Multibody contact dynamics on mechanisms with deep groove ball bearing joints

Abstract

The dynamics of ball bearings are important to fatigue breakage, dynamic performance and motion precision of mechanisms connected by ball bearings joints with multi-clearances. In this study, a new method is proposed for multibody dynamics analysis on mechanisms under the effects of radial internal clearances and impact of balls/cage pockets interactions of ball bearings. Including balls/rings interactions and balls/cage pockets interactions, the three dimensional dynamics models of the crank slider mechanism are established and calculated by generalized-α algorithms on the basis of Hertzian contact theory and penalty function method. The rules of eccentric trajectories of inner and outer ring center for one ball bearing joint are verified with the results calculated by XU’s references. The results of dynamic errors, motion trajectories, dynamic forces are achieved under different speeds, radial clearances and number of ball bearings. The speeds and radial clearances are critical to the dynamic performances and motion precision of mechanisms, especially the number of ball bearings. The number of ball bearings is important to impact force and motion stability of the mechanism.