Abstract
Despite the increasing need for engineering materials to be wear-resistant, wear has usually been considered only after all other design factors, and frequently not at all. This is undesirable and all locating surfaces should be regarded with suspicion at the design stage, particularly with a view to lessening and facilitating repairs.
Some effects on wear, of load and movement, vibration, temperature, and material are discussed and the undesirability of rattling loads emphasized.
The influence of surface oxides is discussed and the results of some other investigators related to practical experience of flight engine components.
A rubbing test and a hammer test are described and from their results and the observations of two other authors, it is suggested that all the more wear resistant materials rely upon the formation of a Buckley and Johnson surface ‘glaze’ whose characteristics are dependent upon the base material composition. It is further suggested that such materials will exhibit an impact limit beyond which the glaze will have a limited ability to survive, suggesting that the most promising line of approach to wear resistance is in the field of complex oxides.
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