Optical Method for Evaluating Dynamic Friction of a Small Linear Ball Bearing

The frictional characteristics of a small linear ball bearing were accurately measured by means of a modification of the levitation mass method (LMM). In this method, the moving part of a linear bearing is made to slide freely, and the total horizontal force acting on the moving part is measured as the inertial force given by the product of the mass and acceleration. The velocity of the mass is measured accurately by means of an optical interferometer. The acceleration, the inertial force, and the position of the mass are numerically calculated from the velocity measurement. The possible contribution of the method to precision control of linear actuators and precision evaluation of the characteristics of the bearings are discussed. The future prospects for reducing the size and cost of the optical interferometer used in this method are also discussed.

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