Abstract
Two different test systems were designed to evaluate the tribological behavior of five engineering plastics (Polyamide—PA grades and Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene—UHMW-PE) and a fully degradable bio-composite (Polylactic Acid—PLA/hemp fibers) targeted to agricultural machinery abrasive conditions. Pin-on-plate tests were performed with different loads, sliding velocity and abrasive particles. The material response was further investigated in a slurry containing abrasive test system with different sliding velocities and distances, abrasive media compositions and impact angles. The abrasive wear, the change of the 3D surface roughness parameters, the friction force and contact temperature evolution were also analyzed as a function of the materials’ mechanical properties ( and the dimensionless numbers derived from them. Using the IBM SPSS 25 software, multiple linear regression models were used to statistically evaluate the measured data and to examine the sensitivity of the material properties and test system characteristics on the tribological behavior. For both test setups, the system and material characteristics influencing the dependent variables (wear, friction, heat generation) and the dimensionless numbers formed from the material properties were ranked using standardized regression coefficients derived from the regression models. The abrasion sensitivity of the tested materials were evaluated taking into account a wide range of influencing parameters.
Highlights
It is generally accepted that engineering polymers can be advantageously used as a moving machine element due to their favorable tribo-mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and design flexibility [1]
The present study explores the extensibility of the abrasion resistance of the aforementioned polyamides and their composites, ultrahigh molecular weight (UHMW)-PE and an emerging bio-polymer
Using the abrasive pin-on-plate method, micro- and macro- cutting occurred on the polymer surface due to the abrasive particles of standardized commercial clothes, that were originally designed for use as surface cutting/polishing tools
Summary
It is generally accepted that engineering polymers can be advantageously used as a moving machine element due to their favorable tribo-mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and design flexibility [1]. In the design of agricultural machinery, engineering plastics and composites are of increasing importance in places heavily exposed to abrasive wear. These materials are widely used in harvesters and cultivators, where the abrasion mechanisms can differ significantly. Agricultural machine components are affected by typical but markedly different operating conditions that shape abrasive wear. A wide range of materials are used for these machine elements. Tillage or cultivator implements are characterized by micro-cutting and fatigue acting on Materials 2020, 13, 5239; doi:10.3390/ma13225239 www.mdpi.com/journal/materials
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