Showing papers in "Journal of Tribology-transactions of The Asme in 2002"

Studying Contact Stress Fields Caused by Surface Tractions With a Discrete Convolution and Fast Fourier Transform Algorithm

Abstract: The knowledge of contact stresses is critical to the design of a tribological element. It is necessary to keep improving contact models and develop efficient numerical methods for contact studies, particularly for the analysis involving coated bodies with rough surfaces. The fast Fourier Transform technique is likely to play an important role in contact analyses. It has been shown that the accuracy in an algorithm with the fast Fourier Transform is closely related to the convolution theorem employed. The algorithm of the discrete convolution and fast Fourier Transform, named the DC-FFT algorithm includes two routes of problem solving: DC-FFT/Influence coefficients/Green's, function for the cases with known Green's functions and DC-FFT/Influence coefficient/conversion, if frequency response functions are known. This paper explores the method for the accurate conversion for influence coefficients from frequency response functions, further improves the DC- FFT algorithm, and applies this algorithm to analyze the contact stresses in an elastic body under pressure and shear tractions for high efficiency and accuracy. A set of general formulas of the frequency response function for the elastic field is derived and verified. Application examples are presented and discussed.

Development of a Three-Dimensional Semi-Analytical Elastic-Plastic Contact Code

Abstract: A three-dimensional elastic-plastic contact code based on semi-analytical method is presented and validated. The contact is solved within a Hertz framework. The reciprocal theorem with initial strains is then introduced, to express the surface geometry as a function of contact pressure and plastic strains. The irreversible nature of plasticity leads to an incremental formulation of the elastic-plastic contact problem, and an algorithm to solve this problem is set up. Closed form expression, which give residual stresses and surface displacements from plastic strains, are obtained by integration of the reciprocal theorem. The resolution of the elastic-plastic contact using the finite element (FE) method is discussed, and the semi-analytical code presented in this paper is validated by comparing results with experimental data from the nano-indentation test. Finally, the resolution of the rolling elastic-plastic contact is presented for smooth and dented surfaces and for a vertical or rolling loading. The main advantage of this code over classical FE codes is that the calculation time makes the transient analysis of three-dimensional contact problems affordable, including when a fine mesh is required. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1467920#

Contact of rough surfaces with asymmetric distribution of asperity heights

Abstract: The Greenwood and Williamson (GW) statistical approach of characterizing rough sur-faces is extended to include asymmetric distribution of asperity heights using the Weibulldistribution. A key parameter that is used to characterize asymmetry is the skewness, andthe corresponding Weibull parameters are investigated for a range of practical skewnessvalues. The Weibull distribution is then adopted to model the asperity heights, and oncenormalized, is used to calculate the contact load, real area of contact and number ofcontacting asperities using the CEB elastic-plastic model of an equivalent rough surfacein contact with a smooth plane. The effect of skewness on different levels of surfaceroughness, ranging from very smooth surfaces encountered in microtribological applica-tions to rougher surfaces encountered in macrotribological applications is investigated,and also compared to the symmetric Gaussian case. Also, to allow for closed-form solu-tion of the contact equations, simpler exponential distributions are curved-fitted to thecontact side of the Weibull distribution, and the analytical results are favorably comparedwith the numerical results using the Weibull distribution. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1403458#

An Experimental Analysis of Misalignment Effects on Hydrodynamic Plain Journal Bearing Performances

Abstract: The present study deals with the experimental determination of the performance of a 100 mm diameter plain journal bearing submitted to a misalignment torque. Hydrodynamic pressure and temperature fields in the mid-plane of the bearing, temperatures in two axial directions, oil flow rate, and minimum film thickness, were all measured for various operating conditions and misalignment torques. Tests were carried out for rotational speeds ranging from 1500 to 4000 rpm with a maximum static load of 9000 N and a misalignment torque varying from 0 to 70 N.m. The bearing performances were greatly affected by the misalignment. The maximum pressure in the mid-plane decreased by 20 percent for the largest misalignment torque while the minimum film thickness was reduced by 80 percent. The misalignment caused more significant changes in bearing performance when the rotational speed or load was low. The hydrodynamic effects were then relatively small and the bearing offered less resistance to the misalignment.

