Equivalent Contact Length of Load Disks and Specimen

The paper deals with a method of performing experimental tests to test the service life of a general kinematic pair of cam mechanisms with a roller follower. In the case of the test rig, the general kinematic pair is formed by the contact surface of a cylindrical specimen in contact with three load disks. The specimen represents the loaded cam and the disks a roller follower. The disk profile shape has a significant effect on the stress distribution in the surface layers of specimens due to their load. The disk profile is expressed by an equivalent width, which is determined by the finite element method.