Fluid-structure interactions (FSI) on static characteristics of hydrostatic guideways

In most previous studies, hydrostatic guideways are considered as rigid without deformations. However, the deformations of slideway due to fluid film pressure affect the fluid film thickness and the pressure distribution. In this paper a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model of hydrostatic guideways with annular gap restrictor is established. The model is solved by the finite element method (FEM). The influence of the slideway deformations on the stiffness, the flow characteristic, the pressure ratio and the film thickness are investigated. The deformations of the upper slideway decrease the stiffness of the hydrostatic guideways and increase the required flow rate. The stiffness, the volume flow rate and the deformations are linearly changed with the supply pressure. The relationship between pressure ratio and throttling length is nonlinear. The large value of α can attain high stiffness and decrease the volume flow rate. An appropriate increase in the thickness of the upper slideway can reduce the influences of the deformations.