Effect of Test Machine Dynamics on the Sliding Wear of Alumina

Unlubricated sliding wear tests were carried out on an alumina ceramic with different loading systems. The experiments were aimed at determining if altering the mechanical response of the test system would change the wear and friction observed. A variation of nearly two orders of magnitude in wear rates was seen in tests that were carried out under nominally identical conditions. This was accompanied by a small increase in the friction coefficient as the wear rate increased. The variation in wear rates was found to be due to changes in the dominant wear mechanisms promoted by the alteration in the machine dynamics. Measurements were made of the mechanical response spectra of the different loading systems and of the transients in wear and friction signals, but no significant correlation was found with the wear and friction results.