EG Tribology Course PDH File5681

PDHonline Course M427 (6 PDH)
ENGINEERING TRIBOLOGY
Instructor: Robert P. Jackson, PE
2012
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION PAGE 5
BENEFITS FROM UNDERSTANDING TRIBOLOGY PAGE 6
HISTORY OF TRIBOLOGY PAGE 7
FRICTION, WEAR, LUBRICATION AND ADHESION PAGE 10
FRICTION PAGE 10
OBSERVATIONS PAGE 12
COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION FOR VARIOUS MATERIAL PAIRS PAGE 13
STATIC AND KINETIC FRICTION PAGE 14
THERMAL PROCESSES IN FRICTION PAGE 17
WEAR PAGE 17
MECHANISMS OF WEAR PAGE 19
SEIZURE PAGE 19
MELT WEAR PAGE 19
OXIDATION‐DOMINATED WEAR PAGE 19
MECHANICAL WEAR PROCESSES PAGE 19
RUNNING‐IN PAGE 19
ADHESIVE PAGE 20
ABRASIVE PAGE 20
FRETTING AND CORROSION PAGE 21
EROSIVE PAGE 21
LUBRICATION PAGE 22
METHOD OF LUBRICATION PAGE 23
OIL‐BATH PAGE 23
© Robert P. Jackson Page 2 of 60
OIL‐SPLASH PAGE 23
CIRCULATING PAGE 23
VISCOSITY PAGE 23
LUBRICANT CLASSIFICATION PAGE 24
MINERAL LUBRICANTS PAGE 24
SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS PAGE 25
TYPES OF LUBRICATION PAGE 26
BOUNDRY PAGE 26
MIXED FILM PAGE 27
ELASTOHYDRODYNAMIC PAGE 27
STRIBECK CURVE PAGE 28
SAE GRADES PAGE 30
API CLASS PAGE 30
ADHESION PAGE 31
ENGINEERING SURFACES PAGE 32
SURFACE TREATMENTS PAGE 32
HARDNESS OF MATERIALS PAGE 33
BRINELL PAGE 34
ROCKWELL PAGE 35
VICKERS and KNOOP PAGE 36
CONTACT BETWEEN SURFACES PAGE 37
BEARINGS PAGE 37
HYDROSTATIC PAGE 38
HYDRODYNAMIC PAGE 38
GAS PAGE 39
ROLLING CONTACT PAGE 40
EMERGING FIELDS OF STUDY PAGE 41
GREEN TRIBOLOGY PAGE 41
NANO‐TRIBOLOGY PAGE 41
SUMMARY PAGE 42
LIST OF FIGURES PAGE 43
LIST OF TABLES PAGE 45
LIST OF EQUATIONS PAGE 46
APPENDIX PAGE 47
GLOSSARY PAGE 48
HARDNESS OF SELECTED PAIRS PAGE 55
REFERENCES PAGE 60
INTRODUCTION:
Tribology is defined as the ‘science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion and of
related subjects and practices’; it deals with every aspect of 1.) Friction, 2.) Wear, 3.) Lubrication
and 4.) Adhesion. This term is derived from the Greek word ‘tribos’ (τρίβοσ) meaning ‘rubbing’ or
to rub. Figure one below will illustrate two types of movement; sliding and rolling, commonplace
with a great number of mechanical and electromechanical devices. These sliding and rolling
surfaces represent the key to much of our technological society and understanding tribological
principles is essential for the successful design of machine elements. When two nominally flat
surfaces are placed in contact with each other, surface roughness causes contact to occur at
discrete contact spots; thus, interfacial adhesion occurs. Friction is defined as the resistance to
motion experienced whenever one solid body moves over another. Wear is defined as surface
damage or removal of material from one or both solid surfaces during moving contact. Materials,
coatings and surface treatments are used to control friction and wear. One of the most effective
means of controlling friction and wear is by proper lubrication, which provides smooth running and
satisfactory life for machine elements. Lubricants can be solid or gaseous.
FIGURE 1: SLIDING AND ROLLING MOVEMENT OF PAIRED COMPONENTS
One goal of every designer should be bringing about the transmission of mechanical power with the
lowest possible friction losses and with minimal wear of mating surfaces. Even with this being the
case, on average, only one hour of instruction over a four year curriculum is taught to mechanical
engineering students, relative to the subject. One would think a subject of such importance would
be given more recognition during classroom work, but that is definitely not the case in the United
States, Canada or Western European countries. The benefits of doing so are appreciable, and we
will now take a look at those benefits.
BENEFITS FROM UNDERSTANDING TRIBOLOGY PRINCIPLES:
There is definitely an industrial significance for understanding of tribology. According to some
estimates, losses resulting from friction and wear amount to approximately six percent (6%) of the
GNP (Gross National Product) in the United States alone. This amounts to approximately $200
million per year. It has been estimated that one‐third of the world’s energy resources appear as
friction in one form or another. According to Dr. Peter Jost, the United Kingdom could save
approximately £ 500 million per year by employing better tricological practices. The following table
and chart will indicate just where he feels those savings might be expected.

TABLE 1: SAVINGS RELSULTING FROM PROPER UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF
TRIBOLOGY
These values may be seen in graphic form with the representation given below:

FIGURE 2: SAVINGS RELSULTING FROM PROPER UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF
TRIBOLOGY
A very similar classification of savings will exist for the United States. These two representations
give estimated saving, but please note there is a definite benefit due to increased reliability; an
improvement in meantime to failure (MTTF) and meantime between failure (MTBF) of moving
parts. Figure 3 below will indicate possible savings postulated by manufacturers in the United
States. Having been in manufacturing for over 40 years, I can definitely state the 20% savings on
maintenance and repair is a viable number. Proper maintenance, on a continuous basis, can extend
the life of mechanical parts.

FIGURE 3: H. PETER JOST’S PROJECTED ECONOMIC BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED
LUBRICATION DESIGN AND PRACTICE.
You can see the potential for cost reduction and improved reliability are significant. Educating the
design engineer relative to the study and benefits of tribology can bring good things to the overall
design when moving machine elements are needed. It is worth the effort, and more time should be
spent at the university level finding solutions to the problem.
HISTORY OF TRIBOLOGY:
There is absolutely no doubt that ever since our ancestors began dragging loads over the ground,
they sought methods to lessen friction. There are wall paintings in Mesopotamia and Egypt that
depict the transport of huge stone blocks from quarries to the “job site”. The very earliest attempt
at mitigating friction was cutting trees, laying them down, positioning the load, and then rolling that
load to its final destination. This worked well but required back‐breaking effort to keep moving the
“rotating members” from the rear of the load to the front of the load and in the direction of the
desired motion. Later in the evolutionary process, some enterprising individual designed the wheel
and eventually got the idea that two wheels were better than one, particularly when stability was
desired. Records show the use of wheels dating from 3500 BC. Carts and wagons came next. This
fact illustrates our ancestors' concern with reducing friction in translationary motion.

Chinese pictographs, from the second millennium, have been found showing wheeled chariots and
carts carrying a variety of loads, i.e. grain, bricks, reeds, etc. We know that each wheel was
outfitted with bronze bearings, greased with animal fats and tallow. More useful and less
menacing were thrust bearings used in grinding wheels for the production of grain and potter’s
wheels needed to fashion clay‐wear for cooking and holding water. Some of the most illuminating
accounts of the implementation of tribological ideas can be found in the writings of Marcus
Vitruvius Polio, the Roman architect and engineer, who lived in the first century A.D. His writings
were lost during the fall of the Roman Empire but rediscovered in 1920 at Lake Nemi, which is 30
kilometers from Rome.
It is also known that many ideas and inventions seem to have originated in Asia before being
introduced into Europe. One such invention was the mechanical clock. It was probably the
outstanding engineering achievement during the time period between A.D 400 to 1450. The
bearings and escapements must have been “state‐of‐the‐art” for that period of time, and we know
that lubricants were used to lessen friction and wear.
The problems of friction and wear were of concern to the greatest mind of the sixteenth century,
Leonardo de Vinci (1452—1519). We know from his notebooks, which contain more than 5,000
pages of notes and sketches, that he was definitely aware of the roll friction and wear play when
considering rotating and moving mechanisms. Sketches from de Vinci show designs of ingenious
rolling‐element bearings that form the basis for our modern rotating mechanisms. He deduced the
laws governing the motion of a rectangular block sliding over a flat surface. He introduced, for the
first time, the concept of the coefficient of friction as the ratio of the friction force to normal load.
His work had no historical influence because his notebooks remained unpublished for hundreds of
years.

In 1699 the French physicist Guillaume Amontons rediscovered the laws of friction after studying
dry sliding between two flat surfaces. Two very important concepts were developed by Amontons.
First, the friction force that resists sliding at an interface is directly proportional to the normal load.
Secondly, the amount of friction force does not depend upon the apparent area of contact. The
middle portion of the 17th century was called the “age of reason” and during this period of time the
scientific methods of investigation were developed. Attempts to quantify the laws of friction and
wear were undertaken. This fact is substantiated by the formation of the Royal Society in England
and the Academie Royal des Sciences in France. These societies provided organization and
structure necessary to continue research and development in several areas including friction, wear
and lubrication. By the close of the century, the laws of friction had been postulated by Sir Isaac
Newton. His work became the foundation for a field of study we now know as fluid mechanics.

The concept of viscosity was postulated by Claude Navier and occurred approximately 150 years
after Newton did his work on resistance to flow and fluid mechanics. One of the most
comprehensive studies of friction during the early part of this period was undertaken by Charles
Coulomb in 1785. His work was concerned with practical tribological problems in naval and military
matters. Much of his best work was to “fit” various empirical equations to observations. These, for
the first time, distinguish between the effects of adhesion and that of deformation. He added a
third law that states that friction force is independent of velocity when motion starts. He also made
the distinction between static friction and dynamic friction. Other great men of science concerned
with friction, wear and lubrication were Robert Hooke, Beauchamp Tower, Osborne Reynolds,
Heinrich Hertz, John Theophilius Desanguliers, Leonard Euler, D.B. Hardy and N.P. Petroff. These
pioneers brought tribology to a standard, and its laws still apply to many engineering problems
today.

