1 s2.0 S0301679X06000156 Main
1 s2.0 S0301679X06000156 Main
1 s2.0 S0301679X06000156 Main
Abstract
The wear phenomena of galling is characterized by macroscopic roughening and deformation of the surfaces of mated materials.
Currently, the ASTM G98 button-on-block test method is the only standardized testing procedure for determining the galling resistance
of material couples. The pattern of surface damage resulting from performing the ASTM test tends to be predicable. In particular, the
galling generally occurs near the outer edge of the button and migrates inwards. In this study, the stress distribution between the mated
specimens leading up to the onset of galling was investigated. A suitable analytical model of the system geometry and loading conditions
was developed and applied. The results of the model show that a stress concentration exists along the edge of the button specimen when
loaded. The stress concentration is believed to contribute to the initiation of galling at this site. The results of the analytical model have
also shown that the magnitude of the stress concentration is dependent on the size of the corner radius. An alternative testing
arrangement is presented and preliminary results are shown.
r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
0301-679X/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.triboint.2006.01.002
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standard test method requires that the end of a cylindrical the specimens are visually inspected for the presence of
button be placed against a flat plate, as shown in Fig. 1. galling. The load is then increased until one of the
The specimens are then loaded via a universal tensile specimens experiences galling. Couples of materials can
testing machine or by any other constant force apparatus then be ranked based on the maximum applied load.
and the button is slowly turned one revolution with a One of the steps in the engineering design process is
wrench. The specimens are subsequently removed from the developing working models and prototypes to be tested
machine and are visually inspected for surface damage in under operating conditions. These models typically yield
the form of galling. If galling has not occurred, new more accurate galling test results because they are designed
specimens are placed in the machine and a higher load is specifically for the given application. An example of this is
applied. Following this procedure for a variety of different a threaded connection-galling test. A bolted joint design
combinations of materials, material couples can be ranked was tested by inserting the bolts into the desired config-
qualitatively for their resistance to galling. uration, and torquing them to the specified level [15]. The
This test has been used for several decades to determine bolts were then loosened and completely removed. This
relative galling resistance. Test results can be found in the was repeated until either galling had occurred, or the
literature for material couples including aluminum [8], threads were severely damaged. The testing procedure
stainless steel [9,10] and titanium [11], among others [6]. required that the bolts have a life of 900 cycles. The factors
The button-on-block test is useful in design applications in under investigation were material, lubrication and thread
that it can help in the selection of materials, however, type.
prototypical tests that more closely simulate the applica- Although several galling resistance test methods have
tion configuration are necessary to quantitatively deter- been developed, the ASTM G98 button-on-block test
mine galling thresholds [4]. While the ASTM standard G98 arrangement remains the only standardized procedure for
is the only current standard testing procedure, other ranking galling resistance. The results of this standard test
methods have been developed. These tests investigate are useful in determining the relative ranking of material
different aspects of contact wear that can be found to couples; however, as Hummel and Partlow [10] point out,
exist in machinery, structures, and equipment [6]. there can be discrepancies between inter-laboratory results.
The pin-on-flat testing arrangement has been used to Specifically, it was found that when two different labs ran
determine the galling resistance of material couples [12]. In tests on the same material couples, the galling threshold
this method, a spherically tipped pin slides along a straight could vary by as much as 500%. The present ASTM galling
line across a flat block. The testing method requires a resistance test standard G98 states that the ‘‘subjective
predetermined sliding distance, speed, and surface finish of determination of threshold galling stress by visual exam-
the specimens. The surface topography is measured by a ination makes it difficult to have high precision in test
stylus profilometer in parallel sections along the length of results from different laboratories’’ [4].
the line of sliding. The topographical data is used to Determining the underlying cause of the lack of
determine a parameter that describes the average maximum repeatability is the primary focus of the current study.
peak-to-valley distances. This parameter is then used to There are many factors that researchers have found that
correlate galling damage to the surface profile of the affect galling resistance. These factors include surface
specimens. finish, sliding distance, geometry, and sliding speed
The button-on-cylinder test arrangement was developed [3,6,8]. While many of the factors that effect galling are
by Hummel to investigate galling of components in line not fully understood, the lack of repeatable results using
contact [13,14]. This test requires that the flat end of a the current testing method suggests that the test method
stationary button be in tangential contact with a cylinder. needs to be examined. The purpose of this investigation
A load is applied to the button, and the cylinder is rotated was to take the initial step in understanding the specific test
a prescribed number of cycles. After the test is performed, conditions during a button-on-block test. In particular the
stress field of the contact region was examined to determine
if it plays a significant role in the galling phenomena during
a button-on-block test.
2. Current procedure
a
b¼ . (5) 2.0
sinðf0 Þ
The mathematical model of the stress field presented 1.5
above was used to predict the stress concentrations during
1.0
a button-on-block test. The results of the findings are
presented in the following section.
0.5
4. Discussion 0.0
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
Using Eqs. (1)–(5), the stress concentration at the Radial Position (Normalized)
specimen interface was determined for what is considered Fig. 4. Plot of stress concentration factors along the diameter of the
to be typical test. Specifically, the diameter of the button punch.
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R.A. Waite et al. / Tribology International 39 (2006) 1421–1427 1425
Pressure F
Button
Block
Preliminary tests were run in a tensile testing machine on proposed, and while preliminary tests using the proposed
seven sets of type 303 stainless steel. All of the tests were test setup are encouraging, more tests need to be conducted
run at a load of 445 N. Galling occurred in six of the seven before any conclusions can be drawn.
tests, and the relative location of the galling was rather
scattered. A photograph of the six tests where galling Acknowledgements
occurred is shown in Fig. 8. As can be seen in the photo,
galling occurred on the outer two-thirds of the contact The authors wish to thank the Lafayette College EXCEL
region for most of the specimens. This appears to indicate Scholars Program for providing support to Ryan Waite’05.
that the problem with the stress concentration at the edge
of the button has been eliminated by this new testing
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