CONTACT AND THERMAL-ANALYSIS OF BRONZE AND STEEL MACHINED SURFACES INSLIDING CONTACT

Between engineering components in sliding contact there are usually sm all real contact areas inside the nominal contact area. The real conta ct pressure frequently is in the range of the plastic limit pressure. The effect of different machining processes (grinding, milling, spark- erosion and superfinising) on the contact parameters (real contact are as, contact pressure distribution and contact temperature) were analys ed and compared between bronze and steel sliding surfaces. The develop ed contact algorithm can simulate the elastic and also the elastic-pla stic sliding contact behaviour in the vicinity of the asperities in an approximate way. Assuming certain sliding speed and coefficient of fr iction the local contact temperature distribution is also calculated d ue to the heat generation over the real contact areas for 'slow slidin g' problems. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.