In-situ pressure and temperature measurements under mixed friction in rolling contacts and comparison with TEHD simulations

In-situ sensor systems can enable to measure the temperature and pressure of rolling contacts during mixed friction. A thin-film sensor is optimized with regard to its size and wear resistance. Traction tests are carried out with a two-disk test rig. The temperature and friction measurements are presented and compared with the results of a thermal elastohydrodynamic (TEHD) model. In a final step, the thin-film sensor is used in a cylindrical roller thrust bearing. Due to the detailed characterization the data are suitable for evaluating calculation methods. The comparison shows good agreement with the experimental data of a two-disk test rig. Further investigation is required in order to gain a deeper understanding of the processes that occur in real machine elements.