As western mechanization continued, there occurred a significant increase in the wear and failure
of mechanical devices and substantial loss of money. It became increasingly difficult to keep a
manufacturing operation running smoothly and down‐time represented a very real problem to
plant managers and CEOs. This trend was recognized by specialists involved in the subjects of
friction, wear and lubrication. Numerous papers on various facets of these subjects were presented.
However, it was not until October 1964 that a Conference on Iron and Steel Works Lubrication,
organized by the Lubrication & Wear Group of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Iron
and Steel Institute, revealed the magnitude of the problem and its occurrence on an international
scale. The situation called for more and better education and for coordinated research on a national
scale. We have mentioned before that Dr. H. Peter Jost was the individual most instrumental in
initiating and continuing research on the subject of Tribology. A photograph of Dr. Jost is given
below:

FIGURE 4: DR. H. PETER JOST

As with any endeavor, Dr. Jost did not work alone. As a result, the founding fathers of Tribology
are often considered to be the gentlemen in the following photograph:

FIGURE 5: THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF MODERN TRIBOLOGY

Like most endeavors in any field of science, the progress is evolutionary and not revolutionary.
Discovery takes time but the discoveries in today’s world occur much faster due to the availability
of marvelous research tools such as the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), the Atomic Force
Microscope (AFM) and Friction Force Microscope (FFM). These devices have brought about the
field of nano‐tribology and micro‐triboloby with both concentrating on the microscopic properties
of friction, wear, lubrication and adhesion. The advent of these devices has led to a remarkable
advancement in the field of study with significantly improved understanding of the basic forces
involved with applications. We wish now to better define the subject matter. Please note, a survey
course such as this can only offer a condensed treatment of this fascinating subject. I do hope to
provide enough information to allow further study and give a basic understanding of the principles
involved.

FRICTION, WEAR, LUBRICATION AND ADHESION:

I think it is very important to start with fundamental definitions of friction, wear, lubrication and
adhesion. In this fashion, we will be grounded and any misunderstanding relative to these
important areas of study will be eliminated. It will become evident as to how these factors
produce cause‐effect relationships.

FRICTION:

Friction is a dissipative process resulting from the relative motion of media in contact with each
other. Continued energy input is required to sustain this relative motion. Generally, this motion
can be expressed as a combination of sliding (linear displacement tangential to the contact plane)
rolling (angular displacement with respect to a tangential axis) and spin (angular displacement with
respect to the normal axis). The work expended against friction is often redundant; that is, it makes
no useful contribution to the overall operation of the device of which the bodies are a part, and
ultimately must be dissipated as waste heat. Consequently, in most tribological designs, our aim is
to keep these frictional forces as small as possible. All machine surfaces are rough, relatively
speaking, and even the most finely prepared surfaces will demonstrate asperities that induce
friction. The real area of contact is made up of a large number of very small regions of contact.
These regions are called asperities or junctions of contact. This is where atom‐to‐atom contact
takes place. The “official” definition of asperity is as follows: asperity, in tribology, a protuberance
in the small‐scale topographical irregularities of a solid surface.

The force of static friction between two sliding surfaces is strongly dependent upon the real area of
contact. Figure 6 below is a very crude representation of the profile between mating surfaces:

FIGURE 6: ASPERITIES OF MATING MACHINES SURFACES

Another representation is given by Figure 7 below.

FIGURE 7: TRUE CONTACT AREA AND ASPERITIES OF MATING MACHINED SURFACES

Figure 8 below shows an actual micro‐graph of asperities for one machined surface made from tool
steel. The unit of measurement is micro‐meters, so you can see we are discussing protrusions,
ridges and valleys, with very small dimensions.


FIGURE 8: ASPERITIES OF MACHINED SURFACE USING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE

Generally, one surface is static (stationary) and one surface is dynamic (moving). This is certainly
the case with mechanical members such as indexing slides and bearings. There are several very
interesting observations regarding friction; stated as follows:

OBSERVATIONS:

FRICTION
is essentially an electrostatic force between two surfaces
never initiates motion; it only responds to motion
depends on the materials in contact with each other. The coefficient of friction, µ, is a
critical property of the materials selected.
depends on the net force normal pressing the two surfaces in contact (W)
acts parallel to the surfaces that are (or might have the potential to be) moving with respect
to each other
opposes the direction of motion
is independent of the area of the surfaces in contact. (First postulated by Coulomb.)
static friction > kinetic friction > rolling friction for the same combinations of surfaces
when two surfaces are slipping across each other in the presence of kinetic friction, heat is
generated and mechanical energy is not conserved
when a ball rolls (static friction) without slipping across a surface, mechanical energy is
conserved and no heat is generated
is not dependent upon the surface roughness, or at least surface roughness has a very
modest effect on frictional forces.
is dependent upon the material on both surfaces. Even minute quantities of moisture on
the surfaces can reduce friction by 20% to 30%. If there is a layer of grease on the surfaces,
friction can be cut by a factor of 10.
COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION FOR VARIOUS MATERIAL PAIRS:
The first of Amonton’s laws states that the friction force “F” between a pair of loaded sliding
surfaces is proportional to the normal load “W” or “N” that pair carries. The tangential force
required to slide one surface over the other is proportional to the weight of the surface. If the mass
of one surface (weight on the planet earth) is doubled, the force required to initiate or maintain the
sliding motion is doubled. This law is represented by the following equation:

EQUATION 1: MATHEMATICAL DEFINITION OF FRICTION.
In this equation, µ is the coefficient of friction. Please note, this value varies depending upon the
material for each individual component in the pair. This fact is highlighted with the table given in
the Appendix to this document. Please notice from the table that there is a difference between the
values for the coefficient of friction for static and sliding or kinetic friction. We are going to discuss
static vs. kinetic friction later on in this section.
Let us very quickly look at several other conditions dealing with two and three dimensional friction
to make sure we are grounded relative to weight, force and the coefficient of friction. Please take a
look at the following:
TWO DIMENSIONAL:

FIGURE 9: SIGNIFICANCE OF FORCE, WEIGHT AND THE COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION
The figure above represents two blocks or two surfaces in which surface number 2 presses down
upon surface number 1. A horizontal force is applied to surface number 2 in order to initiate
movement. Let us now draw a free‐body diagram of the forces applied to the assembly. Again,
surface number 1 is static; surface number 2 is dynamic or moving.

FIGURE 10: TWO‐DIMENSIONAL SLIDING COMPONENTS
From observation, we can state the following:
i.) If the two contacting surfaces do not slide, then T(absolute) < µW
ii.) The two surfaces start to slip if T(absolute) = µW
iii.) If the two surfaces are sliding, then T(absolute) =±µW
Please note the sign for these formulas must be selected so that T opposes the direction of motion.
Also, as we have discussed previously, µ is called the coefficient of friction for the two materials in
contact with each other. For most engineering problems, 0<µ<1. Again, actual values for the
coefficient of friction may be seen for various materials from the appendix.
STATIC AND KINETIC FRICTION:
Many textbooks define two different friction coefficients; i.e. static (µs) and dynamic or kinetic (µk).
It is definitely true that, for some materials and some material pairs, the static coefficient of friction
can be somewhat higher than the coefficient for kinetic friction. This behavior is by no means
universal, and in any case, the difference between µs and µk is quite small (on the order of 0.05).
The real reason to distinguish between static and kinetic friction is to provide a simple explanation
for slip‐stick oscillations between two contacting surfaces. When one component of a mating pair
slides for a while, sticks, then jumps into motion again—it is called a slip‐stick oscillation. If µs and
µk were constant, this occurrence would be impossible.
THREE DIMENSIONAL:
We must take a look at a three‐dimensional problem because three‐dimensional contacts are more
complicated. The basic methodology is identical, but the tangential force can have two
components. To better describe this mathematically, we introduce {e(1), e(2) and e(3)} with e(1)
and e(2) being in the plane of the contact and e(3) being normal to the plane of the contact.
Please look at Figure 12. You will see we have selected as our coordinates e(1)—“X” axis; e(2)—“Y”
axis and e(3)—“Z” axis. The tangential force T(1/2) exerted by body (1) on body (2) is then
expressed as a component in this basis; i.e.
Again, from Figure 12, we see that the forces opposing motion are the friction forces.
T(1/2) = T(1)e(1) + T(2)e(2)
EQUATION 2: THREE DIMENSIONAL CONTACT

FIGURE 11: THREE DIMENSIONAL MATH MODEL

FIGURE 12: THREE DIMENSIONAL MATH MODEL (2)
OBSERVATIONS:
i.) If the two contacting surfaces do not slide, then
[T(1)^2 + T(2)^2]^0.50 <µ W EQUATION 3: SURFACES DO NOT SLIDE
ii.) The two surfaces will not start to slip if
[T(1)^2 + T(2)^2 ]^0.50 = µ W EQUATION 4: SURFACES WILL NOT SLIP
iii.) If the two surfaces are sliding, then
[T(1/2) = µ W (V12/|V12| EQUATION 5: SURFACES SLIDING
Note: The symbol ^ indicates a quantity raised to a power.
Where T(1/2) denotes the tangential force exerted by body one on body two and V12 is the relative
velocity of body one with respect to body two at the point of contact. The relative velocity can be
computed from the velocities V(1) and V(2) of the two contacting solids, using the equation:
V12 = V(1) – V(2) EQUATION 6: RELATIVE VELOCITY

THERMAL PROCESSES IN FRICTION:
As the asperities in contacting surfaces rub against each other, the dissipated energy transforms
into heat. Thermal energy thus produced subsequently diffuses into the mass of both contacting
materials. The resulting heating affects the mechanical properties of the materials as well as their
micro‐structural characteristics. This heating effect may create a very unsafe condition as the
temperature exceeds the design limits of the part relative to the material used. Knowledge of these
temperatures is certainly desirable and will preclude premature failure of the component and
improved performance relative to MTBF and MTTF. If a hard material with a single asperity slides
over a smooth or softer surface, a steady state condition may quickly result and heating may be
determined through measurements or calculation. A troublesome situation may result when
temperature “spikes” occur that drive the components above their design limits. This can anneal
the material and actually alter the microstructure. When this happens, reliability and product life
are lessened.
WEAR:

Wear is progressive damage, involving material loss, which occurs on the surface of a component
as a result of its motion relative to adjacent working parts. Wear is an almost inevitable companion
of friction. The economic consequences of wear are widespread and pervasive. They not only
involve the costs of downtime but the cost of replacement parts, lost production, and the
consequences of lost business opportunities. Wear is customarily noted by “ω” and is defined by
the volume of material lost from the wearing surface per unit sliding distance. Its dimensions are
consequently, length. For a dry or unlubricated surface, the factors for wear rate are: normal load,
the relative sliding speed, the initial temperature of the sliding pair, and mechanical properties of
the materials involved. There are many physical mechanisms that can contribute to wear and
certainly no simple and universal mathematical model is applicable to all situations. Elements such
as entrained dirt, moisture, corrosion of surfaces, de‐lamination of component material, etc. can
definitely contribute to wear. The Archard wear equation states that ω is directly proportional to
the load W on contact but inversely proportional to the surface hardness “H” of the wear material
or:
ω = K (W/H)

FORMULA 7: ARCHARD EQUATION DEFINING WEAR

This mathematical equation indicates that surface hardness is definitely a factor when considering
materials for sliding or rotating surfaces.

