Film thickness prediction in wide elliptical EHL contacts

The minimum and central film thickness evolution of EHL contacts were measured. Several parameters were kept identical between the elliptical contact and the equivalent line contact, e.g., base oil viscosity. A new film thickness equation for elliptical contacts, including the equivalent line contact prediction, is put forward. The trend for (very) wide elliptical contacts is fundamentally flawed. The classical film thickness predictions tend to zero for infinitely wide contacts. For most elliptical contacts, the minimum film thickness is found on the central line. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 2009 World Tribology Congress (Kyoto, Japan 9/6-11/2009).