Tribological Design Guide: Hydrodynamic Journal Bearings

A hydrodynamic or plain journal bearing consists of a shaft or journal rotating within a supporting metal sleeve or bushing in the presence of a viscous lubricant. There are no rolling elements. Bearings of this type are widely used in many engineering applications from internal combustion engines and electrical generating sets to artificial prostheses such as hips and knees. The combination of component geometry and motion generates a pressure in the lubricant film that is sufficient to support the applied load with no direct contact between the component surfaces. Although their design and construction is relatively simple bearing specification requires a basic understanding of the operating principles on which all bearings of this type depend. The webinar will compare the performance of hydrodynamic journals to other bearing types. It will provide practical guidelines for the design of steadily loaded full film hydrodynamic journal bearings. Address the operation and design of Hydrodynamic Journal Bearings based on the Guide published by the Tribology Group of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 2014. It will cover the fundamentals of hydrodynamic journal bearing operation, operating conditions, examples of practical designs, limitations of operation and design guides. Discover more about our webinars and events at