Leaf Coppin

273

A Method for Testing Lubricants under

Conditions of Scuffing. Part I.
Presentation of the Method

M . Szczerek and W. Tuszynski

Institute for Terotechnology (ITeE), Tribology Department, Radom, Poland

Abstract

A method for the tribological assessment of lubricants under conditions of scufing is

presented. The method uses afour-ball tester, and allows one to assess the effect of lubri-
cant on scuffing intensity through an analysis of changes in thefriction torque and wear
of the stationary balls, at continuously increasing load. The behaviour of a lubricant
under scufing conditions can be characterised using the so-called limiting pressure of
seizure poz, which depends on the load at which the balls seize and the average value of
the wear area calculatedfrom the wear-scar diameters measured on the stationa y balls.
A comparison is made -from the point of view of the resolution, time consump-
tion, and cost - of the new method with the existing, standard tests, using a four-ball
tester and a gear test rig (FZG). It is concluded that the proposed mefhod, unlike stan-
dard FZG and certain four-ball tests, enables one to differentiate between gear oils, in
agreement with their APl GL performance level. The very short run-time of the new
method enables one to perform more tests and obtain a low standard deviation. The new
method is much cheaper than the standard four-ball and FZG methods.

Keywords

lubricant testing, scuffing, four-ball test, limiting pressure of seizure, FZG, gear

IN TRODUCT10N

The ever-higher loads carried by the friction joints of machines significantly in-
crease the risk of scuffing and seizure. In the case of, for example, toothed gears,
seizure is, besides pitting, the most frequent cause of damage. Given the high
cost of repair, prevention of scuffing and seizure is very important in the
building and maintenance of machines.
There are many definitions of scuffing and seizure. For example, Dyson, in
a review, adopts the definition of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers: scuff-
ing is ‘gross damage characterised by the formation of local welds between the

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274 Szczerek and Tuszynski

Figure 1 Determination of the load stage at which scuffing initiation occurs -wear
criterion

3 wc, Critical wear

i
m
i Sudden increase
I

b I
I
I

0 t

1
* 2 3 P,, = 4
I
Load, stage, P‘
Critical load stage

sliding surfaces’.’ In this context seizure is ’the stopping of the mechanism as

the result of interfacial friction’. Enthoven and Spikes quote the definition
proposed by the OECD scuffing is ‘localised damage caused by the occurrence
of solid-phase welding between scuffing surfaces, without local melting’.2
Ludema considers scuffing to be ’a roughening of surfaces by plastic flow
whether or not there is material loss or tran~fer’.~Nosal describes scuffing as ‘all
occurrences in the friction contact zone, mainly localised deep in the surface
layer, causing increasing and unstable friction, which may lead to seizure’! In
this context seizure is ’the stopping of the mechanism as a result of high friction
localised deep in the surface layer, which causes permanent damage to it‘. In
other words, scuffing is a process leading to seizure.
The lack of one concise, widely accepted definition (some definitions con-
sider sciiffing to be a kind of severe wear and some an increase in friction) re-
sults in a great diversity of methods for the investigation of scuffing. It must be
emphasised that in most cases it is not scuffing itself that is investigated, but
rather its initiation - research focuses on the determination of critical conditions
(load, speed, temperature) causing the breakdown of the lubricating film. As
criteria of scuffing initiation, the following are most often used:

The sudden increase in wear intensity or exceeding of some critical wear

level W,, (Figure 1);this criterion is employed in, for example, the ASTM
D 2783 (four-ball tribosystem), PN-83/ H-04302 (three-cylinder cone), and
DIN 51 354 Teil2 (FZG gear machine) standard^.^^ The load here is in-
creased stepwise. For example, in Figure 1 the critical load stage P,, is 4.
The sudden increase in friction torque (Figure 2) or exceeding of some
critical friction force (friction coefficient); this criterion is employed in,

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A method for testing lubricants under conditions of scuffing. Part 1. Presentation of the 275
method

Figure 2 Determination of the load stage at which scuffing initiation occurs - friction
criterion, continuous load increase

0 Time

for example, the following standards: PN-76/C-04147 (four-ball ttibosys-

tem), IS0 7148 / 1 (Amsler test rig), ASTM D 2782 (Timken method), ASTM
D 2981 (block on ring), and ASTM D 2670 (Falex pin and vee block
The load here is increased either continuously or steywise.

