The Microslip Between a Ball and Its Track in Ball-Thrust Bearings

Abstract

An approximate solution is proposed for the microslip between a rolling ball and its track when the ball is subjected to applied moments and forces in the plane of motion together with a spin moment about the normal to the contact zone. The solution is based on the appropriate slip conditions for elemental strips in the contact zone neglecting any slip transverse to the general direction of rolling. The solution obtained is shown to be in reasonable agreement with experimental results for plane contact areas subject to spin moments. This solution is also shown to degenerate into a previous solution [3] when the spin moment tends to zero. Using these arguments, it is possible to predict a solution for the microslip patterns obtained in ball-thrust bearings.