Performance improvement of the cylinder block - valve plate contact in axial piston machines

• Applicant: Professorin Dr.-Ing. Katharina Schmitz, since 9/2019
• Subject Area: Engineering Design, Machine Elements, Product Development
• Term: from 2018 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 409173913

Tribological contacts in hydraulic axial piston machines are highly stresses bearings. Combinations of hydrostatic, hydrodynamic and solid contact effects are used to reach long lifetimes. For a deeper understanding of the mechanisms in this contact, within the completed previous project a combined approach research approach was undertaken. Experimental and simulative research leads to qualitative and quantitative results, making an assessment of the effects within the contact possible.Utilizing these results, the proposed project aims at an increased performance and efficiency of the tribological contact. Furthermore the current high performance of this contact can only be reached by using leaded materials. A hard-hard contact or a surface coating has not been successfully implemented. Results and methods from the previous project can be used to implement a lead free contact.The proven method of a combined research, using simulation and experiment will be continued in the proposed project. At first contact geometries will be developed, having advantages in terms of temperature distribution and hot spot formation. The following experimental research validates the simulation results and shows the feasibility. In a following step the material will be substituted or coated and further experiments performed. Results in the fields of contact mechanics, materials, coatings, heat and load distribution are essential subjects in this proposed project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Dr.-Ing. S Gels
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr.-Ing. Hubertus Murrenhoff, until 8/2019