificially produced asperities within a circular contact. The quantitative experimental study of longitudinal real surface roughness within a line contact has not been realized yet. That is why, in this study, the line contact formed between a steel tapered roller and glass disc is observed within an optical test rig and the effects of real surface roughness on lubrication film formation are studied. Experiments carried out under pure rolling conditions have shown that the depth is the key parameter that influences the effect on the film thickness. If the roughness features are shallow, the lubrication film shape within the contact follows the shape of the surface closely. However, the groove having only about 800 nm in depth divided the line contact into two parts that behave as two separate line contacts. Such an effect can increase the risk of the wear of rubbing surfaces as the lubrication film thickness between the real machine components can be significantly lower than expected.     

The Subsurface Stress Field Created by Three-Dimensionally Rough Bodies in Contact with Traction

A numerical simulation technique for calculating the complete subsurface stress field for three-dimensionally rough bodies in sliding contact is described. The stresses are calculated using real digitized three-dimensional surface profiles. The effects of the surface roughness and the sliding friction are presented. Using an existing contact simulation code, the digitized surfaces are mathematically pressed together and the real areas of contact and the asperity pressures are calculated. The surfaces are assumed to remain elastic throughout the contact simulation process. The shear forces at the asperity contact interfaces are assumed to be proportional to their calculated normal pressures. The subsurface stresses are then determined with these known normal and tangential forces at the surface.     

渐开线斜齿圆柱齿轮弹流润滑模型的建立

渐开线直齿圆柱齿轮的弹流润滑问题已经基本成熟,而对同样是线接触的渐开线斜齿圆柱齿轮的弹流润滑求解却研究甚少并颇有争议。分析了斜齿轮齿廓曲面的形成及啮合特点,建立了研究渐开线斜齿圆柱齿轮弹流润滑的物理模型和数学模型．通过数学推导,得到了膜厚方程,通过多重网格法即可获得渐开线斜齿圆柱齿轮在某一瞬时的弹流润滑数值解。