The Stribeck memorial lecture

Stribeck’s publications ‘Kugellager für beliebige Belastungen’ and ‘Die wesentlichen Eigenschaften der Gleitund Rollenlager’ were remarkable for their time. Many of the findings were revolutionary and are still considered quite modern. The method used by Stribeck to calculate load distribution between the balls within a ball bearing is still used today, otherwise, a full finite element analysis would be required. His measurements and analysis of bearing friction is also astonishingly accurate. Most of the ball-bearing types studied by Stribeck are not in use any more, but the deep-groove ball bearings he investigated were similar enough to be compared with modern deep-groove ball bearings. Stribeck measured the friction coefficient 0.0015 and SKF gives the friction coefficient 0.0015 for deep-groove ball bearings in the catalogue from 1989. For the first time, in the SKF catalogue from 1989, the life calculation method took into account contamination also. Stribeck had stated already 100 years ago that cleanliness was very important for bearing life and function. Stribeck’s investigation of journal bearing friction, as a function of load and speed, was also extremely important, as he showed the possibility of finding a point of minimum friction for lubricated applications. He also showed that the friction for sliding bearings started at high friction at low speeds, decreased to a minimum friction when metal to metal contact stopped, and then increased again at higher speeds, which is the well known ‘Stribeck curve’.  2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.