The dimensionless constant K is known as the wear coefficient. Knowledge of its value is obviously
vital in any attempt to apply the above equation in any predictive fashion. Typical values of the
dimensionless wear coefficient may be seen as follows:

TABLE 2: COEFFICIENT OF WEAR (ω) FOR VARIOUS MATERIALS

Tables do exist for the approximations of “K” values. As you can see, values do vary, sometimes
considerably. Please consult these prior to calculating wear values.

There are two fairly simple classifications of wear; i.e. mild and severe. These are not really based
upon mathematical models but observation alone. Distinction between mild and several wear may
be seen as follows:

TABLE 3: MILD VS SEVERE WEAR FOR CONTACTING SURFACES

MECHANISMS OF WEAR:

There are several recognizable mechanisms for wear; these are as follows:

SEIZURE:

When metal surfaces are brought into contact with each other, the actual area over which they
touch is a comparatively small fraction of the nominal contact area. The high normal pressures
generated at these asperity contacts forge metallic junctions which, when sheared by the load
tangential to the interface, can grow until the actual area of metallic contact approaches the
nominal area. Some degree of seizure can occur. This is where slip‐stick oscillations are most
prevalent.

MELT WEAR:

Localized melting of the uppermost layer of the wearing solid is always a possibility. At very high
velocities, the coefficient of friction can drop, eventually to very low values, as a film of liquid metal
forms at the interface. This acts in the same way as a hydrodynamic lubrication film. The heat
generated by viscous work in such a melt lubrication situation continues to melt more solid so the
wear rate can be very high despite the fact that the coefficient of friction is low.

OXIDATION‐DOMINATED WEAR:

Wear may be accelerated by corrosion (oxidation) of the rubbing surfaces.
Increased temperature and removal of the protecting oxide films from the surface during the
friction promote the oxidation process. Friction provides continuous removal of the oxide film
followed by continuous formation of new oxide film. Hard oxide particles removed from the
surface and trapped between the sliding/rolling surfaces additionally increase the wear rate by
three body abrasive wear mechanism. This is one reason some lubricants and greases have
chemical components that act as rust inhibitors.

MECHANICAL WEAR PROCESSES:

At sliding velocities below 0.10 meters per second, surface heating is negligible and the effect of
frictional force is principally to deform the metal surface, shearing it in the sliding direction and
ultimately causing the removal of material, usually in the form of small particles of wear debris.

RUNNING‐IN:

When mass produced lubricated machine components are run together for the first time, their
ultimate load‐carrying capacity is often much less than would be the case if they had been
preconditioned by running together for an initial period of time at a comparatively light load. This
period of time is called running‐in or breaking‐in. During this regime, the wear rate is often initially
high, but as the surfaces become smoother and the more prominent asperities are lost or flattened,
the wear rate falls. After a suitable time, the full service conditions can be applied without any
sudden increase in wear rate and the steady low‐wear rate is maintained for the operational life of
the component.

ADHESIVE WEAR:

Adhesive wear is a result of micro‐junctions caused by welding between opposing asperities on the
rubbing surfaces of the counter‐bodies. The load applied to the contacting asperities is so high that
they deform and adhere to each other forming micro‐joints. The motion of the rubbing counter‐
bodies result in rupture of the micro‐joints. The welded asperity ruptures in the non‐deformed
(non‐cold worked) regions. Thus some of the material is transferred by its counter‐body. This effect
is called scuffing or galling. When considerable areas of the rubbing surfaces are joined during the
friction, a seizure resistance (compatibility) or seizure of one body by the counter‐body may occur.

Several factors can lower adhesive wear. These are as follows:
• Lower load.
• Harder rubbing materials.
• Removing contaminates between rubbing surfaces.
• Presence of solid lubricants.
• Presence of lubricating oil.
• Anti‐wear additives in oil.

ABRASIVE WEAR:

Abrasive wear is damage to the surface of a component which arises due to the relative motion
between those surfaces. Harder asperities or perhaps hard particles trapped at the interface of
two surfaces create the wear model. These hard particles may have been introduced between the
two softer surfaces as a contaminant from the outside environment or formed due to oxidation or
some other chemical process.

Abrasive wear can occur when a harder material is rubbing against a softer material.
• If there are only two rubbing parts involved in the friction process the wear is called two
body wear. In this case the wear of the softer material is caused by the asperities on the
harder surface.
• If the wear is caused by a hard particle (grit) trapped between the rubbing surfaces it is
called three body wear. The particle may be either free or partially embedded into one of
the mating materials.
In the micro‐level, abrasive action results in one of the following wear modes:
• Ploughing. The material is shifted to the sides of the wear groove. The material is not
removed from the surface.
• Cutting. A chip forms in front of the cutting asperity/grit. The material is removed (lost)
from the surface in the volume equal to the volume of the wear track (groove).
• Cracking (brittle fracture). The material cracks in the subsurface regions surrounding the
wear groove. The volume of the lost material is higher than the volume of the wear track.

The following figure will help demonstrate the mechanisms:


FIGURE 13: TWO‐ BODY AND THREE BODY WEAR MECHANISMS

FRETTING AND CORROSION WEAR:

Fretting wear is a phenomenon that can occur between two surfaces which have a relative
oscillatory motion of small amplitude, usually only a few tens of microns. The main characteristic of
a fretting contact in ferrous material pairs is the appearance of reddish‐brown debris made up of
particles of the hard oxides of iron. These can act as a grinding paste or lap producing highly
polished patches on the fretted contact.

EROSIVE WEAR:

Erosive wear is the process involving the removal of material by the impingement of particles,
usually at high velocities, on component surfaces. Erosive wear is caused by impingement of
particles (solid, liquid or gaseous), which remove fragments of materials from the surface due to
momentum effect.

Erosive wear of engine bearings may also be caused by cavitation in the lubrication oil. The
cavitation voids (bubbles) may form when the oil exits from convergent gaps between the bearing
and journal surfaces. The oil pressure rapidly drops, providing conditions for the formation of voids
when the pressure is lower than the oil vapor pressure. The bubbles (voids) then collapse producing
a shock wave, which removes particles of the bearing material from the bearing surface.

Erosion can be brought about deliberately by shot‐blasting using iron or sand particles but, when
encountered unintentionally in service, is often extremely deleterious. Severe erosion can be
present during the transport of powders or slurries, the impact of dust particles on the blades of
turbo‐machinery, and the operation of fluid bed combustors. The particles do not have to be solid.
The operation of water droplets on rotating machinery can impart major damage.

LUBRICATION:
A lubricant is any substance that reduces friction by creating a slippery film between two
surfaces. Lubricants permit one surface to move easily over the other surface. The dynamic oil film
thickness must always be greater than the heights of the combined surfaces in order to avoid
frictional energy losses. The ideal condition would be an oil film that is three to five times thicker
than the height of the combined surfaces. Component suppliers provide formulas and standardized
tools that are useful in establishing minimum viscosity operating requirements. Reputable suppliers
provide engineering support to their customers to help refine lubricant selections, and for most
applications, the first run selections are not difficult.
Lubricants also provide protection from corrosion, dissipation of heat, exclusion of contaminants,
and flushing away of wear products. A good lubricant is expected to have high film strength,
chemical, thermal and mechanical stability, and corrosion prevention properties. These and other
specialized properties are provided in modern lubricants by various refining techniques and
additives.
The requirement of a lubricant for rolling element bearings are often more severe than realized. In
a rolling element bearing there are conditions of both rolling and sliding with extremely high
contact pressures. The lubricant must withstand high rates of shear and mechanical working not
generally prevalent in other mechanical components. For these reasons, proper attention to
equipment lubrication is vital from design to operation.
The representation of a lubricant doing its job may be seen as follows:

FIGURE 14: LUBRICATION OF TWO INTERACTING SURFACES
Inadequate film conditions occur as a consequence of changes in load, changes in machine
operating temperatures, changes in lubricant condition (particularly contamination with gases or
fluids), and accidents in lubricant handling and application, which lead to viscosity errors. These
condition changes often occur simultaneously, resulting in film collapse, machine component
interaction and greatly increased frictional resistance.
METHOD OF LUBRICATION:
OIL‐BATH LUBRICATION: The conventional oil‐bath system for lubricating ball bearings is
satisfactory for low and moderate speed applications. Because this type of system is non‐
circulating, the static oil level should never be higher than the center of the lowest ball in the
bearing being lubricated. A greater amount of oil can cause churning, increase the fluid friction
within the bearing and result in excessive operating temperatures. Unless the running level of the
oil is known, oil level should be checked only when equipment is dormant as the running level can
drop considerably below the static level, depending on the speed of the application.
OIL‐SPLASH LUBRICATION: This system of lubrication is used primarily in gear cases where the
bearing and gear lubricant are common. The lubrication of bearings in a gearbox, other than one
of low speed, is usually not critical because the oil splash from gear teeth is sufficient to lubricate
the bearings. Because of constant problems with oil‐carrying wear debris, the use of filters and
magnetic drain plugs is very helpful in reducing contamination of the bearing.
CIRCULATING‐OIL LUBRICATION: This type of system utilizes a circulating pump to assure a
positive supply of lubricant to the bearing and is generally used in low to medium speed, heavy‐
duty bearing applications, as in power transmission equipment. The flow path of the oil in this
system is important because a bearing churning a captive volume of oil can generate temperatures
capable of causing lubricant breakdown and bearing damage. Due to the inherent possibility of
contamination from wear debris in heavy duty applications, suitable oil filters and magnetic drain
plugs are necessary to prevent damage to the bearings.
OIL‐MIST LUBRICATION: Oil‐mist lubrication systems are used in high speed, continuous operation
applications. This system permits close control of the amount of lubricant reaching the bearings.
The oil may be metered, atomized by compressed air and mixed with air, or it may be picked up
from a reservoir using a venture effect. In either case, the air is filtered and supplied under
sufficient pressure to assure adequate lubrication of the bearings. Control of this type of lubricating
systems is accomplished by monitoring the operating temperatures of the bearings being
lubricated.
VISCOSITY:
The classic definition of viscosity is as follows: ‘The measurement of a substance's resistance to
flow. Viscosity is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting a lubricant. To a
mechanical engineer, the absolute or dynamic viscosity η is a measure of the resistance a fluid
offers to the relative shearing motion where η is defined as the shearing force in the direction of
flow between two parallel planes. The importance of this fluid property was suggested by Newton
in the seventeenth century: thus, fluids under conditions of uniform temperature and pressure, can
be characterized as “Newtonian” when they respond in accordance to the following equation:
η = τ /γ EQUATION 8: DYNAMIC VISCOSITY
where η is the shearing forces n the direction of flow, τ is the shear stress (PSI) and γ is the shear
strain. The units for viscosity are generally named poise, after the French doctor Poiseuille who
studied the flow of water through very small diameter glass tubing. Water at 20 ° C has a dynamic
viscosity of about one hundredth of a poise or 1 centipoise, i.e. cP, which is the unit of
measurement for viscosity. 1 cP = 1 x 10^‐12 poise = 1 x 10^‐3Pa s = 1 mPa s. Lubricating oils have
typical viscosities one hundred times that of water or 100 cP.
The kinematic viscosity of a fluid is defined as follows:
Kinematic viscosity = absolute viscosity / density
The viscosity of a fluid depends upon the “local” values for temperature and the “local” pressure.
Both of these variables are very important in determining the viscosity of the lubricant separating
sliding or rotating mechanical components. A very important classification of lubricant viscosities
may be made by using the Viscosity Index or VI. That index is defined as follows: A scale used to
classify the viscosity of industrial oils. The Viscosity Index (VI) measures the rate of change of a
substance’s viscosity in relation to a change in temperature. The higher the number, the smaller
the viscosity change which means the better the oil protects the surfaces. The number does not
indicate the actual viscosity in high and low temperature extremes of the oil but represents the rate
of viscosity change with temperature change. A depiction of the VI is given in the appendix to this
course. Please take a look at this time to familiarize yourself with the general layout of the table.
Viscosity Improvers are viscous chemical compounds called polymers or polymeric compounds that
decrease the rate at which oils change viscosity with temperature. These viscosity modifiers extend
motor oil’s operating temperature range and make multi‐grade or all season‐oils possible.
The VI is measured by comparing the viscosity of the oil at 40°C (104°F) with its viscosity at 100°C
(212°F). VI can provide insight into oil’s ability to perform at high and low temperatures.
Without this additive treatment, oils low enough in viscosity to meet the low‐temperature
requirements of SAE 5W or 10W motor oil will be unable to meet the high temperature viscosity
requirements of SAE 30 or heavier oil. That’s because the normal rate of viscosity over the required
range of ambient starting to engine operating temperatures is simply too large.
LUBRICANT CLASSIFICATION:
We will not get into the very technical and individual classification of lubricants but suffice it to say
these are as follows:
MINERAL LUBRICANTS‐‐Mineral fluid lubricants are based on mineral oils. Mineral oils
(petroleum oils) are products of refining crude oil. There are three types of mineral oil: paraffinic,
naphthenic and aromatic.
• Paraffinic Oils—Produced either by hydro‐cracking or solvent extraction process. Most
hydrocarbon molecules of paraffinic oils have non‐ring long‐chained structure. Paraffinic oils are
relatively viscous and resistant to oxidation. They possess high flash point and high pour point.
Paraffinic oils are used for manufacturing engine oils, industrial lubricants and as processing oils
in rubber, textile, and paper industries.
• Naphthenic Oils‐‐ Produced from crude oil distillates.
Most hydrocarbon molecules of naphtenicnic oils have saturated ring structure. Naphthenic oils
possess low viscosity, low flash point, low pour point and low resistance to oxidation.
Naphthenic oils are used in moderate temperature applications, mainly for manufacturing
transformer oils and metal working fluids.
• Aromatic Oils‐‐ Products of refining process in manufacture of paraffinic oils.
Most hydrocarbon molecules of aromatic oils have non‐saturated ring structure.
Aromatic oils are dark and have high flash point.
Aromatic oils are used for manufacturing seal compounds, adhesives and as plasticizers in
rubber and asphalt production.
• Semi‐Fluid Lubricants (Greases )‐‐ Semi‐fluid lubricants (greases) are produced by emulsifying
oils or fats with metallic soap and water at 400‐600°F (204‐316°C). Typical mineral oil base
grease is Vaseline. Grease properties are determined by a type of oil (mineral, synthetic,
vegetable, animal fat), type of soap (lithium, sodium, calcium, etc. salts of long‐chained fatty
acids) and additives (extra pressure, corrosion protection, anti‐oxidation, etc.). Semi‐fluid
lubricants (greases) are used in variety applications where fluid oil is not applicable and where
thick lubrication film is required: lubrication of roller bearings in railway car wheels, rolling mill
bearings, steam turbines, spindles, jet engine bearings and other various machinery bearings.
• Solid Lubricants‐‐Solid lubricants possess laminar structure preventing direct contact between
the sliding surfaces even at high loads. Graphite and molybdenum disulfide particles are
common Solid lubricants. Boron nitride, tungsten disulfide and polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE)
are other solid lubricants. Solid lubricants are mainly used as additives to oils and greases. Solid
lubricants are also used in form of dry powder or as constituents of coatings.
SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS
• Polyalphaolefins (PAO)‐‐ Polyalphaoleins are the most popular synthetic lubricant. PAO’s
chemical structure and properties are identical to those of mineral oils. Polyalphaoleins
(synthetic hydrocarbons) are manufactured by polymerization of hydrocarbon molecules
(alphaoleins). The process occurs in reaction of ethylene gas in presence of a metallic catalyst.
• Polyglycols (PAG) ‐‐ Polyglycols are produced by oxidation of ethylene and propylene. The oxides
are then polymerized resulting in formation of polyglycol. Polyglycols are water soluble.
Polyglycols are characterized by very low coefficient of friction. They are also able to withstand
high pressures without EP (extreme pressure) additives.
• Ester Oils‐‐Ester oils are produced by reaction of acids and alcohols with water.
Ester oils are characterized by very good high temperature and low temperature resistance.
• Silicones‐‐Silicones are a group of inorganic polymers, molecules of which represent a backbone
structure built from repeated chemical units (monomers) containing Si=O moieties. Two organic
groups are attached to each Si=O moiety: methyl+methyl ( (CH3)2 ), methyl+phenyl ( CH3 + C6H5 ),
phenyl+phenyl ( (C6H5)2 ). The most popular silicone is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Its
monomer is (CH3)2SiO. PDMS is produced from silicon and methylchloride. Other examples of
silicones are polymethylphenylsiloxane and polydiphenylsiloxane. Viscosity of silicones depends
on the length of the polymer molecules and on the degree of their cross‐linking. Short non‐cross‐
linked molecules make fluid silicone. Long cross‐linked molecules result in elastomeric silicone.
Silicone lubricants (oils and greases) are characterized by broad temperature range: ‐100ºF to
+570ºF (‐73ºC to 300ºC).
VEGETABLE‐‐Vegetable lubricants are based on soybean, corn, castor, canola, cotton seed and
rape seed oils. Vegetable oils are environmentally friendly alternatives to mineral oils since they are
biodegradable. Lubrication properties of vegetable based oils are identical to those of mineral oils.
The main disadvantages of vegetable lubricants are their low oxidation and temperature stabilities.
ANIMAL LUBRICANTS‐‐Animal lubricants are produced from the animal’s fat. There are two main
animal fats: hard fats (stearin) and soft fats (lard). Animal fats are mainly used for manufacturing
greases.
TYPES OF LUBRICATION:
Boundary
Boundary Lubrication (sometimes referred to as thin film lubrication) is a condition in which the
lubricant film becomes too thin to provide total separation. This may be due to excessive loading,
speeds, or a change in the fluid's characteristics. In such a situation, contact between surface asperities
(peaks and valleys) occurs. Friction reduction and wear protection is then provided through chemical
compounds rather than the properties of the lubricating fluid. Boundary lubrication often occurs during
the startup and shutdown of equipment, or when loading becomes excessive. This condition can
commonly be observed in certain types of gear sets that need to withstand sliding pressures and shock
loading, such as hypoid gears found in automotive differentials.

FIGURE 15: SLIDING PAIR WITHOUT LUBRICATION
Mixed Film
Mixed Film Lubrication is a combination of both hydrodynamic and boundary lubrication. In such a
situation, only occasional asperity contact occurs. This condition can be the result of lubricant
breakdown or increased load placed upon the lubricant.
Elastohydrodynamic
Elasatohydrodynamic Lubrication (EHD or EHL) occurs as pressure or load increases to a level where the
viscosity of the lubricant provides higher shear strength than the metal surface it supports. This regime
can occur in roller bearings or gears as the lubricant is carried into the convergent zone approaching a
contact area or the intersection of two asperities. As a result, the metal surfaces deform elastically in
preference to the highly pressurized lubricant which increases the contact area and thus increases the
effectiveness of the lubricant.

FIGURE 16: LUBRICANT COMPONENT INTERACTION
Although hydrodynamic lubrication is the ideal situation, in many instances it cannot be maintained.
Factors which affect hydrodynamic lubrication include Lubricant Viscosity, Rotation Speed or RPM, oil
supply pressure and Component Loading. An increase in speed or viscosity increases oil film thickness.
An increase in load decreases oil film thickness.

