Lubricants, Volume 11, Issue 9 (September 2023) – 61 articles

Computer modeling of rubbing between two surfaces with microasperities capable of expanding or contracting under conditions of frictional heating (i.e., possessing either positive and negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE)) allowed for the identification of wear-and-friction regimes on model ceramic materials. Assuming that no adhesion was involved in the interaction between asperities, two wear regimes—i.e., wear-free and continuous wear—have been revealed in both materials as dependent on the applied normal stress level and sliding velocity. The effect of the normal load on wear rate was similar for both positive and negative thermal expansion ceramics. Sliding velocity has a qualitatively different effect on the wear of materials with either positive or negative thermal expansion. The results indicated that the feasibility of reconstructing wear maps was common for both positive and negative CTE ceramics in terms of dimensionless mechanical and thermophysical characteristics. Full article

This study investigated the high-speed cutting performance of 7050 aluminum alloy with prefabricated crystal orientations under dry-cutting conditions. Three specimens with different crystal orientations were prefabricated using pre-deformations of 10, 15, and 20%, and the effects of cutting parameters on cutting force, surface morphology, and tool wear were analyzed. The results showed that the three-dimensional cutting force initially increased and then decreased with the increase in cutting speed. In addition, the three-dimensional cutting force increased with the increase in cutting depth and feed rate. Under the same cutting parameters, the three-dimensional cutting force of 7050 aluminum alloy was in the following order: 20% pre-deformation > 10% pre-deformation > 15% pre-deformation. During high-speed cutting, different degrees of plowing, bulging, and sticky chips appeared on the machined surface, and the surface morphology of the 15% pre-deformed 7050 aluminum alloy was better than that of the other two pre-deformed 7050 aluminum alloys. During the high-speed cutting process, tool wear mainly occurred in the forms of collapse edge, adhesion, flaking, and breakage, and wear mechanisms were usually adhesive, diffusion, and oxidation wears. Under the same cutting parameters, the tool wear of the 15% pre-deformed 7050 aluminum alloy was lighter. Full article

Carbon fiber-reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene (CF/PTFE) composites are frequently used in tribological dry gas applications, such as in dynamic seals in reciprocating hydrogen gas compressors and Stirling engines, due to their superior friction and wear. Due to the increasing concerns regarding fluoropolymers as possible pollutants of harmful per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) emissions, replacements for PTFE should be investigated. The literature indicates that CF-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CF/PEEK) may have similar favorable tribological properties to CF/PTFE. However, the tribological behavior of CF/PEEK in dry gas is poorly understood, and no direct comparison has been made between the two materials. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of oxygen and moisture on the friction and wear of CF/PTFE and CF/PEEK. Tribological tests were carried out with a tri-pin-on-disc tribometer in a nitrogen environment with individually controlled contents of oxygen and moisture. The results showed that the effect of oxygen and moisture are distinctly different for CF/PTFE and CF/PEEK. While CF/PTFE performs best in oxygen-deficient environments, CF/PEEK performs best in moisture-enriched environments. Complementary tests with a PTFE composite filled with both CF and PEEK suggested that the environmental sensitivity can be significantly reduced by combining the two polymers. Full article

Diaphragm plates, a key part of high-pressure hydrogen gas compressors, are easily cracked or broken due to repeated shape deformations caused by pressure, resulting in increasing difficulties in maintenance. This study aimed to improve the durability of diaphragm plates. This investigation focuses on the potential for friction and wear reduction through the application of surface polishing and Teflon coating on two diaphragm plate materials, namely stainless steel 301 and Inconel 718. To achieve this, various metal substrates with diverse surface morphologies were prepared and subjected to comprehensive assessments of their surface, mechanical, and tribological properties. Research findings revealed that the surface hardness and tensile strength of stainless steel 301 surpassed those of Inconel 718. Through friction and wear analysis, it was observed that Teflon-coated diaphragm plate material with a microstructure demonstrated superior friction performance. Furthermore, finite element analysis was employed to investigate the stress behavior of stainless steel 301 under different applied loads and conditions, offering valuable insights into the diaphragm’s performance. From the results of this study, the excellence of the Teflon coating applied to the surface of stainless steel 301—the material of the hydrogen compressor diaphragm plate—was confirmed. Full article