A Review of Recent Approaches for Modeling Solid Third Bodies

Abstract: The paper considers the behavior of third bodies in dry contacts. A description of the mechanism operating in contacts is given and the influence of external parameters outlined. Both physicochemical and mechanical conditions greatly influence third body behavior. Depending on third-body composition, the external influence can be more or less dramatic. Due to difficulties with experimentation, numerical modeling is suggested as a complementary tool. Two approaches for such modeling are described, the continuum and the discrete approach. At present these models are at an early development stage (two-dimensional simulations), and great efforts should be made for their further development. While an experimental apparatus can study phenomena at only one scale; namely the nanometer with AFM, or the micron to millimeter with fretting machines, modeling is able to range from the microscopic properties (particle interactions like coefficient of restitution) to the macroscopic properties by integration or averaging (load capacity, friction coefficient).

Three-dimensional elastic-plastic stress analysis of rolling contact

Abstract: Three-dimensional elastic-plastic rolling contact stress analysis was conducted incorporating elastic and plastic shakedown concepts. The Hertzian distribution was assumed for the normal surface contact load over a circular contact area. The tangential forces in both the rolling and lateral directions were considered and were assumed to be proportional to the Hertzian pressure. The elastic and plastic shakedown limits obtained for the three-dimensional contact problem revealed the role of both longitudinal and lateral shear traction on the shakedown results. An advanced cyclic plasticity model was implemented into a finite element code via the material subroutine. Finite element simulations were conducted to study the influences of the tangential surface forces in the two shear directions on residual stresses and residual strains. For all the cases simulated, the p 0 /k ratio (p 0 is the maximum Hertzian pressure and k is the yield stress in shear) was 6.0. The Q x /P ratio, where Q x is the total tangential force on the contact surface in the rolling direction and P is the total normal surface pressure, ranged from 0 to 0.6. The Q y /P ratio (Q y is the total tangential force in the lateral direction) was either zero or 0.25. Residual stresses increase with increasing rolling passes but tend to stabilize. Residual strains also increase but the increase in residual strain per rolling pass (ratchetting rate) decays with rolling cycles. Residual stress levels can be as high as 2k when the Q x /P ratio is 0.6. Local accumulated shear strains can exceed 20 times the yield strain in shear after six rolling passes under extreme conditions. Comparisons of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional rolling contact results were provided to elucidate the differences in residual stresses and ratchetting strain predictions.

Nonlinear excitation model of ball bearing waviness in a rigid rotor supported by two or more ball bearings considering five degrees of freedom

Abstract: This research presents a nonlinear model to analyze the ball bearing vibration due to the waviness in a rigid rotor supported by two or more ball bearings. The waviness of a ball and each races is modeled by the superposition of sinusoidal function, and the position vectors of inner and outer groove radius center are defined with respect to the mass center of the rotor in order to consider five degrees of freedom of a general rotor-bearing system. The waviness of a ball bearing is introduced to these position vectors to use the Hertzian contact theory in order to calculate the elastic deflection and nonlinear contact force resulting from the waviness while the rotor has translational and angular motion. They can be determined by solving the nonlinear equations of motion with five degrees of freedom by using the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg algorithm. Numerical results of this research are validated with those of prior researchers. The proposed model can calculate the translational displacement as well as the angular displacement of the rotor supported by two or more ball bearings with waviness. It also characterizes the vibration frequencies resulting from the various kinds of waviness in rolling elements, the harmonic frequencies resulting from the nonlinear load-deflection characteristics of ball bearing, and the sideband frequencies resulting from nonlinearity of the waviness interaction. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1398289#

