The characteristic horseshoe shape of smallest film thickness is clearly visible. Again, oil entrainment is from left to right. Classical lubrication theory allows the reduction of 3D EHL problems to two space dimensions. Addition of non-Newtonian lubricant models implemented allow for effects from the third spatial direction to be included. These point contact cases are where we have done the majority of our work, but we also have working 1D line contact codes.
Current research includes the use of adaptive meshing, and variable timestepping.
Another area with great interest to industry, is that of surface roughness. The corresponding pressure plot is shown next to it. These problems must be solved transiently, as the bumps will move through the domain as the contacts turn. In this case a frequency of 0.7s is used, and this cycle is shown in Quicktime movies of Surface Geometry and Pressure .