Nanofluid lubrication and machining are challenging and significant tasks in manufacturing industries that are used to control the removal of a material from a surface by using a cutting tool. The introduction of a nanofluid to the cutting zone provides cooling, lubricating, and chip-cleaning benefits that improve machining productivity. A nanofluid is a cutting fluid that is able to remove excessive friction and heat generation. Chemical reactions and temperature-dependent density are essential in the thermal behavior of a nanofluid. The present study presents a careful inspection of the chemical reactions, temperature-dependent density, viscous dissipation, and thermophoresis during the heat and mass transfer of a nanofluid along a magnetically driven sheet. The physical attitude of viscous dissipation and the chemical reaction improvement rate in magneto-nanofluid flow is the primary focus of the present research. By applying the proper transformation, nonlinear partial differential expressions are introduced to the structure of the ordinary differential framework. The flow equations are simplified into nonlinear differential equations, and these equations are then computationally resolved via an efficient computational technique known as the Keller box technique. Flow factors like the Eckert number, reaction rate, density parameter, magnetic force parameter, thermophoretic number, buoyancy number, and Prandtl parameter governing the velocity, temperature distribution, and concentration distribution are evaluated prominently via tables and graphs. The novelty of the current study is in computing a heat transfer assessment of the magneto-nanofluid flow with chemical reactions and temperature-dependent density to remove excessive friction and heating in cutting zones. Nanofluids play significant roles in minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), enhanced oil recovery (EOR), drilling, brake oil, engine oil, water-miscible cutting fluids, cryogenic cutting fluids, controlled friction between tools and chips and tools and work, and conventional flood cooling during machining processes. Full article

Efforts to enhance quality control (QC) practices in chip seal construction have predominantly relied on single surface friction metrics such as mean profile depth (MPD) or friction number. These metrics assess chip seal quality by targeting issues such as aggregate loss or excessive bleeding, which may yield low friction numbers or texture depths. However, aggregate loss, particularly due to snowplow operations, does not always result in slippery conditions and may lead to uneven surfaces. The correlation between higher MPD or friction number and superior chip seal quality is not straightforward. This research introduces an innovative machine learning-based approach to enhance chip seal QC. Using a hybrid DBSCAN-Isolation Forest model, anomaly detection was conducted on a dataset comprising 183,794 20 m MPD measurements from actual chip seal projects across six districts in Indiana. This resulted in typical 20 m segment MPD ranges of [0.9 mm, 1.9 mm], [0.6 mm, 2.1 mm], [0.3 mm, 1.3 mm], [1.0 mm, 1.7 mm], [0.6 mm, 1.9 mm], and [1.0 mm, 2.3 mm] for the respective six districts in Indiana. A two-step QC procedure tailored for chip seal evaluation was proposed. The first step calculated outlier percentages across 1-mile segments, with an established limit of 25% outlier segments per wheel track. The second step assessed unqualified rates across projects, setting a threshold of 50% for unqualified 1-mile wheel track segments. Through validation analysis of four chip seal projects, both field inspection and friction measurements closely aligned with the proposed methodology’s results. The methodology presented establishes a foundational QC standard for chip seal projects, enhancing both acceptance efficiency and safety by using a quantitative method and minimizing the extended presence of practitioners on roadways. Full article

The purpose of this study is to generate some experimental data associated with the thermal heat exchange between an oil jet flow and a rotating gear. To this end, a specific test bench was designed. The principle of this test bench is to inject oil heated to a temperature of about 80 °C onto a rotating test sample at ambient temperature. Temperature measurements of the oil via injection nozzles and the rotating component allow the determination of the heat flow between these elements using a numerical method developed to this end. This test rig enables the study of the parameters that may affect heat exchange, such as oil flow rate and injection temperature, nozzle geometry and position, gear rotational speed and tooth geometry, or oil characteristics. In this study, three of these parameters were investigated, namely the test sample rotational speed, the oil flow rate, and the oil jet velocity. The experiments were conducted on an aluminum disc and spur gear. Subsequently, the experimental results were compared with existing models that represent the convective exchanges between oil and a gear. Some discrepancies between existing models and experimental results appear at high rotational speeds, underlining that the convective heat transfer does not always increase with this parameter. Full article

