ETHIOPIAN THECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY DIVISSION

AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTEMENT

AUTOMOTIVE TRIBOLOGY

Name: Tilahun Worku

IDNO: MTR756/13
Section#2

CHAPTER-2
Assignment#3

Submitted To: Dr. Hailemariam N. (Ph.D.)

Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
January, 2022
1. What is the difference between pitting and spalling?

Pitting

Pitting is a surface damage from cyclic contact stress transmitted through a lubrication film that
is in or near the elasto-hydrodynamic regime.

It is indicated by the development of small cavities in the contact path. It is an attack with
localized holes on the metal's surface.
Vigorous when the solution on the metal surface contains chloride, hypochlorite or
bromide ions.
The attack can penetrate the metal very rapidly, while some parts of the metal surface
remain free from corrosion.
The failure starts with the formation of pits which continue to grow resulting in the rupture
of the tooth surface.
It is also caused by localized metal fatigue on the surface of the gear.
Microscopic cracks are forced to propagate which causes small metal chunks to break off.
Pitting starts with the nucleation of subsurface or surface breaking cracks, then propagates under
repeated contact loading. Eventually a crack grows large enough to become unstable and reach the
tooth surface. This type of failure happens in both through-hardened and surface-hardened gears,
though the latter often exhibit what is termed micro pitting.

Figure 1 Pitting of material

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Pitting is initiated by:

Localized chemical or mechanical damage to the protective oxide film; water chemistry
factors which can cause breakdown of a passive film are acidity, low dissolved oxygen
concentrations (which tend to render a protective oxide film less stable) and high
concentrations of chloride (as in seawater)
Localized damage to, or poor application of, a protective coating
The presence of non-uniformities in the metal structure of the component, e.g. nonmetallic
inclusions.
Theoretically, a local cell that leads to the initiation of a pit can be caused by an abnormal anodisite
surrounded by normal surface which acts as a cathode, or by the presence of an abnormal cathodic
site surrounded by a normal surface in which a pit will have disappeared due to corrosion.

Spalling

Spalling is a catastrophic contact fatigue failure.

One important feature of spalling distinguishing itself from surface pitting is that spalling could
cause catastrophic failure in a very short time.

 When a progressive failure pitting reaches a certain stage, the metal between adjacent pits
tends to be weakened and eventually breaks of this effect is known as spalling is considered
the most common form of fatigue failure.
 It is flakes of a material that are broken off a larger solid body and can be produced by a
variety of mechanisms, including as a result of projectile impact, corrosion, weathering,
cavitation, or excessive rolling pressure (as in a ball bearing).
 It is identified by the formation of large and deep cavities in the loaded area.
 Spalling and spallation both describe the process of surface failure in which spall is shed.

Spalling is the result of surface or sub-surface fatigue, which causes fractures to form in the
running surfaces. When the rolling elements travel over these cracks, pieces, or flakes, of material
break away. Spalling is also referred to as flaking, peeling, or pitting.

Spalling is considered the most common form of fatigue failure. It can be either surface or
subsurface initiated.
 It is caused by high-contact stresses where the edges of initial pits break away and rapidly
form large holes .
 It is identified by the formation of large and deep cavities in the loaded area (typically 20-
 100 µm) at the contact surface)
 It is macro-scale contact fatigue caused by fatigue crack propagation and reserved.
 can appear as overlapping or interconnected large pits.
 It primarily occurs on the races and the rolling elements.
 It can appear as overlapping or interconnected large pits.
 A spall can extend along or across the bearing raceway, resulting in the removal of a large
volume of material from the surface.
A multitude of small surface defects results in micro-spalling or pitting

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 2. What is the difference between scuffing and scoring?

SCUFFING
Scuffing is a form of wear occurring in inadequately-lubricated tribosystems that is characterized
by macroscopically observable changes in texture, with features related to the direction of
motion.” Scuffing damage can occur quickly or over time: depends on operating conditions,
materials, and lubrication.
In machinery (engines), scuffing is associated with inadequate or failed lubrication.
Occurs non-uniformly.
Can start at one place on a surface and spread to another after continued operation.
Can lead to seizure (incipient galling) in tight-tolerance components.
Scuffing damage is difficult to measure in a quantitative way.

In any case, lubricant and lubricating conditions, not material strength, are responsible for
scuffing damage.

Figure 2 Photographs of failures of the gear teeth flanks due to scuffing

SCORING
The excessive heat is generated when there is an excessive surface pressure, high speed or supply
of lubricant fails. It is a stick-slip phenomenon in which alternate shearing and welding takes
place rapidly at high spots.
Scoring is a type of abrasive wear, referring to a rough surface, usually with cuts. It appears as
long scratches in the direction of motion.

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Scoring refers to transfer of metal from one component to another under sliding contact. This
process is caused by lack of adequate lubrication under extreme pressure. Scoring increases the
adhesive ability of the surface.
 Scoring is also a method of obtaining very sharply defined bends in metal sheets.
 In gears, pitting occurs when continuous high-pressure forces act on the surface of the
gear teeth.
 Scoring can be identified by radial scratch lines. Pitting, in turn, can cause scoring.
 Scoring can also be used to evaluate the ability of a coating to resist
delamination by corrosion.

Figure 3 abrasive and scoring of material

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