An Environment-based Design (EBD) Approach to Developing Bearings Tribo-test Machine: a case study

Long-term lubrication is a critical issue for the life of the momentum wheel bearings that operate under varying conditions. To solve this problem, the evolution law of bearing friction torque needs to be accurately obtained. This paper presents the design and evaluation of a novel tribo-test machine for the momentum wheel bearing using an environment-based design (EBD) methodology. The EBD methodology enables a targeted conceptual design that considers the actual working environment of the momentum wheel and defines the performance indicators of the testing machine. The testing machine consists of a drive module and a load module, and a test method for the calibration and measurement stages is proposed to eliminate the interference from non-target loads. The case study demonstrates the rationality and effectiveness of the EBD methodology in the innovative development of test instruments in the bearing field.