Patent ID: 8789281

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving a thrust-bearing apparatus comprising first and second thrust-bearing assemblies, each of the first and second thrust-bearing assemblies including: a support ring; and a plurality of superhard bearing elements each of which includes a bearing surface, the plurality of superhard bearing elements mounted to the support ring and distributed circumferentially about a thrust axis; wherein the bearing surfaces of each thrust-bearing bearing assembly are generally opposed to one another; and operating the thrust bearing apparatus to wear-in the bearing surfaces of the first and second thrust-bearing assemblies such that at least a majority of a radial width of respective bearing surfaces of the bearing elements of each thrust-bearing assembly substantially correspond to one another to allow at least near hydrodynamic operation; wherein the operation of the thrust-bearing apparatus is not hydrodynamic during a first time period before the wearing-in of the superhard bearing elements is complete.