Rolling/Sliding Contact Fatigue Life Physics and Modeling

In response to Army topic A19-140, Sentient Science proposes to incorporate its DigitalClone modeling technology to predict the life of high-end precision bearings. For an accurate prediction of life, a physics-based model is required which captures the kinematics and dynamics of bearings operation, considers surface characteristics, mechanical properties, and material microstructure. In Phase 1, Sentient will demonstrate their extensively validated and commercially available predictive suite of computational modeling tools called DigitalClone. Sentient Science’s DigitalClone technology enables evaluation of bearing life characteristics in real-life application scenarios. Sentient’s DigitalClone technology is enriched with a multi-body bearing dynamics simulation tool specialized for analyzing rolling element bearings. The bearing analysis tool calculates the dynamic motion of all the components inside bearings, contact details for the interaction between the components, and their aggregate response as a single unit. The DigitalClone capability will be further developed to incorporate the effect of thermomechanical influences on bearing internal clearances and in turn the roller-raceway contact pressure in order to reliably predict the performance of rolling element bearings.