Rolamite

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Rolamite is a technology for very low friction bearings developed by Sandia National Laboratories in the 1960s. Invented by Sandia engineer Donald F. Wilkes, these devices use a stressed metal band and counter rotating rollers to create a bearing device that loses very little energy to friction. It is considered the only basic mechanical invention of the 20th century [1]. Tests by Sandia indicated that Rolamite mechanisms demonstrated friction coefficients as low as .0005, an order of magnitude better than ball bearings at the time.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Norman, Carlisle. "The Amazing Rolamite – It Opens the Door for 1000 Inventions", Popular Mechanics, February 1968.


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