Effect of the Intermolecular Forces on the Flying Attitude of Sub-5 NM Flying Height Air Bearing Sliders in Hard Disk Drives

Abstract: When the spacing between the slider and the disk is smaller than 10 nm, the effect of the intermolecular forces between the two solid surfaces can no longer be ignored. This effect on the flying attitude of practical slider designs is investigated here numerically. The three-dimensional slider surface is discretized into non-overlapping unstructured triangles. The intermolecular forces between each triangular cell of the slider and the disk surface are formulated, and their contributions to the total vertical force, as well as the pitch and roll moments, are included in a previously developed steady state air bearing design code based on a multi-grid finite volume method with unstructured triangular grids [3–5]. It is found that the van der Waals force has significant influence on the flying height and has non-negligible effect on the pitch angle for both positive pressure sliders and negative pressure sliders, when the flying height is below 5 nm. When the flying height is below 0.5 nm, the repulsive portion of the intermolecular force becomes important and also has to be included. DOI: 10.1115/1.1456454

Solid Third Body Analysis Using a Discrete Approach: Influence of Adhesion and Particle Size on Macroscopic Properties

Abstract: The dynamics of solid third bodies sheared between two rubbing bodies is far from being understood. Yet, this interface plays a prominent role in the velocity accommodation and in the load transmission. In the present paper, a simple model, which uses the Distinct Element Method, is operated in order to understand phenomena occurring in dry contact. In this model, the solid third body is considered as an aggregate of discrete interacting particles. Inter-particle forces are determined by force-displacement law and trajectories are calculated using the Newtons second law. The global behavior of the simulated contact can be analyzed through the evolution versus time of characteristic parameters calculated by averaging over all the particles. The model is used to study the effect of particle size and inter-particle forces. The influence of particle size is studied in presence of repulsive force (based on Hertz contact model), and in presence of adhesive force (based on JKR contact model). Some promising results are highlighted. In particular, with the boundary conditions chosen in this paper, it is shown that the particle size has a weak influence when inter-particle forces are repulsive but has a dramatic influence when inter-particle adhesion is considered: solid third body goes from a quasi-fluid to a quasisolid behavior.

Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of a Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing Considering the Effect of a Rotating or Stationary Herringbone Groove

Abstract: This research investigates the dynamic characteristics of a herringbone grooved journal bearing with plain sleeve (GJPS) and a plain journal bearing with herringbone grooved sleeve (PJGS) under static and dynamic load. FEM is used to solve the Reynolds equation in order to calculate the pressure distribution in a fluid film. Reaction forces and friction torque are obtained by integrating the pressure and shear stress along the fluid film, respectively. Dynamic behaviors of a journal, such as orbit or rotational speed, are determined by solving its nonlinear equations of motion with the Runge-Kutta method. Numerical results are validated by the experimental results of prior researchers. A GJPS produces less friction torque than a PJGS so that the GJPS consumes less input power than the PJGS. Under static load, the PJGS converges to the fixed equilibrium position, but the GJPS has a whirling motion due to the rotating groove even at the steady state, which produces the excitation frequencies corresponding to the integer multiple of the rotor speed multiplied by the number of grooves. The variation of rotational speed of a GJPS is always less than that of a PJGS due to less friction torque. Under the effect of mass unbalance, the excitation frequencies of the reaction force in a GJPS and a PJGS are the rotational frequency due to mass unbalance and its harmonics due to the nonlinear effect of fluid film. However, the GJPS has relatively big amplitude corresponding to the multiples of the number of grooves, in comparison with the amplitudes at the adjacent harmonics.

