Running-in Test and Fractal Methodology for Worn Surface Topography Characterization

Studying and understanding of the surface topography variation are the basis for analyzing tribological problems,and characterization of worn surface is necessary.Fractal geometry offers a more accurate description for surface roughness that topographic surfaces are statistically self-similar and can be quantitatively evaluated by fractal parameters.The change regularity of worn surface topography is one of the most important aspects of running-in study.However,the existing research normally adopts only one friction matching pair to explore the surface topography change,which interrupts the running-in wear process and makes the experimental result lack authenticity and objectivity.In this paper,to investigate the change regularity of surface topography during the real running-in process,a series of running-in tests by changing friction pairs under the same operating conditions are conducted on UMT-II Universal Multifunction Tester.The surface profile data are acquired by MiaoXAM2.5X-50X Ultrahigh Precision Surface 3D Profiler and analyzed using fractal dimension D,scale coefficient C and characteristic roughness Ra ＊based on root mean square（RMS） method.The characterization effects of the three parameters are discussed and compared.The results obtained show that there exists remarkable fractal feature of surface topography during running-in process,both D and Ra ＊increase gradually,while C decreases slowly as the wear-in process goes on,and all parameters tend to be stable when the wear process steps into the normal wear process.Ra ＊illustrates higher sensitivity for rough surface characterization compared with the other two parameters.In addition,the running-in test carried with a set of identical surface properties is more scientific and reasonable than the traditional one.The proposed research further indicates that the fractal method can quantitatively measure the rough surface,which also provides an evidence for running-in process identification and tribology design.

Importance of the Running-In Phase on the Life of Repairable Systems

The running-in phase is the first stage of the bearing lifespan. However, this phase is very short and extremely important for the future lifespan of the rolling bearing because it is what sets the stabilized state in terms of roughness of the parts in contact, residual geometry and surface residual stresses, which are key factors in the fatigue resistance of mechanical parts. Several numerical and experimental studies have highlighted the importance of the running-in phase in two scales (macroscopic, meso and microscopic). Due to its high flexibility, the approach presented in this work is a numerical modeling of the running-in phase which has been based on the Weibull distribution. The obtained results confirm the importance of the running-in phase on the lifespan of bearings or other mechanism whose functioning requires an adaptation phase of parts in contact. It also concludes that if the running-in phase has been performed correctly, there is a marked improvement in reliability. The curves describe the useful saved time of lifespan according to the scale of the running-in phase.

CALCULATION OF W-N GEAR DRIVES’RUNNING-IN PROCEDURE

A new calculating method of the running in procedure of W-N gear drives according to the criterion of frictional work consumed in meshing cycles is presented.Combining with the amount of clearances between two teeth flanks,the running-in procedure of W-N gear drives is reappeared more authentically. The erroneous conclusion that considering that the contact pressure uniformly distribute along the tooth depth after full running-in is corrected. So a foundation for the calculation of the contact pressure of W-N gear drives is provided.

Achieving macroscale superlubricity with ultra-short running-in period by using polyethylene glycol-tannic acid complex green lubricant

Superlubricating materials can greatly reduce the energy consumed and economic losses by unnecessary friction.However,a long pre-running-in period is indispensable for achieving superlubricity;this leads to severe wear on the surface of friction pairs and has become one of the important factors in the wear of superlubricating materials.In this study,a polyethylene glycol-tannic acid complex green liquid lubricant(PEG10000-TA)was designed to achieve macroscale superlubricity with an ultrashort running-in period of 9 s under a contact pressure of up to 410 MPa,and the wear rate was only 1.19×10^(–8)mm^(3)·N^(−1)·m^(−1).This is the shortest running-in time required to achieve superlubricity in Si_(3)N_(4)/glass(SiO_(2)).The results show that the strong hydrogen bonds between PEG and TA molecules can significantly reduce the time required for the tribochemical reaction,allowing the lubricating material to reach the state of superlubrication rapidly.Furthermore,the strong hydrogen bond can share a large load while fixing free water molecules in the contact zone to reduce shear interaction.These findings will help advance the use of liquid superlubricity technology in industrial and biomedical.

