An understanding of mechanisms which are responsible for elastohydrodynamic lubricant film formation under high sliding conditions is necessary to increase durability of machine parts. This work combines thin-film colorimetric interferometry for lubricant film thickness measurement and infrared microscopy for in-depth temperature mapping through the contact. The results describe the effect of operating conditions such as speed, slide-to-roll ratio, ambient temperature, and sliding direction on lubricant film thickness and temperature distribution. Film thickness data shows how much the film shape is sensitive to operating conditions when thermal effects are significant, while the temperature profiles provides an explanation of this behavior.

Oil-impregnated open-pored sintered materials can be used to provide the intrinsic self-lubrication of tribological contacts. Although its general functionality was recently confirmed for highly-loaded contacts, detailed analyses on the local effects of surface porosity in tribological contacts are required in order to understand and improve its operating behavior. In this context, this study investigates the influence of different surface finishes at a twin-disk test rig, and the local effects of surface porosity in elastohydrodynamically lubricated (EHL) contacts at an optical tribometer, based on thin film colorimetric interferometry. The results show the detrimental influence of high surface porosity on the operating behavior. Local observations of the lubricant film in EHL contacts indicate the presence of “open” pores, resulting in local film breakdown, and “closed” pores, transporting the additional lubricant into the pressurized zone. An appropriate surface finish technique to manufacture a low permeable layer with an adequate mechanical strength is demanded.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate lubricant film-forming capability of oil-impregnated sintered material in highly loaded non-conformal contacts. This self-lubrication mechanism is well described in lightly loaded conformal contacts such as journal bearings; however, only a little has been published about the application to highly loaded contacts under elastohydrodynamic lubrication regime (EHL).Design/methodology/approach: Thin film colorimetric interferometry is used to describe the effect of different operating conditions on lubricant film formation in line contacts.Findings: Under fully flooded conditions, the effect of porous structure can be mainly traced back to the different elastic properties. When the contact is lubricated only by oil bleeding from the oil-impregnated sintered material, starvation is likely to occur. It is indicated that lubricant film thickness is mainly governed by oil bleeding capacity. The relationship between oil starvation parameters corresponds well with classic starved EHL theory.Practical implications: To show practical, relevant limitations of the considered self-lubrication system, time tests were conducted. The findings indicate that EHL contact with oil-impregnated sintered material may provide about 40 per cent of fully flooded film thickness.Originality/value: For the first time, the paper presents results on the EHL film-forming capability of oil-impregnated sintered material by measuring the lubricant film thickness directly. The present paper identifies the phenomena involved, which is necessary for the understanding of the behavior of this complex tribological system.

It is well known that a sliding speed influences a lubricant film thickness of elastohydrodynamic rolling–sliding contacts significantly. The effect of sliding is described quite well for unidirectional rolling and sliding; however, there are a limited number of papers dealing with sliding in different directions. This study describes how the sliding direction influences elastohydrodynamic film shape under high sliding conditions. An optical ball-on-disc tribometer together with thin-film colorimetric interferometry method is used for a film thickness measurement. The results show that the sliding direction influences lubricant film shape and the effect is connected with dimple phenomena. The temperature–viscosity wedge effect is discussed as a possible mechanism. The results are important for a film thickness prediction under high sliding conditions and provide experimental evidence for an extension of elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) theory.

This paper presents an experimental study on the influence of surface texturing on friction and film thickness in the hydrodynamic lubrication regime. Using a pin-on-disk tribometer equipped with light-induced fluorescence microscopy, simultaneous measurements were conducted on smooth and textured samples under parallel and inclined surface conditions. The circular faces of the pins were partially or fully covered by circular laser-machined textures consisting of dimples with depths of 5 or 10 µm, diameters of 50 or 100 µm, and coverage density of 20%. The results demonstrate that while texturing significantly reduces friction and increases film thickness in parallel gaps, with partial inlet coverage being the most effective, its impact is minimal in inclined wedge gaps. The study further reveals that the global geometric wedge dominates over texture effects in inclined contacts and that in-texture cavitation, prevalent in parallel conditions, is suppressed by surface inclination. Three distinct contributions of the textures were discussed: a global hydrodynamic effect, a local hydrodynamic effect, and the influence of surface non-flatness (waviness). The findings suggest that texturing is primarily beneficial for acting as a pseudo-wedge or as surface roughness in contacts where a physical wedge is absent.

Top-of-rail product assessment in terms of frictional properties plays a key role in the evaluation of desired benefits for wheel-rail contact. In this study, a high-pressure torsion device is used to study the friction-displacement properties of three types of top-of-rail products. The effects of applied amount and increased temperature were investigated. All tested products were very sensitive to the amount applied. For the water-based substance, the evaporation of water created a solid-like film that provided very low friction. The increase in temperature lowered the coefficient of friction for dry contact but had a negligible effect on the applied products. A FASTSIM-based numerical model is used to demonstrate the application of these results.