FIGURE: 17 ROLLING ELEMENT LUBRICATION
A good understanding of these different types of lubrication can assist greatly in the selection of the
proper lubrication for a specific application and the prevention of equipment failure.
STRIBECK CURVE:
When lubrication is applied to reduce the wear/friction of moving surfaces, an increasing load can shift
the lubrication from several regimes such as Boundary, Mixed and Hydrodynamic Lubrication. The fluid
viscosity, the load that is carried by the two surfaces and the speed that the two surfaces move relative
to each other combine to determine the thickness of the fluid film. It is this process that determines the
lubrication regime. How the regimes react to friction is shown in what is called a Stribeck curve. To
evaluate lubricants and their reaction with applications, the Stribeck Curve can be identified using a Pin
On Disk Tribometer. A pin‐on‐disk apparatus looks as follows:

FIGURE: 18 PIN ON DISK DETERMINATION OF VISCOSITY
The unit consists of a gimbaled arm to which the pin is attached, a fixture which accommodates disks up
to 165 mm in diameter & 8 mm thick, an electronic force sensor for measuring the friction force, and a
computer software (on Labview platform) for displaying the parameters, printing, or storing data for
analysis. The motor‐driven turntable produces up to 3000 rpm. Wear is quantified by measuring the
wear groove with a profilometer (to be ordered seperately) and measuring the amount of material
removed. Users simply specify the turntable speed, the load, and any other desired test variables such
as friction limit and number of rotations.
Designed for unattended use, a user need only place the test material into turntable fixture and specify
the test variables. A pre‐determined Hertzian pressure is automatically applied to the pin using a system
of weights. Rotating the turntable while applying this force to the pin includes sliding wear as well as a
friction force. Since pins can be fabricated from a wide range of materials, virtually any combination of
metal, glass, plastic, composite, or ceramic substrates can be tested.
Software included with this model provides for quick calculation of the Hertzian pressure between the
pin and disk. The cup‐like (housing) enclosed fixture permits the use of liquid lubricants during a wear
test (optionally). The graphical output for this exercise may be seen as Figure 19—Stribeck Curve.

FIGURE: 19 STRIBECK NUMBER
SAE GRADES:
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Viscosity Grade is a system based on viscosity measures
taken from a variety of tests. It developed 11 distinct motor oil viscosity classifications or grades: SAE
0W, SAE 5W, SAE 10W, SAE 15W, SAE 20W, SAE 25W, SAE 20, SAE 30, SAE 40, SAE 50 and SAE 60. These
are single grade or single viscosity oils. These grades designate the specific ranges that the particular oil
falls into. The “W” indicates the grade is suitable for use in cold temperatures. (Think of the “W” as
meaning “Winter”.) The classifications increase numerically, readily indicating the difference between
them and what the difference means. Simply put, the lower the number, the lower the temperature at
which the oil can be used for safe and effective protection. The higher numbers reflect better protection
for high heat and high load situations. SAE 20 and SAE 20W are two separate classifications.
Single grade oils have a limited range of protection and, therefore, a limited number of uses.
With today’s well‐refined, high viscosity index oils, however, an SAE 20 oil usually will meet the viscosity
requirements of SAE 20W and vice versa. Those that do are classified SAE 20W‐20.
This multi‐grade or multi‐viscosity ability increases oil’s usefulness, because it meets the requirements
of two or more classifications. Examples of multi‐viscosity oils are SAE 5W‐30, SAE 10W‐30, SAE 15W‐
40 and SAE 20W‐50. The number with the “W” designates the oil’s properties at low temperatures. The
other number characterizes properties at high temperatures. For instance, a multi‐viscosity or multi
grade oil such as 10W‐30 meets the 10W criteria when cold and the 30 criteria once hot. SAE 10W‐30
and SAE 5W‐30 are widely used because under all but extremely hot or cold conditions, they are light
enough for easy engine cranking at low temperatures and heavy enough to protect at high
temperatures.
API CLASS:
The American Petroleum Institute (API) developed a classification system to identify oils formulated to
meet the operating requirements of various engines. The API system has two general categories: S‐
series and C‐series.

The S‐series service classification emphasizes oil properties critical to gasoline or propane fueled
engines. If oil passes a series of tests in specific engines (API Sequence tests), the oil can be sold bearing
the applicable API service classification. The classifications progress alphabetically as the level of
lubricant performance increases. Each classification replaces those before it. SL oil may be used in any
engine, unless the engine manufacturer specifies a “non detergent” oil. SA and SB are non detergent oils
and are not recommended for use unless specified.
New car warranties from 1980 to 1989 require SF oils, while new car warranties from 1990 to 1993
require SG oils. New car warranties beginning with the 1994 model year require oils with an API SH
performance rating. Beginning with 1997, new car warranties require and API SJ oil. The year 2001
brought the introduction of SL oils. SL oils are designed to increase fuel economy, reduce emissions and
protect hot, hard‐working engines over the course of a very long warranty period.

C‐series classifications pertain to diesel engines. They are: CA, CB, CC, CD, CD‐II, CE, CF, CF‐II, CF‐4, CG‐4,
CH‐4 and CI‐4. All are obsolete except CF, CF‐II, CH‐4, and the new CI‐4 performance rated oils. However,
oils used in turbo charged gasoline engines retain CF as part of their performance designation: SH, CF.
Unlike S‐series classifications, C‐series classifications do not supersede one another. The current
classifications, CF, CF‐2, CH‐4 and CI‐4 are specified for various applications.

CF for Indirect Injected Diesel Engine Service. Service Category CF denotes service typical of indirect
injected diesel engines and other diesel engines that use a broad range of diesel fuels in off‐road
applications, including diesel fuel with greater than 0.5 percent sulfur by weight. CF oils may be used in
place of CD oils.

CF‐2 for Two‐Stroke Diesel Engine Service. This service category is typical of two‐stroke engines
requiring highly effective control over cylinder and ring‐face scuffing and deposits. CF‐2 oils may be used
in engines for which CD‐II oils are recommended.

CI‐4 for Severe Duty Diesel Engine Service. CG‐4 typically is required in high speed four‐stroke diesel
engines used in heavy‐duty on‐ and off‐highway applications. CI‐4 oils are especially effective in engines
designed to meet 2000 exhaust emission standards. CI‐4 oils may be used in place of CD, CE, CF‐4, CG‐4
and CH‐4 oils.

These classification systems aim to help motorists choose the right oil for their needs. The choice
depends on the engine, the outdoor temperature and the type of driving the engine must withstand. SJ
and SL are the current API class.
SJ and SL oils are widely available and ensure the best engine protection available.
ADHESION:
Adhesion is a term relating to the force required to separate two bodies in contact with each
other. Desanguliers proposed adhesion as an element in the friction process, a hypothesis which
appeared to contradict experiments because of the independence of friction on the contact area.
The real area of contact is made up of a very large number of small regions of contact, called
asperities or junctions of contact. This is where atom to atom contact takes place. It has been
shown that the force of static friction between two sliding surfaces is strongly dependent on the
real area of contact. This is called the asperity theory of friction. When two rough surfaces, in
contact with each other, are made to move tangentially to the contact plane, a friction force is
produced as a result of the interaction between the asperities of the contacting surfaces. If the
contacting surfaces are maintained fully separated by a layer of lubricating material, the friction can
be reduced significantly as friction is due to the internal resistance to shear/sliding of the lubricating
material under those conditions. The stress concentration, at those points of contact, lead rapidly
to the formation of asperity junctions. At an asperity junction, inter‐atomic interactions lead to
adhesive bonding of the mating materials. To make the materials move relative to each other,
either the adhesive bonds must be ruptured by the applied shear force or weaker material
underneath one of the surfaces has to yield or break. If the shear strength at the weak spot of the
junction is τ, the coefficient of friction associated with the adhesive bonding µ (ad) is then
µ (ad) = A(r)τ/W(n) = τ/P(r) EQUATION: 9 COEFFICIENT WITH ADHESIVE BONDING
where P(r) = W (n)/A(r) is the mean real pressure. Plastic deformation (or wear) plays a major role
in most cases. If plastic deformation is involved, P(r) is equal to the indention hardness “H” of the
softer material. The indention hardness in turn is approximated by the following formula:
H = 3σ(y) EQUATION: 10 INDENTION HARDNESS
Where σ(y) is the uniaxial yield stress. If the real contact area is increased due to asperities being
pushed together, the order of surface area is increased by orders of magnitude. If one material is
much harder than the other, ploughing may take place. The amount of force required for ploughing
often exceeds the one required to break the adhesive bonds and can sometimes explain the
experimentally observed value of µ.
ENGINEERING SURFACES:
No matter how smooth you think a surface is, there are always imperfections: i.e. peaks and
valleys, etc. that must eventually be accounted for. When two mating surfaces are placed in
contact with each other, these peaks make contact and wear begins. There is an associated
roughness also with each surface as a result. High‐powered microscopes can show these peaks and
valleys. An example of this is given in Figure 6 of this study. Large numbers of engineering
components either deteriorate progressively or fail catastrophically through surface‐related
phenomena; i.e. wear, fatigue and corrosion, etc. This fact has led to the establishment of the
interdisciplinary subject called surface engineering. Surface engineering is defined as the
application of both traditional and innovative surface technologies to produce a composite material
with properties unattainable in either the base or surface materials individually. Broadly speaking,
these techniques can be divided into those involving the modification (whether by mechanical,
thermal, or chemical means) of the existing surface of the component, and those that involve the
deposition of additional or overlay material, often in the form of a very thin layer or coating over
the bulk substrate. A great number of treatments and overlay coatings have important application
relative to tribology. These are as follows:
SURFACE TREATMENTS:
Thermal—Induction hardening, flame hardening and laser hardening.
Thermo‐Chemical Diffusion—Carburizing, nitriding and Carbo‐nitriding.
Mechanical—Shot‐peening and Cold working.
Ion Implantation
Laser Glazing
OVERLAY COATINGS:
Plating—Electroplating and Mechanical plating
Weld Cladding—Oxyacetylene, Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), Metal Inert Gas (MIG)
Thermal Spraying—Flame Spraying and Plasma Spraying
Chemical Vapor Deposition(C VD)
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)—Sputtering and Evaporation
HARDNESS OF MATERIALS:
Surface hardness, as we have seen, is one extremely important factor in determining component
wear.
The American Society of Metals Handbook, Volume 1, Properties and Selection, defines hardness
as follows: “resistance of metal to plastic deformation usually by indentation. However the term
may be applied to stiffness or temper, or to resistance to scratching, abrasion or cutting. Indention
hardness may be measured by various hardness tests, such as Brinell, Rockwell and Vickers.”
Basically every substance has a property we call hardness. Several measurements exist indicating
the hardness of a substance. These are as follows: Rockwell, Knoop, Brinell, Vickers, Shore and
Mohs. The table below will give a very basic indication as to comparisons between the most‐used
types and the ASTM standards governing determination of material hardness.
TABLE 4: HARDNESS MEASUREMENT COMPARISONS
It is important to note that there is definitely a correlation between hardness and tensile strength.
The truncated chart below is representative of what is available relative to the literature and will
indicate the type of correlations available.

