Fretting Wear Protection by Lubricating Greases Tester Supplier

Fretting Wear Protection by Lubricating Greases Tester

Fretting wear, caused by small oscillatory movements between contacting surfaces, can lead to surface damage, particle generation, and premature failure of mechanical components. The Fretting Wear Protection by Lubricating Greases Tester from Changsha Friend Experimental Analysis Instrument Co., Ltd. quantifies the ability of grease formulations to prevent fretting under controlled load, motion, and temperature conditions.

At the heart of the tester is a reciprocating motion module that imposes micro-sliding amplitudes (typically 10–100 µm) at adjustable frequencies up to several hertz. Specimens—often steel or brass coupons—are clamped in test holders and immersed in the grease under evaluation. A loading mechanism applies a defined normal force (from fractions of a newton to tens of newtons), simulating contact pressures in bearings, splines, and electrical connectors. The test runs for a predetermined number of cycles or until a set wear threshold is reached.

Key design features include a temperature-controlled chamber (ambient to 150 °C), a high-resolution displacement sensor for precise motion control, and a force transducer with ±0.1 N accuracy. An integrated data acquisition system records frictional force, displacement, and cycle count in real time. After testing, wear scars are measured via microscopy or profilometry to determine volume loss, and grease residue is analyzed to understand additive performance.

Applications span railway couplings, automotive powertrain joints, aerospace fasteners, and electronic connectors. In R&D, formulators use the tester to optimize thickener type, base oil viscosity, and anti-wear additives. In quality control, production batches are screened to guarantee consistency.

Best practices include preparing specimen surfaces to a defined roughness, degassing greases to remove entrapped air, and verifying load calibration before each test series. Regular inspection of motion guides and lubrication of moving parts ensures reliable operation. By adopting systematic fretting wear protection testing, engineers can extend component life, reduce maintenance costs, and enhance equipment reliability.