Predicting oil film thickness at ball–raceway contacts under elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) conditions remains a complex tribological challenge. This complexity arises from dynamic variations in contact load, rotational speed, hydrodynamic effects, and the nonlinear load–deformation characteristics of the contacting surfaces. This study presents a numerical investigation of oil film thickness variations corresponding lubricant properties in rolling bearings using a 5-degree-of-freedom (5-DoF) shaft–bearing model. The model incorporates isothermal EHL and a rigid shaft supported by a pair of angular contact ball bearings. The governing nonlinear equations of motion are solved iteratively via a quasi-static approach, coupling oil film thickness and contact force calculations. Results indicate that oil film thickness increases proportionally with both lubricant viscosity and shaft speed. A twofold increase in shaft speed results in approximately 57% enhancement in film thickness. Similarly, increasing viscosity elevates film thickness proportionally, while the pressure–viscosity coefficient significantly enhances film formation. Notably, the outer raceway exhibits a 13% thicker film than the inner raceway, owing to its higher surface conformity. Furthermore, low-speed operation under heavy loads induces mixed lubrication regimes, compromising film integrity. Results provides insight for lubricant selection and bearing design to mitigate starvation in industrial applications.
Hikmet Bal (Tue,) studied this question.
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