The unlubricated sliding wear of steels: The contact conditions in the sliding zone

Previously reported studies of the unlubricated sliding of quenched-and-tempered steel pins against similarly treated rings have been supplemented by temperature measurements and tests over a range of loads and speeds. The rate of wear of a pin depends on the hardness of the countersurface; it is shown that the increase in the rate for softer rings is accompanied by a higher temperature in the pin and a rougher wear track on the ring. Attention is thereby drawn towards the conditions in the contact zone, both during running in and when a steady state has been reached.