Apart from the observation of friction and wear, for the identification of
scuffing initiation one can use contact resistance measurements. A sudden de-
crease in the resistance indicates the breakdown of the lubricating film. Such
a method was employed in previous Other methods for the inves-
tigation of scuffing initiation include obtaining temperature profiles in the
contact zone using an infrared microscope and visual inspection of the contact
during a test using an optical microscope attached to a TV camera and video
recorder.'
The above-mentioned methods for investigating the initiation of scuffing
do not give any information on scuffing propagation and the effect of lubricants
on it. However, comprehensive research clearly shows that in practice some lu-
bricants, in spite of being under the same conditions of scuffing initiation (e.g.,
the same critical load), under extreme-pressure (El') conditions may show com-
pletely different beha~i0ur.l~ The differences between lubricants can be re-
vealed only during the observation of scuffing propagation and its effect - wear,
This consideration was fundamental for the development (in the Tribology
Department of ITeE) of a new four-ball method for testing lubricants under
conditions of scuffing. For this purpose the following definitions have been
adopted: scuffing is 'a process leading to seizure' and seizure is 'the stopping
of relative movement of test specimens due to exceeding some critical friction
torque'. The new method uses a four-ball tester since it is one of the most
widely used and popular testers for the investigation of scuffing.lSz0

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276 Szczerek and Tuszynski

Figure 3 Friction torque curve obtained for a continuously increasing load P - new
method, four-ball tester

M I = 10 N m

0 Time
*

NEW METHOD FOR TRIBOLOGICAL TESTING OF LUBRICANTS

According to the new method, three stationary bearing steel balls with
diameters of 12.7 mm are pressed against an upper ball at a continuously in-
creasing load in the presence of the lubricant to be tested. The upper ball
rotates at a constant, given speed while the applied load is increased. One
should observe changes in friction torque until seizure occurs.
The following criterion should be used: seizure occurs at the time at which
10 N m friction torque is exceeded. If 10 N m is not reached, ‘seizure’ is con-
sidered to occur at the end of the run, at the maximum possible load (about
7200 N). In adopting the value 10 N m, the life of the ball chuck was taken into
account.
The test conditions used are as follows: rotational speed, 500 f 20 rpm;
speed of continuous load increase, 409 N / s; initial applied load, 0 N; maximum
possible load, 7200 f 100 N.
A friction torque curve M , obtained for a continuously increasing load P is
shown in Figure 3. At point 1 lubricating film breakdown occurs and scuffing
begins. ‘The load applied to the balls at that moment is called the scuffing load
P,, and is a measure of the load-carrying capacity according to PN-76 / C-04147?
Accordiag to the new method, the run continues until seizure occurs (point 2).
The load at this moment is called the seizure load Po=. It should be measured to
the nearest 100 N.
It is suggested that for every tested lubricant the so-called limiting pres-
sure of seizure poz should be calculated. Its value reflects the lubricant behav-
iour under scuffing conditions and is a nominal pressure in the contact area

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A method for testing lubricants under conditions of scufing. Part I. Presentation ofthe 277
method

when seizure occurs. The larger the value of poz the more ’efficient’ the lubricant
under scuffing conditions. The limiting pressure of seizure is calculated from
the equation

pol = 0.52-
Po*
d2
derived from the work of Piekoszewski et ul.” The average wear-scar diameter
d is calculated from the parallel (to the striations) and normal scar diameters
measured to the nearest 0.1 nun on the stationary balls. Po, is expressed in new-
tons and d in millimetres. Thus, the limiting pressure of seizure is in N / mm’.
The coefficient 0.52 results from the force distribution in the four-ball tribo-
system.
A necessary condition of the new test procedure is that the motor of the
four-ball tester has enough power to keep the set-up from stopping until 10 N m
friction torque (seizure) is attained. When 10 N m has been reached, the upper
ball can be stopped either automatically (via a special controller or cut-off
device) or manually on the basis of observed changes in the friction torque.
To disregard any outlying results, the authors propose using Dixon’s test
at a 5% significance level.

TEST EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES

The tests were conducted on the four-ball tester and on a gear test rig (FZG). The
former was used to determine the limiting pressure of seizure poz, weld point
P,, load-wear index Ih, last non-seizure load P,, and scuffing load P,. The failure
load stage was obtained on the latter.