The surface quality of machine elements may deteriorate over time while operating under different conditions. This deterioration adversely affects the wear behavior in the contact areas, and these materials become unusable over time. In machine elements especially, the heat transfer, wear amount and surface roughness parameters in the contact area are very important in order for the system to work efficiently. In order to understand this change, composite materials were produced by adding spheroidal graphite cast iron (GGG40) with high lubricating properties at different rates to bronze (CuSn10), which is widely used as a self-lubricating bearing material. In this study, four different mixing ratios (B60D40, B70D30, B80D20 and B90D10) and B100, which is completely produced from bronze chips, were used for comparison purposes. In addition, these produced composite materials were compared with pure CuSn10 and pure GGG40 via double-acting isostatic hot pressing, and then the results were examined. The composite materials were made at two different temperatures (400 °C and 450 °C) and three different pressures (480 MPa, 640 MPa and 820 MPa) using recycled waste chips. Composites produced by recycling waste chips both reduce costs and make a positive contribution to the natural environment. Thus, more advantageous self-lubricating bearing materials will be produced, and the efficiency will be increased in these materials. The time-dependent variation in the friction coefficient observed after the wear tests performed under constant load is explained, and the resulting surface structures are presented with SEM images and EDS analyses. After the wear tests, it was observed that the process parameters used in production effectively influenced the wear behavior. In particular, when the production pressure was low (480 MPa), the wear behavior was adversely affected because sufficient bonding between the chips could not be achieved. In addition, as the amount of GGG40 used as a reinforcement material increased, the spheroidal graphite contained in it positively affected the wear behavior. The lubricating effect provided by this spheroidal graphite reduced wear in the contact area and the friction coefficient. Full article

Due to the intense noise interference in hydraulic systems, it is extremely difficult to detect component faults through vibration signals. Diagnostic performance is also constrained by highly time-varying and non-stationary operating conditions. This study proposes to use instantaneous angular speed (IAS) signals that are both operational and state parameters as sources of information. Firstly, the instantaneous angular speed fluctuation (IASF) of a piston pump is analyzed theoretically, and it is concluded that its fluctuating components contain the health status information of the components. The IASF can then be obtained by subtracting the speed trend term from IAS signals obtained via a magneto-electric speed sensor. A synchro-extraction of the normal S transform (SNST) is proposed to process it via line-pass filtering. Finally, the filtered and reconstructed IASF signal is utilized to draw a two-dimensional polar coordinate map online. A non-stationary-condition test is carried out on the test platform to monitor the morphological characteristics of the valve plate under normal, slight, and severe wear conditions. The polar plot shows significant increases in speed fluctuations and oscillation times within a range from 180° to 270°. The relevant research results reflect that the IAS signal can provide a new method for monitoring the operating status of and conducting fault diagnoses for hydraulic equipment. Full article

The effect of graphene (GR) on Ni surface relaxation and reconstruction in three different substrate orientations, {111}, {001}, and {011}, at two different temperatures, 300 K and 400 K, was studied using molecular dynamics simulation. The change in the interplanar distances of the substrate and redistribution of Ni and C atoms in a direction perpendicular to the surface was compared with the equilibrium state of GR and bulk Ni, in the absence of the counterpart. The surface reconstruction for the GR/Ni system was analyzed based on the calculated radial pair distribution functions of Ni and C atoms. The surface roughness was visualized using 2D atomic distribution maps. The introduction of GR on the Ni surface in any crystallographic orientation decreases the maximum modification of interplanar spacing compared to the bulk by less than 1%. For the studied substrate orientations and temperatures, it was found that the most densely packed {111} orientation of the Ni base provides minimal changes in the structural parameters of both counterparts at 400 K. Additionally, the system formed by GR deposition on Ni {111} at 400 K is characterized by the least roughness. Full article

