Analysis of Contact Noise Due to Elastic Recovery of Surface Asperities for Spherical Contact

Contact noise, often arising from frictional vibrations in mechanical systems, significantly impacts performance and user experience. This study investigates the generation of contact noise due to the elastic recovery of surface asperities during spherical contact with rough surfaces. A numerical al...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bora Lee, Kyungseob Kim, Taewan Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Inventions
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5134/10/1/17
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Summary:Contact noise, often arising from frictional vibrations in mechanical systems, significantly impacts performance and user experience. This study investigates the generation of contact noise due to the elastic recovery of surface asperities during spherical contact with rough surfaces. A numerical algorithm was developed to model the noise produced by the elastic–plastic deformation of asperities, incorporating surface roughness and normal load effects. Gaussian-distributed rough surfaces with varying Ra values (0.01–5 μm) were generated to analyze the interaction between a rigid sphere and the rough surface. Contact pressure, asperity deformation, and the resulting acoustic emissions were calculated. The results indicate that, as surface roughness and applied load increase, noise levels within the audible frequency range also rise, exceeding 70 dB under certain conditions. The transition from elastic to plastic deformation significantly influences the noise characteristics. Surfaces with Ra ≥ 0.1 μm showed a 10–15 dB increase in noise compared to smoother surfaces. These findings offer insights into optimizing surface parameters for noise reduction in rolling contact applications, providing a foundation for designing low-noise mechanical systems. Future experimental validations are expected to enhance the practical applications of this analytical framework.
ISSN:2411-5134