The Significance of Oil Thermal Properties on the Performance of a Tilting-Pad Thrust Bearing

Abstract: This paper is a report into an experimental and theoretical investigation of the effect of oil thermal properties on the performance of a tilting-pad thrust bearing. Three oils, namely poly-α-olefin, ester and mineral base, were chosen for this study. These oils all have same viscosity grade (ISO VG46) but differ in their rates of viscosity variation with temperature and in their heat capacity and thermal conductivity values. Mineral base oil of a higher viscosity grade (ISO VG68) was also analyzed for comparison. Experimental data were obtained from an equalizing tilting-pad thrust bearing with an outer diameter of 228.6 mm operating in a flooded lubrication mode. Simultaneous measurements of pad and collar temperatures, friction torque, pressures and oil film thickness were taken. In the tests, oil supply temperature and flow rate were held constant for all load-speed combinations. The theoretical analysis of oil performance was based on a three-dimensional TEHD model. In the analysis, thermal effects were locally taken into account and heat transfer into the pads was considered. The displacements of the active surface of the pads, due to pressure and temperature fields, were determined. The effect of initial pad crowning on the oil film thickness is discussed. Experimental and theoretical results are compared and analyzed in terms of the inlet and outlet oil film thickness, bearing operating temperature and power loss.

A Predictive Rolling Contact Fatigue Crack Growth Model: Onset of Branching, Direction, and Growth—Role of Dry and Lubricated Conditions on Crack Patterns

Abstract: Complex crack networks are initiated in rails under Rolling Contact Fatigue. This paper attempts to model the RCF crack propagation with a particular emphasis on the branching conditions and the parameters that play a role on them. The numerical tool proposed rests on the combination of the author’s RCF model, Hourlier and Pineau’s criterion for the branch prediction and experimental data and the corresponding models for fatigue crack extension that are derived from a Joint European project. Parametric studies on the influence of (i) residual stresses, (ii) both interfacial crack and wheel/rail contact frictional effects, (iii) neighboring crack are conducted to reach a better understanding of the RC crack propagation behavior and more particularly the branch conditions, i.e., the length of the primary crack prior to branch formation and the branch direction.

Elastic-Plastic Finite Element Analysis of Partial Slip Rolling Contact

Abstract: The finite element model with the implementation of a robust cyclic plasticity theory was used to simulate the elastic-plastic stresses for the partial slip (stick-slip) line rolling contact. Detailed rolling contact stresses and strains were obtained for up to 40 rolling passes. The partial slip condition greatly affects the residual stress in the rolling direction and the residual shear strain within a thin layer of material near the contact surface. The residual stress in the axial direction was not significantly influenced by the partial slip condition. An increase in friction coefficient drives the location of maximum shear strain to the contact surface. In addition, a comparison was made between the finite element results and the results obtained from an approximate method.

Surface Feature Effects in Starved Circular EHL Contacts

Abstract: Computation of the EHL film thickness of micro-pitted surfaces for starved elastohydro-dynamic conjunctions has been performed. Transient calculations have shown that pits filled with lubricant release part of their content in the inlet zone as they enter the EHL contact. Initially, a fraction of this released oil remains in the inlet region and produces an upstream shift of the meniscus. The remainder of the oil is entrained and builds up the film thickness at the trailing edge of the pit. With time, the fraction of oil in the inlet also becomes entrained and the meniscus slowly returns to its equilibrium position. The time interval during which the film thickness is enhanced thus becomes prolonged and may persist even after the pit has left the contact. Computations carried out with several pits have shown that this process is not disturbed. The beneficial increase of film thickness is lost if the contact becomes fully flooded. Experimentally, the advantage of making small recesses in bearing surfaces has been shown before. This paper now reveals the lubrication mechanisms involved, allowing improvements in the design of surface features in EHL contacts.