Combined effect of boundary layer formation and surface smoothing on friction and wear rate of lubricated point contacts during normal running-in processes

The combined effect of boundary layer formation and surface smoothing on friction and wear rate of metallic surfaces under lubricated point contact condition was investigated. The double trend of friction coefficient variations was revealed during running-in and sub-running-in processes. The evolution of surface topography was measured on-site using white-light interference profilometer and analyzed using bearing area curves. Comprehensive theoretical equations that explicitly express the contributions of boundary friction, adhesive friction and wear have been derived, and results obtained by these equations were compared with experimental observations. It is concluded that the theoretical models are quantitatively adequate to describe the combined effect of surface smoothing due to mechanical wear and formation of boundary films on the changes in friction and wear rate during normal running-in processes.

Running-in process of Si-SiO_(x)/SiO_(2)pair at nanoscale-Sharp drops in friction and wear rate during initial cycles

Using an atomic force microscope,the running-in process of a single crystalline silicon wafer coated with native oxide layer(Si-SiO_(x))against a SiO_(2)microsphere was investigated under various normal loads and displacement amplitudes in ambient air.As the number of sliding cycles increased,both the friction force Ft of the Si-SiO_(x)/SiO_(2)pair and the wear rate of the silicon surface showed sharp drops during the initial 50 cycles and then leveled off in the remaining cycles.The sharp drop in Ft appeared to be induced mainly by the reduction of adhesion-related interfacial force between the Si-SiO_(x)/SiO_(2)pair.During the running-in process,the contact area of the Si-SiO_(x)/SiO_(2)pair might become hydrophobic due to removal of the hydrophilic oxide layer on the silicon surface and the surface change of the SiO_(2)tip,which caused the reduction of friction force and the wear rate of the Si-SiO_(x)/SiO_(2)pair.A phenomenological model is proposed to explain the running-in process of the Si-SiO_(x)/SiO_(2)pair in ambient air.The results may help us understand the mechanism of the running-in process of the Si-SiO_(x)/SiO_(2)pair at nanoscale and reduce wear failure in dynamic microelectromechanical systems(MEMS).

On the boundedness of running-in attractors based on recurrence plot and recurrence qualification analysis

A feature parameter was proposed to quantitatively explore the boundedness of running-in attractors;its variation throughout the friction process was also investigated. The enclosing radius R was built with recurrence plots(RPs) and recurrence qualification analysis(RQA) by using the time delay embedding and phase space reconstruction. Additionally, the typology of RPs and the recurrence rate(RR) were investigated to verify the applicability of R in characterizing the friction process. Results showed that R is larger at the beginning, but exhibits a downward trend in the running-in friction process;R becomes smooth and trends to small steady values during the steady-state friction period, and finally shows an upward trend until failure occurs. The evolution of R, which corresponded with the typology of RPs and RR during friction process, can be used to quantitatively analyze the variation of the running-in attractors and friction state identifacation. Hence, R is a valid parameter, and the boundedness of running-in attractors can offer a new way for monitoring the friction state of tribological pairs.

Tribological behavior of co-textured cylinder liner-piston ring during running-in

The running-in of cylinder liner-piston rings(CLPRs)is the most important process that must be performed before a marine diesel engine can be operated.The quality of running-in directly affects the reliability of a CLPR.The surface texture of a CLPR has been proven to significantly affect its lubrication performance.In this study,the tribological behavior of a CLPR during running-in is investigated.Three types of surface textures are generated on the CLPR via laser processing:dimple texture on piston rings,groove texture on cylinder liners,and co-texture on both sides.Subsequently,a series of tests are performed on a slice tester.A load of 300 N(1.64 MPa) is applied,and two speeds(50 and 100 rpm)are adopted.The CLPR running-in quality is characterized based on three parameters,i.e.,the friction coefficient,contact resistance,and wear topography.Experimental results show that,compared with a non-textured surface,the three types of surface textures mentioned above improved the friction performance during running-in.The lubricant supply capacity of the dimple texture on the piston ring,as a mobile oil reservoir,is stronger than that of the groove texture on the cylinder liner serving as a static oil reservoir.By contrast,the wear resistance of the dimple texture,as a movable debris trap on the piston ring,is weaker than that of the groove texture on the cylinder liner,which serves as a static debris trap.It is demonstrated that the co-texture combines the advantages of dimples and groove textures.Compared with non-textured surfaces,the friction coefficient decreased the most at 100 rpm(44.5%),and the contact resistance improved the most at 50 rpm(352.9%).The coupling effect provides the surface with improved running-in quality by optimizing the tribological performance,particularly at the dead center.This study provides guidance for the tribological design and manufacturing of CLPR in marine diesel engines.

