Investigation of the Dynamic Influences of a Two-Disc Tribometer on Wear via High-End Cameras and Vibrometers

Abstract

In tribology and material science, tribometers are used to investigate friction, wear, and lubrication under realistic conditions. Different tribometer configurations are available to reproduce the respective contact situation from application in the best possible way. In paper production, calender rolls improve the paper surface, and in order to keep the quality of the product constant, these components should hardly show any surface alteration or wear. To reproduce the tribological effects during paper production in the respective twin-disc tribometer, two discs are rolling against each other under realistic load and slip conditions to investigate the wear resistance of different roll covers. During tribometer testing, just as in real production, dynamic machine effects can be detected, which partially influence the contact processes. Therefore, the movement of the test rig and the test specimen is recorded using different non-contact high-end measuring systems, to determine the influence of the vibrations on the contact zone. The stationary vibrations are precisely recorded using a 3D scanning vibrometer. Thermal effects are captured by a high-speed thermal camera. In order to visualize and analyze transient effects, the machine motion is also recorded using a high-speed camera. After tribometer testing, the worn roller surfaces are analyzed using 3D topography imaging. The investigations show that mechanical vibrations of the tribometer directly influence the wear behavior and therefore the knowledge of the system dynamics is important for the analysis of the underlying tribological effects. The combination of the different measurement methods allows us the development of an overall understanding of the complex processes in the tribometer.