Simulation method for the floating of hydrodynamic guides

The flowing lubricant in the oil wedge between the slide and guide rail creates hydrodynamic pressure that leads to a displacement of the carriage, which depends on the sliding surface geometry and the slides velocity. This paper describes an approach to calculate the resulting complex displacement. Therefore, two methods were combined. The simulation of the floating by using the finite difference method was integrated in the numerical calculation of the balance of the whole carriage. Considering a real sliding surface geometry of a test bench, the experiment verification of the approach for velocities up to 40m/min showed a good conformity.