CONTACT AND THERMAL-ANALYSIS OF THE WEAR PROCESS IN LINEAR BEARINGS

In linear bearings there is contact over only small areas of the nomin al contact area. The real contact pressure frequently is in the range of the plastic limit pressure. Regardless of the boundary lubrication, the asperity contact is mostly Hertzian-type contact. The developed c ontact algorithm can approximately simulate the elastic-plastic slidin g contact behavior in the vicinity of the asperities by ignoring the e ffect of the tangential forces on the vertical displacement. Assuming certain sliding speed and coefficient of function, the local temperatu re distribution is also calculated due to the heat generation over the real contact areas for slow sliding problems. In the described method , the original surfaces, having contact with an ideal smooth surface, produce mostly plastic contact, while the worn surfaces are mostly in elastic contact, having larger real contact areas. The sliding contact analysis of the original and worn surfaces shows significant differen ces in contact pressure distribution and heat generation.