PARAMETRIC MINIMUM FILM THICKNESS PERFORMANCE OF AN ELASTIC BIG-END BEARING UNDER INERTIAL LOAD

Big-end bearing design has, in the past, been well served by design charts. However, in more recent times, simple design-level information has not kept pace with developments in bearing analysis. This paper presents simple parameterizations of the effects of con-rod distortion on dynamic big-end minimum film thickness performance. Non-dimensionalization of cyclic minimum film thickness, film mechanism transitions, bearing flexibility and inertial load enabled quantitative tribological measures of elastic geometry to be developed. This characterization, ratified against corresponding full analyses, provides a useful new insight into elastic con-rod bearing design, something hitherto based on experience and intuition.