Four-ball tester (T-02)

The four-ball tribosystem is shown in Figure 4. Three stationary balls are

pressed at increasing load P against the upper one, which is held in the ball

Figure 4 Four-ball tribosystem

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278 Szczerek and Tuszynski

Figure 5 T-02 four-ball tester

Figure 6 FZG gear test rig tribosystem

chuck and rotates at a defined speed n. The test balls were of chrome alloy bear-
ing steel, with a diameter of 12.7 mm (0.5 in). The surface roughness was R, =
0.032 p i and the hardness greater than HRC 60. The balls were immersed in the
test oil; the oil volume for one run was about 10 cm3.
Th2 four-ball tester was controlled via a special microprocessor-aided
controller (MST-02),which acquires and records data, a motor speed controller
(SM 3031, and a PC running a special program. The motor speed controller - by
changing the frequency of the electric current - enables one to set the rotational
speed within a wide range. The computer program allows one to define a test
procedure. The four-ball tester, program, and both controllers were designed
and manufactured at the authors’ institute.
The four-ball tester is shown in Figure 5, and is denoted T-02. An import-
ant feature of this tester is the possibility it affords of a continuous increase in

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A method for testing lubricants under conditions of scufing. Part 1. Presentation of thc 279
method

load during a run owing to a modification of the load system - an additional,

independently controlled motor moves the weight along the lever. This is
essential to carry out the new test procedure.
The limiting pressure of seizure poz was determined with the new method.
The weld point P, load-wear index Ih, and last non-seizure load P, were
obtained according to ASTM D 2783, with a stepwise increase of load (cf. Figure
1 Only the rotational speed and the temperature were modified: 1450 rpm and
:
)
ambient temperature, respectively. The scuffing load P, was obtained on the ba-
sis of PN-76/C-04147, with a continuously increasing load (cf. Figure 2).8

Gear test rig (FZG)

The tribosystem of the gear test rig (FZG) is shown in Figure 6, and involves a
pair of special test gears with mating teeth. The test gears were of case-hardened
alloy steel. The surface hardness after tempering was greater than HRC 60. The
gear roughness after Maag cross-hatch grinding, measured across the centre of
a tooth, parallel to the pitch line, was R, = 0.3-0.7 pm. The test gears were im-
mersed (approximatelyto their centre points) in the test oil; the oil volume for
one test was about 1.2 dm3.
The gear test rig (FZG) was, like the four-ball tester, equipped with an
MST-02 microprocessor-aided controller, a motor speed controller (SM 305), and
a PC running a special program. The gear test rig is denoted T-12. The gear test
rig has been used to determine the failure load stage according to DIN 51 354
(Teil2), with a stepwise increase of load (cf. Figure I).

MATERIALS

Four gear oils were tested, of various API performance levels: GL-3, GL-4, GL-5,
and GL-6. The GL-3 oil contained zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP)as an an-
tiwear (AW) additive. The other oils contained organic S-P compounds as El'
additives.

RESULTS

Various measures of lubricant tribological properties obtained for the oils are
shown in Figures 7-10 (see pp. 280 & 281). The limiting pressure of seizure (poz)
values for the oils tested are shown in Figure 11 (see p. 281). The repeatability of
P,, Ih, and P, are (respectively) one increment loading, and 17% and 10%of the
mean ~ a l u eFor ~ repeatability has not yet been obtained. For poz the re-
. ~P,~ the
peatability has been assessed on the basis of inter-laboratory tests (round-robin

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280 Szczerek and Tuszynski

Figure 7 Weld point P, for the test oils; four-ball tester (D 2783)

-1
GL-6

Iiigure 8 Load-wear index Zh for the test oils; four-ball tester (D 2783)

z
-
c
I
400

200

- 0
GL-3 GL-4 GL-5 GL-6

Figure 9 Last non-seizure load P , for the test oils; four-ball tester (D 2783)

1400
1200
1000
aoo
600
400
200
0
GL-3 GL-4 GL-5 GL-6

-
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A method for testing lubricants under conditions of scufing. Part I. Presentation of the 281
method

Figure 10 Scuffing load P , for the test oils; four-ball tester (PN-76/C-04147)

- -. .
.

