Some insights into lubricant film thickness in mixed EHD point contacts

摘要

This paper presents an experimental study of the effect of rolling speed and surface roughness on the mixed elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication characteristics for point contact formed between a real, random, rough surface, steel ball and smooth glass disc. The Thin Film Colorimetic Interferometry measurement technique has been extended to give detailed information about in-contact deformation of the microgeometry. It has enabled to derive the amplitude reduction curve that shows progressive recovering of ball roughness features with increasing speed.