Running-in behavior of a H‒DLC/Al_(2)O_(3) pair at the nanoscale

Diamond-like carbon(DLC)film has been developed as an extremely effective lubricant to reduce energy dissipation;however,most films should undergo running-in to achieve a super-low friction state.In this study,the running-in behaviors of an H–DLC/Al_(2)O_(3) pair were investigated through a controllable single-asperity contact study using an atomic force microscope.This study presents direct evidence that illustrates the role of transfer layer formation and oxide layer removal in the friction reduction during running-in.After 200 sliding cycles,a thin transfer layer was formed on the Al2O3 tip.Compared with a clean tip,this modified tip showed a significantly lower adhesion force and friction force on the original H–DLC film,which confirmed the contribution of the transfer layer formation in the friction reduction during running-in.It was also found that the friction coefficient of the H–DLC/Al_(2)O_(3) pair decreased linearly as the oxygen concentration of the H–DLC substrate surface decreased.This phenomenon can be explained by a change in the contact surface from an oxygen termination with strong hydrogen bond interactions to a hydrogen termination with weak van der Waals interactions.These results provide new insights that quantitatively reveal the running-in mechanism at the nanoscale,which may help with the design optimization of DLC films for different environmental applications.

Running‑In Behavior of Wet Multi‑plate Clutches:Introduction of a New Test Method for Investigation and Characterization

Wet multi-plate clutches are relevant components of modern drivetrain applications,not only in terms of function but also safety and comfort.Especially at the beginning of their lifetime,distinct changes of the friction behavior may occur and make the actuation of the clutch challenging.This transcript describes the typical running-in behavior of wet multi-plate clutches and gives a general definition for running-in of clutches.Moreover,a new test method to systematically investigate the running-in behavior of clutches is introduced.This test method contains a test procedure to characterize the running-in behavior on different load levels.Furthermore,a multi-stage procedure to evaluate and characterize the running-in behavior of clutches with mathematical approaches and new characteristic values is given.The quality of the test method is demonstrated on the example of three different tribological systems from dual clutch transmissions(DCT)and automatic transmissions(AT)application using paper friction linings.

Adjustable superlubricity system using polyalkylene glycol with various acid aqueous solutions

Polyalkylene glycol(PAG)aqueous solutions have recently been demonstrated to exhibit an ultralow friction coefficient(COF,μ<0.01).However,the prolonged running-in period and low bearing capacity have limited its widespread application.In this study,we determined that the running-in period can be decreased by more than 75%when the pH value of the lubricant is controlled at 3 by introducing various acid solutions.Additionally,less time was required to realize stable superlubricity with inorganic acid at lower pH values.This was mainly attributed to the acceleration effect of hydrogen ions around the contact region.In case of PAG aqueous solution with organic acid,the wear loss between sliding solid surfaces was reduced,and thus the bearing pressure during the superlubricity period was significantly improved from approximately 30 to 160 MPa.Furthermore,the organic acid molecules were considered to form strong hydrogen bonds with PAG macromolecules and solid surfaces.This in turn strengthened the structure of the adsorption layers.The unique effect of different acids in aqueous polymer lubrication can potentially significantly aid in advancing the study of polymer tribology and broadening industrial applications.

