Numerical modeling of the transient temperature rise during ball-on-disk scuffing tests

Abstract

Paper presented to the 10th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Florida, 14-16 July 2014.

Scuffing is a form of surface damage and wear that occurs in inadequately-lubricated tribosystems that causes catastrophic damage on tribological surfaces and usually results in the need for part replacement. As a major cause of failure in automotive and other mechanical components, scuffing has been the focus of much research to elucidate its fundamental underpinnings. One of the characteristics of scuffing is an increase in the coefficient of friction and in the surface temperature of the contacting parts. In this paper, we report on ongoing numerical work focused on modeling the transient temperature rise that occurs in a workpiece during a ball-on-disk tribometer test. In such a test, a load is applied to a stationary ball which is placed in contact with a rotating disk. Inputs to the numerical thermal model come from experimental and numerical contact mechanics tests. Results for both the bulk disk temperature, as well as the surface flash temperature under different loading conditions are presented and discussed.