Experimental objective

Ascertain the validity of laws of friction

Wear characteristics of the given
specimen
Determination of Wear Constant
Understand the effect of parameters

Test Set up/unit

TECHNICAL DATA & SPECIFICATION

BASIC SPECIFICATIONS:
Details
Description
Remarks
Top specimen Pin
Dia 3,4,6,8,10 & 12mm
Material: as per test need
Bottom specimen-Disc
Standard Disc:165mm x 8mm thick
Material: En 31 hardened to 62HRc
Sensor specification
Disc Speed Range :
200 to 2000 rpm
Infinitely variable in steps of 1 rpm
Sensor:
Proximity sensor, model APS-8, PNP Type, make: TAP
Least count
1 rpm
Display accuracy (1 1% of measured speed)
Normal load
Range
1N to 200 In steps of 5N,
(exact dead weights of size 0.1,0.5,1,2 & 5kg are provided to vary the load)

Frictional force
Range 0 to 200N
Specification
20 kg beam type load cell, make: IPA
Least count
0.1N
Accuracy
(0.1 2% measured frictional force) in N
Wear
Range 2mm
Sensor spec
LVDT, make: Syscon
Least count
1 micron
Accuracy
(1 1% of measured wear) in micron
Wear track diameter:
Min 50mm to max 100mm
Sliding speed
Min 0.5 m/s to max 10m/s
Timer
Max 99hrs, 59min, 59 sec

Experimental Procedure in Sequential

steps:
Prepare equipment for test:
Thoroughly clean specimen pin, remove burns form
circumference using fine grade emery paper.
Determine the weight of the specimen very accurately
using highly accurate weighing balance having least
count of 0.01 mg (Need?)
Clean wear disc thoroughly with solvent and allow it to
dry
Clamping of specimen pin
Specimen pin is clamped to loading lever tip by
hardened jaws. Use the relevant size (4,5,6,8,&12 mm)
clamp to hold cylindrical specimen pins

 Set wear track radius

The path generated is circle, so the specimen
pin can be positioned over wear disc between
50 & 100 mm dia. By this the wear disc between
each grind can used be used for many test by
positioning the specimen pins at different
diameter (Wear track diameter) on wear disc.
Procedure
Unscrew to loosen the sliding plate, move it to
the desired position (say at 60 mm) by looking at
the graduated scale and tighten the clamp
screw at this position

Setting disc Speed

Set 3 or 5 min time on controller
Press test start push button 7
Rotate SET rpm knob on controller in clockwise
direction till required test speed displayed
Continue to run for the remaining time to
observe for any fluctuation.
Press stop button on controlled to switch off
rotation

 Calculating the sliding velocity and

sliding distance:
Sliding speed in m/sec = DN / 60,000
Sliding speed in m =
DNT / 60,000
D = Dia of wear track in mm
N = Disc speed in rpm
T = Test duration in secs
Based on the wear track set, determine
the motor speed to be set on controller to
achieve the desired sliding velocity

 Applying Normal load

Place required weights on loading pan slowly with out
shaking
Conduct the test and note the observations
Press START push button on the controller front panel to
commence the test;
(simultaneously data is transmitted to PC).
On controller the acquired test parameters like wear,
frictional force, speeds are displayed,
(same values are also displayed on PC screen and
graph is plotted simultaneously)
Note the necessary readings and record your data
Repeat the procedure from a suitable stage to the next
test condition and till you complete the test

Friction Force measurement

The friction force between the pin and disc is measured
by a load cell mounted on bracket at a distance equal to
the distance between specimen and pivot. A beam type
load cell with a maximum capacity of of 20kg (200 N) is
used.
The load cell is strain gauge type load cell constructed
on high strength corrosion resistant steel using foil type
strain gauge with high stability.
The tangential force on the specimen holding beam is
transmitted to the load cell beam and (even minute)
deformation of the beam is sensed by the strain gauge
The strain gauge is connected to a wheat stone bridge
circuit. Strain conditioning and balancing is automated
and calibrated such that values are direct displayed

Wear Measurement
Linear wear rate is monitored using a LVDT( Linear
variable differential transducer)
LVDT measures wear of the specimen directly as the
sensor is mounted at exactly same distance of specimen
from pivot point to get equal (1:1) lever ratio.
The plunger of sensor rests on a hardened pin projection
from the lever and as wear occurs the loading lever lifts
in upward direction, moving the plunger. This movement
is displayed as wear on the controller. The least count of
the LVDT is 0.1 m and thus the wear rate also
The initial position is set on the mid point so that both +
and ve wear can be monitored and the maximum
range is 2 mm

Post test-data evaluation and

Reporting
Generate a graphical plot of Ff Vs Fn for the
different test conditions (Material, size and
velocity)
Observe the trend and infer
(Note: A st. line relation if noted (through best
fit also) confirms the validity of the first law and
friction co-efficient can be determined from the
slope)
If the slope is constant for the velocities and
sizes tested, other two laws are confirmed

 Covert mass loss to volume loss (using the

density)
Estimate the wear constant by substituting the
values in the wear equation.
Using the test data, calculate the p.V factors of
the test
Generate a graphical plot of linear wear rate vs
pV factor
Observe the trend and infer
(higher the pV value higher should be the wear
rate )
Finalize your report and submit.

Format of Report
Name
Batch

Dept. of Mech. Engg., IIT Madras

ME 3280-Mechanical Engg. Laboratory

Roll No
Date

Title of Experiment

Objective
Underlying theory

Annexure A (Attach separately)

Test Set up used

Shot description. Schematic sketch and basic specifications

Test procedure
adopted

Describe the steps in sequential order

Observations

Record the data appropriately (tabular form) and

systematically

Inference

Do the necessary calculations, Generate the required graphical

plots etc

Conclusion

Draw and describe the conclusion arrived at

Setting of computer for data acquisition

Click START button in PC windows
Post evaluation of test data
On PC the data acquired during test is stored. Open
view file to display graph of single test with all test
parameters. On the wear graph a line equation is
provided to fit any slope, the slope position is entered as
starting time & ending time, click REFERESH button to
give slop equation and graph.
Use compare graph to compare test parameters of
different test files, at a time 4 files test parameters can
be compared.

Test Specimen

Pin

Disc

Material
Diameter
Harness
Roughness
Initial Weight

S. Normal Friction
force
No Load

Final Weight
Sliding
speed/
velocity

Linear
wear

Contact
pressure

p.V factor

Co.eff of
friction

Remarks

Suggested References

Rabinowicz.E., (1995), Friction and wear of materials,

John Wiley & Sons, New York
Gwidon W. Stachowiak and Andrew W. Batchelor
(2001) Engineering Tribology Butterworth-Heinemann,
Boston.
Bhushan.B., (1999), Principles and Applications of
Tribology, John Wiley & Sons, New York
B.C. Majumdar (1986), Introduction to Tribology of
Bearings, A.H. Wheeler and & Company Ltd.
I.M.Hutchings(1992) Friction, Wear and Lubrication
Edward Arnold-London UK.