4000 1 ..-,
3200 - ~

-z
I

- - --
v
2400 - - -- . I ~

-
1600 ~ ~

800 -- -
~~~~

Figure 11 Limiting pressure of seizure poz for the test oils; four-ball tester, new
method
-

GL-3 GL-4 GL-5 GL-6

comparison) performed at nine laboratories throughout P01and.l~The repeat-

ability is 0 . 1 7 ~+ 42 (m is the mean value); both the repeatability and m are
expressed here in N / mm'.
The higher the gear oil performance level, the larger the values of poz,
P,, and lh, and the smaller the values of P, and Pe This may be linked to the
different kinds and concentrations of additives in the gear oils. The GL-3 oil
contained ZDDP, classified as an AW additive, which explains the highest
values of P, and P , both obtained in the AW region. The gear oils of GL-4 and
higher performance levels all contained organic S-1' compounds, considered to
be EP additives; the higher the level, the larger the content of such addi-
tives. This is reflected by the much higher values of poz and P, and slightly
higher values of zh (all obtained under El' conditions) than in the case of the

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282 Szczerek and Tuszynski

Figure 12 Failure load stage for the test oils; FZG gear test rig

GL-3 oil. It must be emphasised that only the weld point (P,) and limiting
pressure of seizure (p,,) can differentiate the gear oils adequately as to their
performance levels; the higher the level, the larger these values.
The failure load stage values for particular gear oils obtained on the FZG
gear test rig are shown in Figure 12. The arrows indicate that the last (12th)fail-
ure load stage was exceeded. The repeatability of the FZG method is one load
stage.7 The results obtained show the poor resolution of the FZG test method -
there is no difference in the failure load stage between the GL-3 oil and the
higher level oils. For each oil tested the failure load stage exceeds 12.

DISCUSSION

From a comparison of various measures obtained for gear oils using the four-
ball tester, it is apparent that the accuracy of the new method is better than
standard ones, thus the proposed method is more sensitive to the type and con-
centration of additives in gear oils. The limiting pressure of seizure poz re-
mains in good correlation with the weld point P, but the way of determining
P , has some drawbacks. First, the time to complete the test for one lubricant is
relatively long (about 2 h). Second, after welding of the test balls, it is impos-
sible to perform any surface analysis of the wear scar. Third, to determine P,
one needs many test balls available.
The new method does not have such drawbacks. The runs are very short
(about 20 s), which enables one to perform more runs and obtain a lower stan-
dard deviation. What is more, under the proposed test conditions the balls
were never found to be actually welded, so surface analysis is possible. The use
of only R small number of test balls is thus an additional advantage of the new
method.

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A method for testing lubricants under conditions of scufing. Part I. Presentation of the 283
method

In comparison with the new four-ball method, the standard test method
using the FZG gear test rig has many serious drawbacks. Its resolution is very
poor - there can be no difference in the failure load stage obtained for various
gear oils. What is more, the FZG method is time-consuming, needing about 8 h
to complete the test for one oil. However, perhaps most important is the fact that
the cost of the special test gears for the FZG test is almost 1000 times that of the
test balls used in one test with the new method. Hence, the substitution of in-
expensive four-ball tests for the FZG test is highly desirable, and has already
been proposed.”
Concerning the relatively poor resolution of the FZG standard method, it
must be added here that some researchers have suggested significant modifica-
tions to adapt it to differentiate between gear They have proposed a
reduction in the face width of the pinion by half, a two-fold rise in the rotational
speed, ‘shock‘ loading, i.e., starting a run with new gears at a load stage
expected to initiate scuffing (without gradually increasing it from the minimum
value), and making the scuffing criterion more severe.

CONCLUSIONS

The new method for testing lubricants under conditions of scuffing gives a good
resolution and is fast and cheap. It can be carried out using a four-ball tester
which is one of the most widely used and popular testers for the investigation
of scuffing. The method can be substituted for time-consuming and expensive
FZG tests.
The new method can be applied in both academic and industrial labora-
tories, and is useful in blending and selection of lubricants for various applica-
tions. The method, including the testing system and tribology testers, will be
available together.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express special thanks to Prof. C. Kajdas (Warsaw Tech-
nical University) for scientific consultations concerning the chemistry of the
petroleum products. The gear oils were prepared at the Central Petroleum
Laboratory (CLN), Warsaw, within the framework of Research Project No. 7
T08C 070 12 financed by the Polish Committee for ScientificResearch.

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Tribotestjournal8-4, June 2002. (8)283 ISSN 1354-4063 $10.00 + $10.00

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This paper was firstpresented at the 12th International Colloquium on Tribology, Technische Akademie Esslingen,
Germany.

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