Effect of Lubricant Viscosity and Type on Ball Fatigue Life

Two separate investigations were conducted to determine the effect of lubricants on the fatigue life of M-1 tool steel balls in the rolling contact fatigue spin rig. In the first investigation four paraffinic mineral oils with viscosities of 5 to 113 centistokes at the 100F test temperature were used. Longer life was obtained with more viscous oil, life varying approximately as the 0.2 power of lubricant viscosity. In the second investigation of methyl silicone, a paraffinic mineral oil, a sebacate, a water base glycol and an adipate, each of which had a viscosity of about 10 centistokes at the 100F test temperature, were used. The 10 per cent life was about 40 times as great with the silicone (best) as with the adipate (poorest). The life results correlated fairly well with the pressure viscosity characteristics as estimated from lubricants of the same base stocks.