Vibration Modeling of Rotating Spindles Supported by Lubricated Bearings

Abstract: This paper outlines a five degrees of freedom model of a rotating spindle supported by a pair of lubricated angular contact ball bearings. The ball to raceway contacts are simulated by non-linear contact springs, representing the elastic deformation of the mating rolling members and nonlinear spring/dampers, corresponding to the contact elastohydrodynamic oil film thickness. A regression formula is used to model the latter and includes the damping contributed by the squeeze film effect caused by the mutual convergence of bearing rings. Some results of simulation studies with the model are also presented, in both the time and frequency domains. They include the overall system response, when subjected to varying spindle mass or the number of balls in the support bearings. Furthermore, comparisons are made between the simulated response of the dry and lubricated models. The overall contribution to damping of the elatstohydrodynamic oil films between the rolling elements and their raceways is shown to be slight.

The Dynamic Behavior of a Rolling Element Auxiliary Bearing Following Rotor Impact

Abstract: The dynamic behavior of a rolling element bearing under auxiliary operation in rotor/ magnetic bearing systems is analyzed When contact with the rotor occurs, the inner race experiences high impact forces and rapid angular acceleration A finite element model is used to account for flexibility of the inner race in series with non-linear ball stiffnesses arising from the ball-race contact zones The dynamic conditions during rotor/inner race contact, including ball/race creep, are deduced from a non-linear matrix equation The influences of bearing parameters are considered together with implications for energy dissipation in the bearing

Numerical Techniques for Computing Rotordynamic Properties of Mechanical Gas Face Seals

Abstract: The gas film stiffness and damping properties for a spiral grooved mechanical face seal in a flexibly mounted stator configuration are computed using the step jump method and a novel direct numerical frequency response method. The seal model has three degrees of freedom, including axial displacement of the stator and two stator tilts about mutually perpendicular diametral axes. Results from both methods agree well with previously published results computed using the perturbation method, but the two new methods have the advantage of employing computer programs used in the direct numerical simulation of motion. Based on the linearized analysis, the two angular modes are proven to be coupled together and decoupled from the axial mode. Anomalies in the gas film properties tend to occur at large compressibility numbers. The step jump method requires less computing time than the direct frequency response method but at a sacrifice in accuracy at high excitation frequencies.

A Comparison of Homogenization and Averaging Techniques for the Treatment of Roughness in Slip-Flow-Modified Reynolds Equation

Abstract: This article is concerned with the simulation of a magnetic storage device consisting of a flying head above a rigid rotating disk. The need to improve the transfer rate has led, at present, to very small surface-to-surface distances (air gaps). In this situation it is compulsory to take into account roughness effects. A popular method consists in averaging film-thickness from Mitsuya et al. (1989), with good reported results compared with experimental data. To overcome some limitations that become apparent at very small air gaps, notably when the roughness is two-dimensional, Jai in 1995 introduced a new technique based on a rigorous homogenization theory. Recent developments from Buscaglia and Jai (2000) have greatly reduced the computational complexity of the homogenization-based method, rendering it suitable for practical applications. We propose in this paper an original approach based on strength and rigorous mathematical model to avoid numerical problems which are usually encountered in classical approaches. The validation of the homogenization-based method is in some sense, a generalization of the film-averaging technique suitable for configurations in which some parameters of the latter (such as the Boltzmann correction factor) are not unambiguously defined.

Numerical Modeling of Dynamic Sealing Behaviors of Spiral Groove Gas Face Seals

Abstract: A numerical model is developed for the dynamic analysis of gas lubricated spiral groove face seals. Effects of the rotor runout, misalignment, face contact, as well as the stiffness and damping of the secondary seal are considered. Seal axial and angular motions and key parameters such as toreque, power loss, and flow rate are obtained by a global time integration scheme, which traces the time history of the dynamic sealing behaviors. The analysis of gas film lubrication, face contact, and the seal dynamics is cast as an inverse problem and the solution is obtained iteratively at each time step. Dynamic tracking motion and key sealing characteristics of a representative spiral groove gas seal undergoing transient operations are presented.

