Abstract
The rolling machine element is indispensable for realizing high-precision and high-speed relative motion. In addition, its positioning accuracy is approaching the nanometer order, and its importance is expected to increase in the future. However, since the rolling elements and the raceways are mechanically in contact, various nonlinear phenomena occur. This complicated phenomenon must be clear by theoretically and experimentally. This chapter describes the nonlinear friction behavior occurred with rolling contact condition and its effect on the dynamics of bearings. First, the characteristics of the non-linear friction caused by rolling machine elements and the nonlinear friction modeling method using the Masing rule are described. From the numerical analysis using the friction model, it is clarified that the motion accuracy decreases due to sudden velocity variation caused by nonlinear friction. Also, the author show that the resonance phenomenon and force dependency of the dynamic characteristics of rolling machine element due to the nonlinear friction. Finally, the author indicates nonlinear friction influences on the dynamic characteristics in the directions other than the feed direction.