Prediction of fatigue limit of journal bearings considering a multi-axial stress state

Christopher Sous studied at RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany and received the MSc degree in 2012 in mechanical engineering. Ever since then, he has been working in the Tribology department at the Institute for Machine Elements and Machine Design, at RWTH Aachen University, Aachen. In 2014, he was appointed as a Group Leader of the Plain Bearing Group. In his studies, he investigates the influence of material and operating conditions on fatigue limit of plain bearings.

Henrik Wünsch studied at RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany and received his diploma in 2013 in mechanical engineering. Since then, he has been working in the group of Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics at the Institute for Material Applications in Mechanical Engineering, at RWTH Aachen University, Aachen. In his studies, he investigates the fatigue behaviour of metals and develops a method for the lifetime prediction of plain bearings.

Georg Jacobs received the Diplom-Ingenieur degree in 1989 at RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. From 1989 until 1996, he was employed at today’s Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Controls (then: Institute for Hydraulic and Pneumatic Drives and Controls, IHP), at RWTH Aachen University. In 1993, he received his PhD degree on a thesis with the topic “Wear Behavior of Hydraulic Pumps and Valves During Operation in Particle-Contaminated Oil” and was appointed as a Senior Engineer. In the years 1996 to 2008, he taught Construction of Fluid Power Machinery and Components at RWTH Aachen University. From 1996 until 1997, Professor Jacobs worked as the Product Business Unit Manager “Großpressen” for Müller Weingarten AG in Weingarten. In 1997, he joined the Mannesmann Rexroth AG and was the Head of the Application Centre Industrial Hydraulics until 2001. Subsequent to this, he took over the Head of Development in the product field of axial piston machines at the newly formed Bosch Rexroth AG. Simultaneously, he took over the technical management of Brueninghaus Hydomatik GmbH. He was the Spokesman for the product field “Drives” with the special responsibility for the coordination of development of gears, hydraulic pumps and motors from 2005 to 2008. He was also a Member of the division management “Hydraulic” since 2006. In October 2008, Professor Jacobs was appointed as the Head of the Chair and Institute for Machine Elements and Machine Design.

Christoph Broeckmann, after receiving his diploma in Mechanical Engineering at the Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany in 1990, worked with the Institute of Materials Science at Bochum until 2000, since 1996 as a Senior Scientist. He got his PhD in 1994 on a thesis on the fracture of carbide-rich steels. In 2000, Broeckmann got his lecture qualification (habilitation) based on a work on creep of particle reinforced materials. In 2000, he moved to the machine factory Köppern GmbH & Co. KG in Hattingen where he first was responsible for material- and design-related research and development. Since 2003, he became the Managing Director of “Köppern Entwicklungs GmbH”, a subsidiary dedicated to the development, production and delivery of large, powder metallurgically produced wear parts. Broeckmann joined RWTH Aachen University as a Professor in 2008. Since 2009, he is the Head of the Institute for Materials Applications in Mechanical Engineering.