Stability of water-lubricated, hydrostatic, conical bearings with spiral grooves for high-speed spindles

Abstract: In this paper, the stability of water-lubricated, hydrostatic, conical bearings with spiral grooves for high-speed spindles is investigated theoretically and experimentally. In these bearing types, pressurized water is first fed to the inside of the rotating shaft and then introduced into spiral grooves through feeding holes located at one end of each spiral groove. Therefore, water pressure is increased due to the effect of the centrifugal force at the outlets of the feeding holes, which results from shaft rotation. In addition, water pressure is also increased by the viscous pumping effect of the spiral grooves. The stability of the proposed bearing is theoretically predicted using the perturbation method, and calculated results are compared with experimental results. It was consequently found that the proposed bearing is very stable at high speeds and theoretical predictions show good agreement with experimental data.

A Theoretical Analysis of Floating Bush Journal Bearing With Axial Oil Film Rupture Being Considered

Abstract: A new modified Reynolds equation is derived with centrifugal force acting on the hydrodynamic oil film being considered. This equation, together with a cavitation model, is used to obtain the steady-state equilibrium and calculate the rotordynamic coefficients of lightly loaded floating bush journal bearings operating at very high shaft speeds. The bush-to-shaft speed ratio and the linear cross-coupling spring coefficients of the inner oil film is found to decrease with the increase in shaft speed as the axial oil film rupture develops in the inner oil film. The present model can give reasonable explanation to the steady-state behavior and the stability behavior of the bearing observed in actual machines.

Use of electrostatic charge monitoring for early detection of adhesive wear in oil lubricated contacts

Abstract: Electrostatic charge sensing technology has been used to monitor adhesive wear in oil lubricated contacts. Previous work in this area demonstrated that "precursor" charge events may be detected prior to the onset of scuffing. Possible charging mechanisms associated with the precursor events were identified as tribocharging, surface charge variation, exo-emissions and debris generation. This paper discusses the proposed charging mechanisms and details a series of investigative tests using an adapted pin-on-disc (PoD) rig. The PoD tests focused on surface charge variation effects and were of two types, non-contact, where different materials were inserted in the disc, and controlled scuffing tests.

Direct Observations of the Chip-Tool Interface in the Low Speed Cutting of Pure Metals

Abstract: An experimental study of the chip-tool interface and its evolution in the low speed cutting of metals has been carried out. Specially prepared transparent glass and sapphire tools have been used to cut commercially pure metals such as lead, aluminum and copper. The chip-tool interface has been observed in situ using optical microscopy and recorded on film and video tape. By observing the motion of inhomogeneities in the chip, and profilometry of the chip and tool surfaces, it has been established that there is intimate sliding contact between the chip and the tool at and near the cutting edge. Farther away from the cutting edge and close to the end of the chip-tool contact, metal transfer and sticking are observed between the chip and tool surfaces. It has been shown that metal deposition on the rake face initially occurs near the point at which the chip curls out of contact with the tool and progressively extends outward and away from the cutting edge in conjunction with an increase in the length of contact as cutting progresses. The sticking and sliding zones are unchanged when these pure metals are machined with tungsten carbide tools. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1398546#

A Semi-Analytical Solution to the Dynamic Tracking of Non-contacting Gas Face Seals

Abstract: The gas film stiffness and damping coefficients for a non-contacting gas face seal are obtained from the unsteady nonlinear Reynolds equation using the perturbation method. The seal assembly is converted to an equivalent spring-damper-mass system. The stator tracking motion is treated as a forced vibration caused by the rotor motion due to its runout and misalignment. The seal steady-state dynamic responses are solved semianalytically. Results for a typical spiral groove gas face seal agree well with that from a full numerical simulation. Stability of the seal axial pulsating and conical whirl are examined using the frequency dependent dynamic force and moment coefficients.

Average Flow Model of Rough Surface Lubrication: Flow Factors for Sinusoidal Surfaces

Abstract: The effects of lubricant film flow, pressurized and sheared between two parallel sinusoidal wavy surfaces in sliding motion is studied analytically. Results are presented using a flow factor model which provides an average description of the surfaces roughness impact. Two distinct cases are studied in order to compare stationary or time dependent local aperture configurations. Flow factors are computed respectively for each case through spatial or spatio-temporal average, revealing striking differences. The results shed light on the relevance of the composite roughness concept. Special attention is paid to the flow factor analytical behavior when surfaces are near contact.

