Running Characteristics of Spherical Plain Bearings for the Optimisation of Housings

A way of integrating a bearing into a structural optimisation process with different running conditions of sliding bearings is described. Lubricant film damping and stiffness are determined from the lubricant film thickness and integrated in a simplified multiple body system for a bearing housing system to estimate the dynamic behaviour. A mathematical formulation of the optimisation problem is made. The effects are shown by example.