EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE ROLLING–SLIDING CONTACT CONDITIONS IN A PA66/STEEL GEAR USING TWIN-DISC TEST RIG: FRICTION AND WEAR ANALYSIS
Abstract
This study investigates the effects of sliding ratio on the tribological response of the contact between the teeth of a metal/polymer gear in the regions close to the pitch point. For this purpose, a new twin-disc test rig was developed on the basis of two discs of different diameters rotating one above the other at the same angular speed. Two different materials were used: non-alloyed structural steel (C45) and polyamide (PA66). The effect of the slip ratio (4%, 12%, 20% and 28%) was studied at a constant pressure of 34 MPa and a constant angular speed of 300 rpm. In addition, the contact conditions were controlled with measurements of the two discs surface temperatures. The results indicate that the wear and the friction are closely related to the contact temperature generated by the sliding phenomenon. At low slip ratio (4% and 12%), the coefficient of friction and the temperature are characterized by a quasi-linear increase with time, and the wear increases slowly. At higher slip ratio (20% and 28%), the coefficient of friction and the temperature presents a steady state, and the wear increases dramatically. During the test, a film of transferred PA66 is formed on the steel surface causing the development of adhesive interactions between the contacting discs which increase the friction coefficient and the contact temperature. The high thermal conductivity of steel as compared to that of the polymer can reduce enormously the contact temperature generated by the sliding process.