Influence of Fluid Flow Regime on Performances of Non-Contacting Liquid Face Seals

Abstract: Some non contacting mechanical face seals are running near the laminar boundary flow limit. A modification of operating conditions leads to a non laminar fluid flow in the seal interface while inertia forces remain negligible. A numerical model has been developed to determine pressure and velocity fields in the sealing dam for laminar to turbulent regime. The turbulent viscosity determination is based on the Elrod and Ng model. Evolutions of seal characteristics (opening force, friction torque, leakage rate...) and fluid film dynamic coefficients versus running conditions are presented. Numerical results show that great variations appear in the transition to turbulence.

Regimes of Contact in Spline Couplings

Abstract: The contact between the male and female teeth of involute spline couplings connecting misaligned transmission shafts has been studied using an elastostatic contact model with stick-slip friction based on the boundary integral element method. The effect on the distribution of pressure and on the slip path during shaft rotation, of a wide range of design parameters and of applied torque and misalignment has been explored. The predicted behavior is classified according to the regime of friction (cyclic stick-slip or gross slip) and to that of the pressure history (uniform, cyclic, discontinuous, or toppled). The magnitude of the maximum tooth load, the axial skewness of the distribution of pressure and a maximum wear depth parameter are presented in terms of dimensionless design and operating parameters. The effect of tooth crowning is briefly examined. The results show a number of previously unreported features including a cyclic tooth load-which declines to zero for certain conditions-and an effective slip amplitude of around half the rigid-body value. This may affect the interpretation of laboratory fretting tests.

Effect of Lubricant on Flyability and Read-Write Performance in the Ultra-Low Flying Regime

Abstract: The effect of lubricant on flyability and read-write performance in ultra-low flying regime has been studied over the disks with lubricant on one half of disk surface thicker than the other half. The dynamics of a slider was monitored using Acoustic Emission (AE) and Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV). An instability characteristic of a slider flying over the thick lubricant region has been observed and this instability intensifies as flying height decreases and the step thickness increases. After the slider flies over the disks, it has been found that lubricant re-distribution occurs as lubricant is carried by the flying slider from the thick lubricant region and deposited onto the thin lubricant region. Possible mechanisms were discussed to explain the observations. Finally, recording tests were performed and the magnetic spacing loss due to the lubricant steps was estimated.

The Impact of Linear Deformations on Stationary Hydrostatic Thrust Bearings

Abstract: In this work, the operating sensitivity of the hydrostatic thrust bearing with respect to pressure-induced deformations will be studied in a stationary setting. Using the classical lubrication equations for low Reynolds number flow, closed-form expressions are generated for describing the pressure distribution, the flow rate, and the load carrying capacity of the bearing. These expressions are developed to consider deformations of the bearing that result in either concave or convex shapes relative to a flat thrust surface. The impact of both shapes is compared, and the sensitivity of the flow rate and the load carrying capacity of the bearing with respect to the magnitude of the deformation is discussed. In , it is shown that all deformations increase the flow rate of the bearing and that concave deformations increase the load carrying capacity while convex deformations decrease this same quantity relative to a non-deformed bearing condition.

Contact Vibration of Micro-Textured Sliders

Abstract: We have formed a micro-texture on a pico-slider's air-bearing surface to reduce the vibration when the slider comes into contact with the disk. The contact between slider and disk was controlled by adjusting the interference height.' Our measurements show that, at a giving interference height there is a significant less vibration in the textured slider. This lower amplitude of vibration is attributed to the lower friction force, which is in turn due to the smaller area of contact. We have also introduced the concept of interference area and found that it provides a good explanation of measured vibration.