Engine oil degradation and tribological properties are strongly interrelated. Hence, understanding the chemical processes resulting in additive depletion and degradation products is necessary. In this study, in-service engine oils from petrol and diesel vehicles were analyzed with conventional and advanced methods (mass spectrometry). Additionally, the effect of the utilization profile (short- vs. long-range) was studied. Petrol engine oils generally showed accelerated antioxidant and antiwear degradation and higher oxidation, especially in the case of a short-range utilization profile, which can be attributed to the higher air-to-fuel ratio (more rich combustion) compared to diesel engines. A detailed overview of oxidation and nitration products, as well as degradation products resulting from zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate and boron ester antiwear additives, diphenylamine antioxidants and salicylate detergents is given. A side reaction between oxidation products (aromatic carboxylic acids) and the boron ester antiwear is highlighted. This reaction was only detected in the petrol engine oils, where the oxidation products were measured in a high abundance. However, no side reaction was found in the samples from the diesel vehicles, since there the aromatic carboxylic acids were largely absent due to lower oxidation. Full article

The tribological properties of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) play a significant role in artificial joint materials. Graphite fluoride (GrF), a novel solid lubricant, was incorporated into ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) at different concentrations via ball milling and heat pressing to prepare the GrF-UHMW-PE composites. The structure, hardness, and tribological behavior of the composites were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry, ball indentation hardness, and a reciprocating ball-on-plane friction tester, respectively. The results of FT-IR showed that hydrogen bonds (C-F···H-C) could be formed between GrF and UHMW-PE. The hardness of the composites was significantly enhanced by increasing the GrF concentrations. GrF in the composites displayed superior lubricant properties and the coefficient of friction (COF) of the composites was significantly decreased at lower concentrations of GrF viz. 0.1 and 0.5 wt%. The addition of GrF also significantly enhanced the anti-wear properties of the composites, which was a combined effect of lubrication as well as hardness provided by GrF. At 0.5 wt% GrF concentration, the COF and the wear rate were reduced by 34.76% and 47.72%, respectively, when compared to UHMW-PE. As the concentration of GrF increased, the wear modes of the composites transitioned from fatigue wear to abrasive wear. Our current work suggested that GrF-UHMW-PE composites could be a suitable candidate for artificial joint materials. Full article

Rolling resistance (RR) is key research content for developing low-carbon energy-saving tires, and the resultant change in the tire temperature field exerts a crucial impact on tire performance. Currently, there is no accurate and systematic analysis method for solving the steady-state temperature field (SSTF) and RR of tires with complex patterns and non-pneumatic tires (NPTs), which are characterized by discontinuous structure in the circumferential direction. A solution strategy that entails SSTF and RR based on explicit transient rolling analysis and thermal-mechanical coupling is proposed and its accuracy is verified using the SSTF test pertaining to the low-speed and low-load capacity non-pneumatic tire (LSL-tire), which exhibits a 7.56% and 6.94% average temperature deviation for the outer surface center of the tread and for the outer surface center of spokes, respectively. Uniaxial tensile mechanical property tests and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of the utilized rubber and polyurethane (PU) materials were conducted, and their specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and density were tested. Based on three-dimensional nonlinear finite element simulation and considering the characteristics pertaining to the loss factor of viscoelastic materials changing with temperature, the SSTF and RR of the LSL-tire under different loads and velocities were analyzed. The results indicate that the influence of load and speed on the SSTF of LSL-tire is quite significant, whereas the influence of speed on the RR is not apparent. For all conditions, the highest steady-state temperature points of the tread are located in its center, and in the spokes they are located in the joint between spokes and the outer ring; the spokes contribute the most to the RR, followed by the tread. Full article

Aiming at the problem that the traditional water-lubricated bearing cannot carry the heavy load and adapt to the constantly changing operating conditions for the high-power Rim Driven Thruster (RDT), the principle structure of the Magnetic Water-double-suspension Elastic-support Thrust Bearing (MWETB) is designed and the optimal structure parameters of the bearing are selected using simulation. To demonstrate the reliability of the MWETB under the RDTs’ actual working conditions, performance tests, which include the magnetic flux density, magnetic force, and lubrication performance, are carried out. The simulation and experimental results indicate that the optimal offset ratios are in two intervals, and the magnetic alignment and sheath materials have a great effect on the load reduction. The load-carrying force has obvious zoning characteristics with the change in bearing clearance. Besides, compared with the water-lubricated thrust bearings, the MWETB has advantages in terms of minimum film thickness and friction coefficient. Full article

