WEAR PROPERTIES OF DRY BEARING LINERS AT AMBIENT AND ELEVATED-TEMPERATURES

Dry bearings have been used increasingly over the last few years to replace conventional grease-lubricated metallic bearings in aerospace applications, particularly where maintenance is difficult or in hostile environments where fluid lubrication is impossible. The friction and wear properties of a wide range of experimental and commercial dry bearing liners have been examined in conditions of reciprocating line contact on a modified pin-on-ring apparatus at temperatures up to 150 °C. The development of the apparatus is briefly described. Accelerated wear data are provided in a few hours as opposed to the several months required for full-scale bearing test rigs. The specific wear rates differed appreciably under ambient conditions, varying by approximately two orders of magnitude. The application of additional heat generally increased the wear rate although some materials had an optimum performance at temperatures above ambient. In general liners containing synthetic reinforcing fibres, e.g. polyamide or polyester, appear to exhibit superior wear properties to those containing glass fibres. Comparisons are drawn between the data obtained from these accelerated tests and the results of those obtained on journal bearings. © 1979.