Special Issue on Sliding Contact Bearings

Abstract

Continued tendency for machinery to have highenergy density, enhanced precision of motion, and ultra-fast speed of operation poses special challenges for bearing systems. In certain applications, such as nano-positioning, high-speed turbo-machinery, and large water turbines, only sliding contact bearings can meet these challenges. Undoubtedly, there is a need to create a stage for exchanging the latest research and development results and sharing experience in research methodology. This, therefore, is the motivation for this Special Issue of the Journal of Engineering Tribology dedicated to Sliding Contact Bearings. The study of sliding contact bearings started quite a long time ago with pioneering works by Tower, Reynolds, and Petroff, just to mention few most prominent researchers, and was confined, almost exclusively, to hydrodynamic lubrication—a specialist branch of fluid mechanics. Nowadays, sliding contact bearings encompass quite a large area including selflubricating bearings (dry), boundary, and mixed lubricated bearings. Self-levitating air bearings, utilizing near-field acoustic levitation, represent a fairly new development in the area. Also recent advances in large, slow rotating thrust bearings demonstrate that progress is always possible even in the area considered to be mature. The purpose of this Special Issue, to which authors from a number of countries contributed, is to create an opportunity for scientists, engineers, and practitioners to present their latest theoretical and technological advancements in sliding contact bearing engineering and technology. Modern computing/ design techniques and production capabilities help sliding contact bearings regain their position in today’s advanced technology. The Guest Editors of this Special Issue would like to thank the authors for their contributions, the time spent in preparing their manuscripts as well as responding within the deadlines. We hope that this Special Issue will be of interest to readers who are interested in finding out about recent progress in the field of sliding contact bearings.