Thermo-mechanical coupling and life prediction of self-lubricating spherical plain bearings using a heterogeneous liner model

Purpose To investigate the influence of the heterogeneous structure of woven liners on the tribological performance of self-lubricating spherical plain bearings. Design/methodology/approach A thermo-mechanical coupling model and a wear model were established, accounting for variable loading and compound oscillatory motions. A BiDoseResp function model was used to fit the simulated wear results. Findings Maximum temperatures concentrate near the liner edges after one loading cycle. Stress aligns with the woven pattern, highest in central fibers and edges. The predicted time to reach 0.31 mm wear depth is 1083.65 h. Originality/value This study establishes a novel thermo-mechanical-wear coupling model for spherical plain bearings, specifically addressing the critical challenge of woven liner heterogeneity. It uniquely integrates numerical simulation with a BiDoseResp function fit to create a predictive model for wear life. This combined approach provides a new methodology for performance prediction and offers valuable insights for the design of maintenance-free, self-lubricating bearings.