TABLE 5: TENSILE STRENGTH VS HARDNESS
The hardness for metals is generally measured using Rockwell or Brinell hardness scales. The test
equipment needed for determining material hardness is quite sophisticated but “user friendly”
Accurate testing can be made with excellent repeatability. Several devices for determining
hardness are given with the following photographs.
BRINELL HARDNESS TEST:
Dr. J. A. Brinell invented the Brinell test in Sweden in 1900. The oldest of the hardness test methods
in common use today, the Brinell test is frequently used to determine the hardness of forgings and
castings that have a grain structure too coarse for Rockwell or Vickers testing. Therefore, Brinell
tests are frequently done on large parts. By varying the test force and ball size, nearly all metals can
be tested using a Brinell test. Brinell values are considered test force independent as long as the ball
size/test force relationship is the same.
In the USA, Brinell testing is typically done on iron and steel castings using a 3000Kg test force and a
10mm diameter carbide ball. Aluminum and other softer alloys are frequently tested using a 500Kg
test force and a 10 or 5mm carbide ball. Therefore the typical range of Brinell testing in this country
is 500 to 3000kg with 5 or 10mm carbide balls. In Europe, Brinell testing is done using a much wider
range of forces and ball sizes. It's common in Europe to perform Brinell tests on small parts using a
1mm carbide ball and a test force as low as 1kg. These low load tests are commonly referred to as
baby Brinell tests. Figure 20 shows the device used for measuring hardness with the Brinell system.

FIGURE 20: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTER
ROCKWELL HARDNESS TEST:
Stanley P. Rockwell invented the Rockwell hardness test. He was a metallurgist for a large ball bearing
company, and wanted a fast non‐destructive way to determine if the heat treatment process they were
doing on the bearing races was successful. The only hardness tests he had available were Vickers, Brinell
and Scleroscope. The Vickers test was too time consuming, Brinell indents were too big for his parts and
the Scleroscope was difficult to use, especially on his small parts.
To satisfy his needs he invented the Rockwell test method. This simple sequence of test force
application proved to be a major advance in the world of hardness testing. It enabled the user to
perform an accurate hardness test on a variety of sized parts in just a few seconds. A Rockwell test
apparatus is shown by Figure 21.

FIGURE 21: ROCKWELL HARDNESS TESTER
KNOOP AND VICKERS HARDNESS TEST:
The Knoop hardness test method, also referred to as a microhardness test method, is mostly used for
small parts, thin sections, or case depth work. The Vickers method is based on an optical measurement
system. The Microhardness test procedure, ASTM E‐384, specifies a range of light loads using a diamond
indenter to make an indentation which is measured and converted to a hardness value. It is very useful
for testing on a wide type of materials as long as test samples are carefully prepared. A pyramid shaped
diamond is used for testing in the Knoop scale. This indenter differs from the pyramid indenter used on
a Vickers test. The Knoop indenter is more elongated or rectangular in shape. The Knoop method is
commonly used when indentations are closely spaced or very near the edge of the sample. The width of
the Knoop indentation can provide more resolution for measurement and the indentation is also less
deep. Consequently, it can be used on very thin materials.

FIGURE 22: Knoop, Vickers, Brinell Hardness Tester
Comparison tables like the one below will indicate what is available relative to the various
classifications.

TABLE 6: HARDNESS SYSTEM COMPARISON
CONTACT BETWEEN SURFACES:
When two surfaces come in contact with each other, there will always be some distortion of each.
These surfaces may be elastic or may involve some additional plastic, and so permanent, changes in
shape. Rolling element bearings, with inner and outer races, represent an excellent example of this
type of contact in which distortion will occur. In attempting to predict the likely damage to
components and their life‐expectancy, knowledge of the true stresses experienced by the material
is crucial. If the material is loaded beyond its elastic limit, permanent deformation may occur thus
possibly increasing the friction and wear. Again, for the best MTBF and MTTF, a suitable lubricant
must be used.
BEARINGS:
Since rolling contact is so prevalent in the design of machinery, we will now take a very brief look at
four bearing configurations found in most complex dynamic systems.

HYDROSTATIC BEARINGS:
A hydrostatic bearing is one in which the leaded surfaces are separated by a fluid film, which is
forced between them by an externally generated pressure. Formation of the film requires the fluid
supply to be pumped continuously, but does not depend on the relative motion of the surfaces.
Such bearings are used consistently by engineers due to the smoothness of operation relative to
both dynamic surfaces. Hydrostatic bearings are used where normal leads are high and the
advantage of low friction at zero speeds is a premium. Stiffness and vibration can definitely be
controlled with this type of bearing.

FIGURE 23: HYDROSTATIC BEARING
HYDRODYNAMIC BEARINGS:
Successful operation of a hydrodynamic bearing depends upon the presence of a converging,
wedge‐shaped gap into which the viscous fluid is dragged by the relative motion of the two solids.
A pressure is generated, which tends to push the faces of the wedge apart with the integrated
effect being to balance the normal load on both bearing surfaces. Lubrication and the type of
lubricants for hydrostatic and hydrodynamic bearing is critical and will spell the difference between
success and failure.

FIGURE 24: HYDRODYNAMIC BEARING
GAS BEARINGS:
Gas‐lubricated bearings operate on the very same principles as those using liquid lubricants. Since
the viscosity of a gas is generally so much less than that of a liquid, it follows that pressures and
specific loads in a gas bearing are very low. Frictional or traction stresses will be similarly reduced.
Air as an operating fluid has definite advantages, one being it is plentiful and cheap and will not
tarnish or corrode solid surfaces. It can also be exhausted safely to the atmosphere without the
need for special arrangements for its collection and return. Air will not freeze at low temperatures
or boil at high temperatures. Now the downside—since air pressures are typically 10^5 Pa, an air
bearing must occupy about 100 times the area of an oil‐lubricated design in order to support a
comparable load. It is also the case that the gap between the two opposing solid surfaces is much
smaller with air than an oil‐lubricated bearing.

FIGURE 25: GAS BEARING
ROLLING CONTACT:
We are most familiar with rolling‐contact bearings or “ball bearings”. The basic definition of a
rolling contact bearing is as follows: A rolling‐element bearing, also known as a rolling bearing, is a
bearing which carries a load by placing round elements between the two pieces. The relative
motion of the pieces causes the round elements to roll with very little resistance and with little
sliding. Little sliding is the key phrase here. The figure 26 below will indicate the variety of rolling
contact types used every day by engineers who design dynamic machines.
FIGURE 26: ROLLING ELEMENT BEARING

EMERGING FIELDS OF STUDY:
GREEN TRIBOLOGY
To mitigate friction and wear, we use various lubricants, the very first of which was animal fat. Over
the centuries engineers and chemists have become much more ingenious, resulting in a huge
variety of lubrication formulas and methods of application. Lubricants do their job so why not
investigate making those lubricants less harmful to our environment—thus “green tribology”.
“Green tribology” has been defined as ‘the science and technology of the tribological aspects of
ecological balance and of environmental and biological impacts’. It is basically involved with
minimizing the following:
1.) Generation of pollution while using lubricants and lubrication techniques.
2.) Risk to human health and the environment while using lubrication to reduce wear and
friction.
In accomplishing the two goals as given above, there are twelve (12) principles that may be applied.
These are:
• Minimize heat and energy dissipation
• Minimize wear
• Reduce or completely eliminate lubrication and self‐lubrication
• Use natural lubrication if at all possible
• Use biodegradable lubrication when and if possible
• Use sustainable chemistry and green engineering principles
• Use biometric principles of engineering whenever possible
• Surface texturing should be applied to control surface properties. Conventional engineered
surfaces have random roughness that makes it difficult to control friction and wear.
• Recognize environmental implication of coatings
• Design for the degradation of surfaces
• Apply real‐time monitoring when hazardous substances are in use
• Apply sustainable energy methodology at all times.
These twelve principles, when applied, can greatly reduce the environmental impact lubricants can
have when needed for any specific application.
NANO‐ TRIBOLOGY:
Nano‐microtribology is a branch of tribology which studies friction phenomenon at the nanometer
scale. The distinction between nano‐microtribology and tribology is primarily due to the
involvement of atomic forces in the determination of the final behavior of the system. Gears,
bearings, and liquid lubricants can reduce friction in the macroscopic world, but the origins of
friction for small devices such as micro‐or nano‐electromechanical systems (NEMS) require other
solutions. The surface force apparatus (SFA), atomic force and friction force microscopes (AFM &
FFM) are widely used in nano‐tribological studies.
SUMMARY:
As we have seen, the study of tribology is not only important—it’s fascinating and encompasses
technologies that have been known for decades, if not centuries. Tribology is like any other
technology in that most of the discoveries are evolutionary instead of revolutionary. As equipment
needed to study the subject progresses, we see a definite refinement in our understanding. Nano‐
tribology is one example of that process.

INDEX OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1: Sliding and Rolling Movement of Paired Components Page 5
FIGURE 2: Savings Resulting From Proper Understanding of Tribology Page 6
FIGURE 3: H. Peter Jost’s Projected Economic Benefits Page 7
FIGURE 4: Dr. H. Peter Jost Page 9
FIGURE 5: Founding Fathers of Tribology Page 10
FIRURE 6: Asperities of Mating Machine Surfaces Page 11
FIGURE 7: True Contact Area and Asperities of Mating Surfaces Page 11
FIGURE 8: Asperities of Machined Surface Using Electron Microscope Page 12
FIGURE 9: Significance of Force, Weight and the Coefficient of Friction Page 13
FIGURE 10: Two‐Dimensional Sliding Components Page 14
FIGURE 11: Three‐Dimensional Math Model Page 15
FIGURE 12: Three‐Dimensional Math Model (2) Page 16
FIGURE 13: Two Body and Three Body Wear Mechanisms Page 21
FIGURE 14: Lubrication of Two Intersecting Surfaces Page 22
FIGURE 15: Sliding Pair Without Lubrication Page 27
FIGURE 16: Lubricant / Component Interaction Page 27
FIGURE 17: Rolling Element Lubrication Page 28
FIGURE 18: Pin on Disk Determination of Viscosity Page 29
FIGURE 19: Stribeck Curve Page 29
FIGURE 20: Brinell Hardness Tester Page 35
FIGURE 21: Rockwell Hardness Tester Page 36
FIGURE 22: Knoop, Vickers, Brinell Hardness Tester Page 36
FIGURE 23: Hydrostatic Bearing Page 38
FIGURE 24: Hydrodynamic Bearing Page 39
FIGURE 25: Gas Bearing Page 40
FIGURE 26: Rolling Element Bearing ` Page 40

