Bearing loads in the Simulation workspace

Bearing loads are used to simulate the effects of cylindrical faces or bodies pushing against one another. A common case is a pin (or bolt) pushing against the wall of a hole. With a bearing load, you can simulate this interaction without the need to include both interacting bodies.

Study Types that offer this load option
Thermal stress study	Static stress study
Modal frequencies study	Structural buckling study
Shape optimization study	Nonlinear static stress study

The Bearing load is applied to the selected face in a parabolic distribution. This distribution is typical of the loading pattern that occurs naturally between shafts and bearings or between bearings and housings. Unlike a Force load, a Bearing load is always directed into the face and never acts in tension (it can only push, not pull). For example, a bearing load applied to a full 360° cylindrical face is distributed around half of the face (180°), and the other half of the face is not loaded.

The following image demonstrates the force distribution pattern of an upward Bearing Load acting against the face of a hole. Three different situations are shown:

• Full cylinder

• Half-cylinder with the force vector passing through the edges of the face

• 60° segment with the force vector passing through the center of the face

  .

You can define the force direction of a bearing load in the following ways:

• Angle (delta) : The direction is always radial, based on the selected cylindrical surface.
• Vectors (x,y,z) : using the global force components (Fx, Fy, and Fz).
• Reference : The direction is always radial, based on the selected cylindrical surface. Choose a reference entity to finalize the vector orientation, as follows:
  • Face (flat faces only): The vector direction is normal to the selected face.
  • Edge (straight edges only): The vector direction corresponds to the selected edge orientation.