Contactbearing

Contactbearing is a term used in mechanical engineering to describe a bearing or bearing arrangement in which the load is transmitted through direct physical contact between bearing surfaces. In such systems, load paths occur through contact points or contact patches between moving parts, such as shafts, rollers, balls, and raceways or bearing shells.

Two primary embodiments fall under the concept of contactbearing. Rolling-contact bearings, including ball bearings and roller bearings, carry load through the contact between rolling elements and their raceways. Plain or sleeve bearings carry load through sliding contact between a shaft and a bearing surface. In many practical designs, lubrication reduces friction and wear, while still maintaining surface contact under load. Some applications operate under boundary or mixed lubrication, where small areas of contact persist, whereas fully hydrodynamic or hydrostatic bearings aim to minimize or eliminate metal-to-metal contact.

Key characteristics of contactbearing systems include contact stresses at the contact interfaces, sensitivity to surface finish and hardness, and the need for appropriate lubrication, seals, and alignment. These factors influence wear, heat generation, efficiency, and service life. Design choices balance load capacity, stiffness, size, and cost, with attention to material selection, surface treatments, and lubrication regimes to manage wear and prevent seizure.

In context, contactbearing is often contrasted with non-contact bearings such as magnetic bearings or fluid-bearing systems designed to transmit loads without direct surface contact. The term underscores the fundamental mechanism by which the bearing supports loads and guides motion through physical contact.