INDEX OF TABLES
TABLE 1: Savings Resulting From Proper Understanding and Application of Tribology Page 6
TABLE 2: Coefficient of Wear (ω) for Various Materials Page 18
TABLE 3: Mild vs Severe Wear for Contacting Surfaces Page18
TABLE 4: Hardness Measuring System Comparisons Page 33
TABLE 5: Tensile Strength to Hardness Conversion Chart Page 34
TABLE 6: Hardness System Comparisons Page 37
INDEX OF EQUATIONS
EQUATION 1: Mathematical Definition of Friction Page 13
EQUATION 2: Three Dimensional Contact Page 15
EQUATION 3: Surfaces that Do Not Slide Page 16
EQUATION 4: Surfaces that Do Not Slip Page 16
EQUATION 5: Surfaces Sliding Page 16
EQUATION 6: Relative Velocity Page 17
EQUATION 7: Archard Equation Defining Wear Page 17
EQUATION 8: Dynamic Viscosity Page 24
EQUATION 9: Coefficient With Adhesive Bonding Page 32
EQUATION 10: Indention Hardness Page 32
APPENDIX
• Glossary of Terms PAGE 48
• Coefficient of Friction for Various Materials PAGE 55
• References PAGE 60
Glossary of Tribology Terms
Term Description
Abrasion Mechanical wear during sliding of two surfaces against each other.
Additives Substances added in small amounts to lubricants to improve the performance.
Adhesion
Additives to oils and greases to improve adhesion (e.g. polyisobutene).
improvers/promoters
Lubricants with adhesion‐improving components, which are not thrown off by
Adhesive lubricants
centrifugal forces.
Means anti‐friction coating, the most common and widely used type of dry
solid lubrication of today.
AF coating This group includes both air‐dried and heat‐cured materials. These
formulations usually consist of a lubricating solid called the "pigment" and a
bonding agent. See "Binder".
The resistivity against ageing which might occur due to oxidation,
Ageing resistance overheating, the presence of certain metals like copper, lead, silver etc. The
resistance to ageing can be improved by certain additives (antioxidants).
ASTM American Society for Testing Materials.
Base oil Basic component of lubricating oils and greases.
An alternative term for non‐volatile medium or vehicle and refers to the
Binder material which forms the varnish film and which in a paint or bonded coating
binds the particles of solids (solid lubricants) together.
Bonded lubricant See AF coating.
Effective leverage turned into rotating movement to loosen a bolted
Break away torque
connection.
Chemically inert (Lubricant) not reacting chemically with certain substances.
Ratio of the frictional force between two surfaces sliding across one another
Coefficient of friction
to the force that is perpendicular to the surfaces.
Guide values for oils are the cloud point, pour point and solidification point;
Cold resistance for lubricating greases the Kesternich flow pressure and the low‐temperature
torque test.
Small particles (10‐5 to 10‐7 cm) in liquid which behave like a solution (no
Colloid
settling of particles).
Lubricating greases with thickeners produced from metallic soaps with various
Complex greases
acids. Particularly suitable for high temperatures and long‐term applications.
A measure of the condition of lubricating greases. It is measured as the un‐
worked and worked penetration and is indicated in accordance with the NLGI
(National Lubricating Grease Institute). To simplify designation of the
consistency of lubricating greases, the consistency range as a whole is divided
into nine classes, measured as worked penetration, e.g.
Consistency class Worked penetration (1/10 mm)
Consistency
00 400 ‐ 430
0 355 ‐ 385
1 310 ‐ 340
2 265 ‐ 295
Density The weight of a lubricant in grams per cm3 at 20 °C.
Detergent Agent for loosening and removing residues and deposits from sliding surfaces.
Name given to two‐substance systems in which one substance is contained in
Dispersion
the other substance (liquid) in a dispersed form.
DN value A guide to the grease which should be used in rolling‐element bearings
depending upon their speed of rotation. It represents the mean bearing
diameter in mm multiplied by the speed in revolutions per minute.
The drop point of grease is that temperature at which grease passes from a
semisolid to a liquid state. It is a qualitative indication of the heat resistance
Drop point
of grease. The drop point temperature is determined when the first drop falls
through the hole in the bottom of the cup during temperature increase.
A measure for inner friction during flowing of a lubricating oil (e. g. flowing
Dynamic viscosity
through pipes or clearances).
Chemical substances to improve the pressure absorption capacity and hence
EP additives
the wear resistance of oils and greases.
The test for corrosion protection of lubricating greases in rolling‐element
bearings in the presence of water: A minimum of two grease‐lubricated ball
Emcor
bearings run in water for about one week. The corrosion value of the rings
ranges from 0‐5 (0 = no corrosion, 5 = severe corrosion).
Compounds of acids and alcohols used for lubrication and the production of
Ester oils
lubricating greases.
The flash point is the lowest temperature at which during heating
Flash point inflammable vapors are formed on the surface of the oil to be tested which
shortly flare up in the presence of a flame.
Fluoro‐silicones Silicones which contain fluorine atoms in the molecule.
The freezing point of oil is the temperature in degrees Celsius at which the oil
Freezing point has just lost its ability to flow because of continuous cooling down. The
solidifying of the oil is caused by the separation of paraffin crystals.
Rust which occurs on seats. Better: frictional wear which occurs at fits and
seats due to oscillations with very low amplitude and high frequency. Usually,
the very small iron wear particles react to rust in combination with oxygen,
Fretting corrosion which finally results in seizing of the seats.
Another disadvantage of fretting corrosion is the rapid material fatigue of the
steel, a fact which can easily lead to breaking. (Fretting corrosion can be
prevented most effectively by the separation of both metal partners, e.g. by
means of solid lubricants.)
Friction Resistance against sliding of two surfaces against one another.
Grease 2‐phase‐system: thickener with fluid, lubricating medium.
Inhibitors Additives for lubricants which reduce ageing and corrosion.
Alkalimetal, the hydroxide of which is used together with organic acids to
Lithium
form lithium soaps as thickener for greases.
Medium to reduce friction and wear between two surfaces sliding against one
Lubricant
another.
Viscosities can be measured in various viscosimeters. The dimension is
mm2/s.
Measurement of
An important factor for the measurement of the viscosity is the temperature,
viscosity
because the viscosity does significantly depend on the temperature. (Cold oils
are more viscous, warm oils are less viscous.)
Molybdenum
A solid lubricant.
disulphide (MoS2)
The. bleeding. of oil from lubricating greases during storage or as a result of
Oil separation
mechanical/dynamic or temperature stress.
Indication of the pressure resistance of a lubricant. It is the very maximum
O.K. load load at which just no breakthrough of the lubricating film, and thus no
welding of the test specimens, occurs (Newton).
Oxidation resistance Resistance of hydrocarbons against a reaction with oxygen.
Combination of solid lubricants with oil for easy application of thin lubricating
Pastes
film.
Penetration Indicates the softness or hardness of grease. The depth of penetration of a
standardized cone in a grease sample is measured. (The higher the
penetration, the softer is the grease.)
Crater‐like metal cavities in the pitch circle of gear wheels, caused by material
Pitting
fatigue.
Synthetic hydrocarbon with a defined molecular structure. Low‐temperature,
Polyalpha‐olefin high‐temperature and viscosity/temperature characteristics are better than
with mineral oil.
Pour point Lowest temperature at which lubricating oil remains free‐flowing.
Surface asperities of new sliding surfaces are modified during the running‐in
Running‐in
period.
The corrosion of steel is measured under the influence of saline fog. Sheet
steel is coated with a lubricant and exposed to saline fog in a closed chamber.
Salt‐water spray test
After the test, the number of hours are measured which have passed until a
certain grade of corrosion was reached.
Scoring Trench‐shaped marks in metal, caused by machining or by scuffing.
Damage to material surface through inadequate supply of lubricant, or as a
Scuffing result of overloading.
The lubricating film is broken.
The temperature at which oil ignites by itself, i.e. without the presence of a
Self‐ignition point
flame.
Service temperature The range in which the lubricant meets requirements and an acceptable
range lubrication interval is achieved.
Polymers with good temperature and oxidation resistance. Also used as high
Silicones
and low temperature lubricants.
Soap in lubricating Combination of a fatty acid and a metal hydroxide. Through the proper
grease selection of the fatty acid and the metal hydroxide (calcium, lithium,
aluminum) the properties of the soap can be changed as to water resistance
and temperature resistance.
Solid substances which are applied between sliding surfaces to reduce friction
Solid lubricants
and wear and prevent scoring.
Solvent A liquid which will dissolve a material and yield a homogeneous product.
Specialty lubricants Lubricants with particular properties/characteristics for special applications.
Specific weight See density.
Jerky relative movements of two bearing surfaces, caused by the difference in
Stick‐slip
coefficient of friction between hydrodynamic and boundary lubrication.
Cracks in materials caused by corrosive changes of the surface structure after
Stress cracks
penetration of undesirable elements.
A uniform dispersion of the fine particles of a solid in a liquid which does not
Suspension
dissolve them.
Under the action of lubricants, vapors or gases, sealing materials made from
Swelling
rubber, elastomer, etc., can be negatively affected by swelling.
In contrast to mineral oils, these are artificially produced oils. Synthetic oils
usually have a good viscosity temperature behavior, low tendency to
Synthetic oils
carbonize, deep freezing point, high temperature stability, and good chemical
resistance.
Thickeners usually are metal soaps (soap‐thickened) but also organic or
Thickeners inorganic thickening agents (not soap‐thickened as e. g. silica, bentone, urea,
PTFE etc.).
Effective leverage turned into rotating movement to tighten a screw
Tightening torque
connection.
Tribology Science of scientific research and technical application of the relation
between friction, wear and lubrication, including lubricants.
Un‐worked The consistency of a grease or paste in the state of rest, i.e. in the state of
penetration material as supplied.
The viscosity of a liquid is the resistance of molecules against pressure from
Viscosity
outside. This resistance is described as inner friction.
The behavior of lubricating greases in the presence of water is of great
Water resistance of a importance for their applicability as antifriction bearing greases. For this
grease application, either a water‐repellent (water resistant) or water‐absorbent
(emulsifiable) lubricating grease is required.
Caused by friction and contact between bearing surfaces after break‐through
Wear
of the lubricating film.
The ability of a lubricant to absorb pressure, measured in Newton (N), the
Weld load load at which the lubricating film breaks, during sliding of test specimens
against each other, and at which both test specimens weld together.
Under mechanical shear, lubricating greases often change their consistency.
Worked penetration Therefore, it is more reasonable to indicate the worked penetration. It is the
consistency of worked grease.
Coefficient Of Friction
MATERIAL 1 MATERIAL 2 Dry Greasy
Static Sliding Static Sliding
Aluminum Aluminum 1.05‐1.35 1.4 0.3
Aluminum Mild Steel 0.61 0.47

