Effect of Changing Ellipiticity Ratio on the Formation of Ultra-Thin Lubricating Film

The mechanism of fluid film lubrication in ultra-thin conjunction under elliptical point contacts is discussed in this paper. The results of changing the ellipticity ratio are highlighted. The operating conditions; load and speed of entraining motion, promote formation of ultra-thin films that are formed under the combined action of Elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), surface contact force of solvation and molecular interactions due to presence of Van der Waals' force. The paper shows that, changing the ellipticity ratio maintain the general behavior of the formation of ultra-thin lubricating film thickness as in the case of circular point contact problem when the contiguous solids are subject to light-to-medium contact loads and the effects of surface forces become significant as the elastic film (i.e. the gap) is reduced to a few nanometers and lubricant discretisation appears.