Characteristics of wear results tested by pin-on-disc at moderate to high speeds

The use of a pin-on-disc configuration for investigating the wear mechanism or behaviour of solid materials is examined carefully since the results of such configurations differ from published data and some existing theories cannot be applied to such a configuration directly. The obvious contradictions include the following. The results between the arrangements of the rotating pin and the stationary pin under the same load and speed are different. The bulk temperatures of the rubbing specimens increase with the duration of testing, which may eventually arrive at a steady state. However, before the wear condition reaches a steady state, it will have continuously varied. Moreover, the friction coefficient increases with sliding speed when the applied load on the rubbing specimens is over certain levels. All these contradictions can be reasonably explained with the accurate prediction of bulk and flash temperatures at the contact area. To this end, this paper provides a more reasonable method for the calculation of temperatures and the real and apparent contact areas.