Brake Material Cast Iron 0.4

Brake Material Cast Iron (Wet) 0.2

Brass Cast Iron 0.3

Brick Wood 0.6

Bronze Cast Iron 0.22

Bronze Steel 0.16
Cadmium Cadmium 0.5 0.05
Cadmium Mild Steel 0.46

Cast Iron Cast Iron 1.1 0.15 0.07

Cast Iron Oak 0.49 0.075

Chromium Chromium 0.41 0.34
Copper Cast Iron 1.05 0.29

Copper Copper 1.0 0.08
Copper Mild Steel 0.53 0.36 0.18

Copper‐Lead Alloy Steel 0.22 ‐
Diamond Diamond 0.1 0.05 ‐ 0.1
Diamond Metal 0.1 ‐0.15 0.1
Glass Glass 0.9 ‐ 1.0 0.4 0.1 ‐ 0.6 0.09‐0.12
Glass Metal 0.5 ‐ 0.7 0.2 ‐ 0.3
Glass Nickel 0.78 0.56

Graphite Graphite 0.1 0.1
Graphite Steel 0.1 0.1
Graphite (In vacuum) Graphite (In vacuum) 0.5 ‐ 0.8

Hard Carbon Hard Carbon 0.16 0.12 ‐ 0.14
Hard Carbon Steel 0.14 0.11 ‐ 0.14
Iron Iron 1.0 0.15 ‐ 0.2
Lead Cast Iron 0.43

Leather Wood 0.3 ‐ 0.4

Leather Metal(Clean) 0.6 0.2
Leather Metal(Wet) 0.4

Leather Oak (Parallel grain) 0.61 0.52

Magnesium Magnesium 0.6 0.08
Nickel Nickel 0.7‐1.1 0.53 0.28 0.12
Nickel Mild Steel 0.64; 0.178

Nylon Nylon 0.15 ‐ 0.25

Oak Oak (parallel grain) 0.62 0.48

Oak Oak (cross grain) 0.54 0.32 0.072

Platinum Platinum 1.2 0.25
Plexiglas Plexiglas 0.8 0.8
Plexiglas Steel 0.4 ‐ 0.5 0.4 ‐ 0.5
Polystyrene Polystyrene 0.5 0.5
Polystyrene Steel 0.3‐0.35 0.3‐0.35
Polythene Steel 0.2 0.2
Rubber Asphalt (Dry) 0.5‐0.8

Rubber Asphalt (Wet) 0.25‐0.0.75

Rubber Concrete (Dry) 0.6‐0.85

Rubber Concrete (Wet) 0.45‐0.75

Saphire Saphire 0.2 0.2
Silver Silver 1.4 0.55
Sintered Bronze Steel ‐ 0.13
Solids Rubber 1.0 ‐ 4.0 ‐‐
Steel Aluminum Bros 0.45

Steel Brass 0.35 0.19
Steel(Mild) Brass 0.51 0.44

Steel (Mild) Cast Iron 0.23 0.183 0.133
Steel Cast Iron 0.4 0.21
Steel Copper Lead Alloy 0.22 0.16 0.145
Steel (Hard) Graphite 0.21 0.09
Steel Graphite 0.1 0.1
Steel (Mild) Lead 0.95 0.95 0.5 0.3
Steel (Mild) Phos. Bros 0.34 0.173

Steel Phos Bros 0.35

Steel(Hard) Polythened 0.2 0.2
Steel(Hard) Polystyrene 0.3‐0.35 0.3‐0.35
Steel (Mild) Steel (Mild) 0.74 0.57 0.09‐0.19

Steel(Hard) Steel (Hard) 0.78 0.42 0.05 ‐0.11 0.029‐.12
Steel Zinc (Plated on steel) 0.5 0.45 ‐ ‐
Teflon Steel 0.04 0.04 0.04
Teflon Teflon 0.04 0.04 0.04
Tin Cast Iron .32

Tungsten Carbide Tungsten Carbide 0.2‐0.25 0.12
Tungsten Carbide Steel 0.4 ‐ 0.6 0.08 ‐ 0.2
Tungsten Carbide Copper 0.35

Tungsten Carbide Iron 0.8

Wood Wood(clean) 0.25 ‐ 0.5

Wood Wood (Wet) 0.2

Wood Metals(Clean) 0.2‐0.6

Wood Metals (Wet) 0.2

Wood Brick 0.6

Wood Concrete 0.62

Zinc Zinc 0.6 0.04
Zinc Cast Iron 0.85 0.21

ENGINEERING TRIBOLOGY—REFERENCES
1. “Engineering Tribology”; by John Williams, Cambridge Press; Copyright 2005.
2. “Ball Bearings and Ball Bearing Units”; FMC Corporation, Copyright 1970.
3. “Ball Bearing Technical Journal”; by FMC Corporation, Copyright 1970.
4. “Fafnir Bearing Service Catalog”; by Fafnir Bearings, Copyright 1985
5. “Physical Modeling of Mechanical Friction in Simulink”; by Stephen Lunzman,
Caterpillar, and Dallas Kennedy, Steve Miller, The MathWorks, Copyright 2008.
6. “Principles and Application of Tribology”; by Bharat Bhshan, Ohio State University, John
Wiley and Sons, 1999.
7. “Types of Lubrication”; AMS OIL, Copyright 2011.
8. “Mysteries of Friction and Wear Unfolding: CMS Advances in the Field of Tribology; by
Donald W. Brenner, North Carolina State University, Copyright 2001.
9. “JTC Synthetic Lubricants”; Copyright 2004.
10. “Energy Conservation and Precision Machine Lubrication”; by Mike Johnson, Allied
Inspired Reliability, Copyright 2011.
11. “Lubricants, Chemistry, Technology, Selection and Design”; by Syed Q.A. Rivizi, ASTM
Publications, Copyright 2009.
12. “Auto Engine Lubrication Basics”: by Lance Wright, Auto Repair Help.
13. “ Nanolubrication”; by J.L. Mansot ; Y. Bercion; L. Romana; J.M. Martin: Brazilian Journal
of Physics, Copyright April 2009.
14. “Building a Lubrication Program”; by Ray Thibault, Uptime, Copyright 2009.
15. “Tribology: The Science of Combating Wear”; by William A. Glaeser, Dr. Sheldon R.
Simon, Richard C. Erickson, Keith F. Dufrane, Jerold W. Kannel, Copyright 1994.
16. “Friction”; EXPROBase, Copyright 2009.
17. “Green Tribology: Principles, Research Areas, and Challenges”, by The Royal Society,
Copyright 20 10.
18. “Material Hardness”; The University of Maryland, Copyright 2001.
19. Industrial Tribology, Machine Dynamics and Maintenance Engineering Center”
20. “Lubrication Regimes”; by Dr. Dmitri Kopelivich, Substance and Technologies, Copyright
May 29, 2011.
21. “Properties of Friction”; by The Physics Lab Onlne.org, Catharine H. Colwell, Copyright 2
011.
22. “The Connection Between Productivity and Tribology In Manufacturing Systems”; by B.
Ivkovic, Yugoslav Tribology Society, Copyright September 2003.
23. “Recent Developments in Wear Prevention, Friction and Lubrication, 2010”, by George
K. Nikas, Copyright 2009. “Some Simple Solutions in Tribology”; by B.C. Majumdar
24. “Tribology—How a Word Was Coined 40 Years Ago”; Historical Review—Tribology &
Lubrication Technology, Copyright March 2006.

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FRICTION, WEAR, LUBRICATION AND ADHESION PAGE 10

FRICTION PAGE 10

OBSERVATIONS PAGE 12

COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION FOR VARIOUS MATERIAL PAIRS PAGE 13

STATIC AND KINETIC FRICTION PAGE 14

THERMAL PROCESSES IN FRICTION PAGE 17

WEAR PAGE 17

MECHANISMS OF WEAR PAGE 19

SEIZURE PAGE 19

MELT WEAR PAGE 19

OXIDATION‐DOMINATED WEAR PAGE 19

MECHANICAL WEAR PROCESSES PAGE 19

RUNNING‐IN PAGE 19

ADHESIVE PAGE 20

ABRASIVE PAGE 20

FRETTING AND CORROSION PAGE 21

EROSIVE PAGE 21

LUBRICATION PAGE 22

METHOD OF LUBRICATION PAGE 23

OIL‐BATH PAGE 23

OIL‐SPLASH PAGE 23

CIRCULATING PAGE 23

VISCOSITY PAGE 23

LUBRICANT CLASSIFICATION PAGE 24

MINERAL LUBRICANTS PAGE 24

SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS PAGE 25

TYPES OF LUBRICATION PAGE 26

BOUNDRY PAGE 26

MIXED FILM PAGE 27

ELASTOHYDRODYNAMIC PAGE 27

STRIBECK CURVE PAGE 28

SAE GRADES PAGE 30

API CLASS PAGE 30

ADHESION PAGE 31

ENGINEERING SURFACES PAGE 32

SURFACE TREATMENTS PAGE 32

HARDNESS OF MATERIALS PAGE 33

BRINELL PAGE 34

ROCKWELL PAGE 35

VICKERS and KNOOP PAGE 36

CONTACT BETWEEN SURFACES PAGE 37

BEARINGS PAGE 37

HYDROSTATIC PAGE 38

HYDRODYNAMIC PAGE 38

GAS PAGE 39

ROLLING CONTACT PAGE 40

EMERGING FIELDS OF STUDY PAGE 41

GREEN TRIBOLOGY PAGE 41

NANO‐TRIBOLOGY PAGE 41

SUMMARY PAGE 42

LIST OF FIGURES PAGE 43

LIST OF TABLES PAGE 45

LIST OF EQUATIONS PAGE 46

APPENDIX PAGE 47

GLOSSARY PAGE 48

ii.) The two surfaces start to slip if T(absolute) = µW

iii.) If the two surfaces are sliding, then T(absolute) =±µW