Estimation of impact damping parameters for a cam-follower system based on measurements and analytical model

A new cam-follower system experiment capable of generating periodic impacts is utilized to estimate the impact damping model parameters. The experiment is designed to precisely measure the forces and acceleration during impulsive events. The impact damping force is described as a product of a damping coefficient, the indentation displacement raised to the power of a damping index, and the time derivative of the indentation displacement. A novel time-domain based technique and a signal processing procedure are developed to accurately estimate the damping coefficient and index. The measurements are compared to the predictions from a corresponding contact mechanics model with trial values of damping parameters on the basis of a particular residue; both parameters are quantified based on the minimization of this residue. The estimated damping parameters are justified using the literature and an equivalent coefficient of restitution model is developed. Also, some unresolved issues regarding the impact damping model are addressed.