Load and velocity boundaries of oil-based superlubricity using 1,3-diketone

The clarification of the critical operating conditions and the failure mechanism of superlubricity systems is of great significance for seeking appropriate applications in industry.In this work,the superlubricity region of 1,3-diketone oil EPND(1-(4-ethyl phenyl)nonane-1,3-dione)on steel surfaces was identified by performing a series of ball-on-disk rotation friction tests under various normal loads(3.5–64 N)and sliding velocities(100–600 mm/s).The result shows that beyond certain loads or velocities superlubricity failed to be reached due to the following negative effects:(1)Under low load(≤3.5 N),insufficient running-in could not ensure good asperity level conformity between the upper and lower surfaces;(2)the high load(≥64 N)produced excessive wear and big debris;(3)at low velocity(≤100 mm/s),the weak hydrodynamic effect and the generated debris deteriorated the lubrication performance;(4)at high velocity(≥500 mm/s),oil migration occurred and resulted in oil starvation.In order to expand the load and velocity boundaries of the superlubricity region,an optimized running-in method was proposed to avoid the above negative effects.By initially operating a running-in process under a suitable combination of load and velocity(e.g.16 N and 300 mm/s)and then switching to the target certain higher or lower load/velocity(e.g.100 N),the superlubricity region could break through its original boundaries.The result of this work suggests that oil-based superlubricity of 1,3-diketone is a promising solution to friction reduction under suitable operating conditions especially using a well-designed running-in strategy.

Friction and wear behaviors of a gradient nano-grained AISI 316L stainless steel under dry and oil-lubricated conditions

A gradient nano-grained （GNG） surface layer was fabricated on an AIS1316L stainless steel （SS） by using the surface mechanical rolling treatment （SMRT）. Reciprocating dry and oil-lubricated sliding tests of the GNG 316L SS in air at room temperature were conducted in comparison with the coarse-grained （CG） counterpart. Worn surface morphologies and subsurface microstructures were investigated for both 316L SS samples. 316L SS with a GNG surface layer shows a significantly improved wear resistance, especially under oil-lubricated condition. The notably wear resistance enhancement of the GNG 316L SS is attributed to the GNG surface layer with high strain accommodation ability and high hardness, which can reduce the wear volume in the running-in stage effectively.

Study on the characterization of the surface topography of friction pairs during wear process with fractal theory

Wear of machine parts is an important problem in operating life of machines. Rationalwear and running-in procedures are able to machine parts improve in conformity, surface topog-raphy and frictional compatibility during usage, therefore improving machine reliability and pro-longing its operating life. Hence, it is necessary to study the topography characterization of thesurfaces of friction pairs and its change laws in wear or running-in process. This paper appliesfractal theory to study the characterization of the worn surface topographies of friction pairs duringthe initial stage of wear process. Experimental researches show that the fractal parameters of thesurface topographies of friction pairs will reach their steady-state values, respectively, with thewear process going on. And the variations of the fractal parameters have corresponding laws fortwo samples of friction pairs.

Low friction in self-mated silicon carbide tribosystem using nanodiamond as lubricating additive in water

Nanodiamond particles(NDPs)have been considered as a potential lubricant additive to various tribological applications,such as water lubrication systems.In this study,the tribological properties of silicon carbide(SiC)lubricated by NDPs dispersed in water are investigated utilizing the ball-on-disk tribometer.It is found that the slight addition of NDP to water(i.e.,0.001 wt%)can distinctly accelerate the running-in process,which is necessary to achieve a friction coefficient(μ)as low as 0.01.This study also discusses two NDP functional terminations—hydroxyl and carboxyl.It is demonstrated that the use of carboxyl-terminated NDP over a wide range of concentration(0.001 wt%-1 wt%)yields a low friction force.In contrast,the ideal effective concentration of hydroxyl-terminated NDP is considerably limited because agglomeration in this material is more probable to occur than in the former.Meanwhile,when utilizing NDPs,the input friction energy(P_(in),defined as the product of sliding speed and applied load)is found to have an essential function.Several sliding tests were implemented at various P_(in) values(50-1,500 mW)using carboxyl-terminated water-dispersed NDPs.It was observed that theμand wear decreased with increasing P_(in) when 200 mW<P_(in)<1,500 mW.However,when P_(in)<200 mW,low friction with high wear occurs compared with the resulting friction and wear when pure water is used.