A NOVEL SYSTEM TO STUDY WEAR, FRICTION, AND LUBRICANTS

A novel enclosed (pressurized) multispecimen wear testing system was d esigned and built to allow the fully computerized on-line measurement and control of friction, wear, and lubricants of different materials ( metals, ceramics, composites, and plastics). This system is described in detail. The tribological parameters can be adjusted and controlled to reproduce the actual conditions that prevail in machine components. Several examples of the capabilities of the system are presented, wit h emphasis on measurements pertaining to wear, friction, and wear rate s of self-lubricated ceramics as well as measurements of the efficienc y of additives.