#9: What are Hertz contact stresses and how do they affect linear bearings?
Linear bearings that use balls or rollers to carry a load are subjected to Hertz contact stresses — a type of material stress that plays a significant role in determining the bearing’s load capacity and fatigue life.
When two surfaces of different radii are in contact and a load is applied, a small contact area is formed, and the surfaces experience very high stresses. These stresses are known as Hertz (or Hertizian) contact stresses. In rolling element linear bearings, Hertz contact stresses occur on both the balls (or cylinders) and the raceways.
Filed Under: Linear Motion Tips