Technical Paper
A Study of Oil Film Pressure Distribution on Connecting Rods Big Ends
2002-03-04
2002-01-0296
As a result of demands for friction reduction and other performance requirements, there has been a trend towards reductions of bearing width and increases in load. Thus, high performance predictions are required to determine bearing feasibility limits. Measurement of oil film distribution is essential to judging bearing feasibility. Therefore, a thin film sensor was developed to enable highly accurate oil film pressure measurements in small bearings used in passenger vehicles. The sensor has a particularly smooth surface, making measurement possible with little effect on the lubrication conditions of sliding parts. For this research, the sensor was formed on the shaft so that oil film pressure distribution could be measured around the total periphery of the bearings. Three-dimensional oil film distribution measurements were conducted by the detection of multiple points on the sensor.