Assessing Wear Control with The Lubricant Anti‑Wear Performance Tester

Assessing Wear Control with the Lubricant Anti‑Wear Performance Tester

Introduction
Reducing metal‑to‑metal wear is a primary objective in lubricant formulation. The Lubricant Anti‑Wear Performance Tester from Changsha Friend Experimental Analysis Instrument Co., Ltd. evaluates a lubricant’s ability to protect contact surfaces under boundary and mixed lubrication regimes, offering quantitative wear metrics for R&D and quality control.

Testing Principle
Commonly based on a four‑ball or pin‑on‑disk configuration, the instrument brings metallic specimens into relative motion under defined loads (up to 200 N), sliding speeds (0.1–2 m/s), and temperatures (ambient to 200 °C). Frictional torque is recorded during the test, and wear scars on the specimens are measured microscopically or via profilometry to determine wear volume or scar diameter.

Technical Design Features

• Load and Speed Control: Closed‑loop actuators maintain constant normal force and sliding velocity throughout the test.

• Temperature Regulation: A jacketed test chamber with external heater delivers uniform thermal conditions.

• Real‑Time Data Acquisition: Torque sensors and displacement transducers feed continuous friction and wear data to the software.

• Interchangeable Fixtures: Supports both four‑ball and pin‑on‑disk modules on a single platform.

Industry Applications

• Additive Screening: Compare anti‑wear additives such as zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) under identical conditions.

• Base Oil Comparison: Differentiate Group II, III, and synthetic oils by their boundary performance.

• Quality Control: Confirm batch consistency and detect formulation drift in production.

Best Practices

1. Specimen Preparation: Polish contact surfaces to Ra < 0.1 µm and clean with solvent to remove residues.

2. Lubricant Conditioning: Degas samples under vacuum to eliminate air pockets.

3. Sensor Calibration: Verify torque and force transducers with certified calibration weights and rigs.

4. Post‑Test Analysis: Clean specimens gently, then measure wear scars with calibrated microscopy.