The Effect of Bearing Surface Finish on Engine Performance

In the automotive industry the goal for engine designers is not purely power output. Stringent environmental regulations demand improvements in power, fuel consumption, reliability and service life of engine components. A significant contributor to all of these improvements is a good understanding of the tribology of bearings including the effect that surface texturing techniques can have on bearing performance. This paper discusses the micro finishing process known as GBQ (Generating Bearing Quality) which optimizes bearing surfaces in terms of profile, geometry and surface finish. GBQ has been applied to the bearing surfaces of high performance and mass produced crank and camshafts to reduce friction and extend service life.