W pracy przedstawiono metodę projektowania hydrodynamicznych łożysk wzdłużnych z wykorzystaniem optymalizacji kształtu szczeliny smarowej. Metoda różni się od stosowanych dotychczas tym, że w pierwszej fazie projektowania wyznacza się optymalny kształt szczeliny smarowej projektowanego łożyska. Optymalizacja kształtu szczeliny smarowej jest przeprowadzana bez żadnych wstępnych założeń dotyczących postaci konstrukcyjnej łożyska, natomiast uwzględniane są wymagania charakterystyczne dla zadanych warunków pracy łożyska. W następnym etapie poszukuje się sposobu uzyskania w łożysku szczeliny smarowej o wyznaczonym obliczeniowo kształcie poprzez wybór postaci konstrukcyjnej, dla której można spodziewać się uzyskania pożądanego kształtu i, dla tej postaci konstrukcyjnej, dobór parametrów konstrukcyjnych. Metoda projektowania nie jest związana z żadną konkretną postacią konstrukcyjną łożyska, dzięki czemu poszerzony jest obszar poszukiwania rozwiązań i większa jest szansa zbliżenia się do optymalnego kształtu.
Oil gap profile exerts a great influence on the bearing properties, therefore obtaining a film profile close to an optimum should improve bearing performance. The analysis of bearings' design methods showed that optimization of oil gap profile is not utilized in currently used design methods. A method of bearing design presented in the paper consists of two separate stages: 1. oil gap profile optimization, 2. bearing type selection and detailed design. Optimization of the oil gap is the essential part of the presented design method. The fact that an optimum profile of the oil gap is evaluated without any a-priori assumption on bearing type and design is an important feature of the presented method. Due to this, bearing design features do not determine oil gap profiles, therefore the potential field of solutions is not restricted. An optimization objective function used in the calculations was devised to represent bearing operation safety. According to this function the bearing oil gap profile is modified with the use of optimization procedure until minimum film thickness and maximum bearing temperature are as far from the allowable limits as possible. Operating conditions for calculations were specified according to the load carrying capacity of typical industrial tilting pad thrust bearings. Optimization carried out for low and high-speed conditions shows the influence of operating conditions on the profile. In the low-speed case bearing surface is of pocket shape in order to stop side leakage and increase minimum film thickness, whereas optimum profile for higher speeds becomes slightly convex. Such a result for higher speed seems to reflect increasing importance of maximum temperature factor in the objective function. At the second stage of bearing design, on the basis of optimization results obtained, a bearing type is selected. It is possible to obtain favorable film profile in bearings of various designs including fixed geometry bearings with specially machined sliding surfaces, bearings with elastic elements, bearings with compliant sliding surface lining and also, in future, in smart systems. For the bearing type selected the detailed design - design parameters selection is carried out in order to design a bearing in which the real profile of the oil gap during operation would be close to an optimum. Despite differences in optimum shape of the oil gap it is typical to use the same bearing for a variety of operating conditions. It means that in an industrial bearing the real oil gap profile is far from the optimum, which affects the bearing performance. The results of the experimental research carried out separately by the author showed superiority of the proposed design method over a current practice of selecting a universal, stock bearing from a catalogue. With the development of CAD/CAM techniques it seems possible that bearings in near future can be individually designed and manufactured.