9313161 Khonsari The bearing friction torque characteristics of model instrument ball bearings for ultra-low-speed operation will be determined experimentally and modeled theoretically. The pre-rolling rest slope and the steady-rolling friction torque combine to trace out hysteresis loops which determine the operating characteristics of precision positioning mechanisms. Both liquid lubricated and thin-film coated surfaces will be studied and the generic characteristics of these hysteresis loops will be correlated with lubricant properties and bearing characteristics. ***