Mechanical seals, such as labyrinth seals, are typically installed at the turbine outlets to prevent oil leakage. However, these seals undergo deformation because of the vibrations of the rotor, even during normal turbine operating conditions, which may cause an increase in oil leakage. In this study, the oil leakage performance of three labyrinth seals with different types of seal teeth, narrow stainless teeth (Type 1), wide aluminum teeth fixed on the body (Type 2), and fixed wide aluminum movable teeth (Type 3), were evaluated using finite element (FE) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses. Three-dimensional FE models of the rotor and oil deflectors were developed, and the plastic deformation of the teeth of the labyrinth seals was predicted when the rotor impacted the sealing teeth during turbine operation. The oil leakage was predicted using CFD analysis. The results indicated that the Type 3 seal, including movable teeth, is beneficial in preventing leakage and tooth deformation compared with the other types. The Type 2 seal is advantageous because it results in a smaller increase in gap size and greater vena contracta effects than the Type 1 seal. The results of this study could be helpful when designing and selecting the teeth of a labyrinth seal. Full article

This paper concerns an analysis of the tribological conditions and the effect of the use of seven lubricating agents dedicated to a process of precision forging on a hammer in multiple systems. In particular, it performs a review of the most popular methods of determining the friction coefficient in the aspect of the obtained results. On this basis, the selected method of friction coefficient determination was a hot ring upsetting test for two forging materials: carbon steel (16MnCrS5) and stainless steel (316Ti). The test samples were prepared in the shape of a ring with precisely defined dimensions, and, next, they were subjected to an upsetting process on a hydraulic hammer under conditions similar to those present in an industrial forging process, and the characteristic geometrical features and friction coefficients were determined. Additionally, measurements of the geometrical changes were made with the use of 3D scanning for the extreme friction coefficient values in order to perform their comparison. The obtained results showed that for carbon steel the lowest achieved value was in the case of Lubrodal F185 (µ = 0.24) A and the highest for Lubr_hot_press 123HD (µ = 0.32); in turn, for stainless steel the lowest value µ = 0.19 was achieved for Graphitex CR 7 and the highest for Graphitex CR720K (µ = 0.29). Moreover, for these conditions, numerical modeling was conducted in the Forge 3.0 NxT program, in order to analyze the obtained results and verify the correctness and agreement of the friction coefficients determined in the ring test, on the basis of the geometrical changes. The data obtained in the computer simulation confirmed the possibility of obtaining a good agreement between the FEM (Finite Elements Method) and experimental trials, as the modeling provides reliable information on the plastic deformations and can be used as an alternative method of examining the friction conditions in industrial forging processes. Full article

The three-dimensional morphology of frictional sub-surfaces holds significant importance for studying tribological issues. However, the uniformity of the horizontal datum in 3D scanning is limited for curved surfaces, resulting in the inability to obtain accurate contour characterization parameters from the scanning results. This study aims to address this issue by constructing regular surface equations and normalizing the 3D profiler scanning results. By fitting the data, a “plane” surface representative of the surface features is obtained, and the paper demonstrates this approach on the surface morphology of different worn parts in the frictional area of spherical bearings located in the specific environment of the Three Gorges gate. The results indicate that the obtained “plane” effectively reconstructs the three-dimensional morphology map of the regular surface. Moreover, this reconstructed plane not only clearly illustrates the surface characteristics but also provides the foundation for analyzing the wear mechanism. Full article

To reduce wheel loading caused by chip adhesion in the grinding of titanium alloys, a new method named ultrasonic-assisted plasma oxidation modification grinding is suggested. The processing principle was introduced in this research, and based on that, the experimental apparatus was established. Then, the surface and cross-sectional morphologies of a workpiece with an oxide layer were characterized, followed by the detection of its microhardness and surface composition. On this basis, in the absence and presence of the oxide layer, the dynamic changes in wheel loading on the grinding wheel surface and the evolution behavior of chip adhesion on the grains were both investigated after gradually increasing the grinding passes. Finally, the effects of wheel loading on the ground surface morphologies were analyzed. The results showed that the oxide layer with low microhardness was mainly composed of TiO₂ and Al₂O₃. Moreover, with an increase in grinding passes, the overall occupied area of chip adhesion on the grinding wheel surface increased proportionally in the absence of the oxide layer, which finally caused severe wheel loading. Conversely, yet at almost the same rate, the overall occupied area of chip adhesion increased after remaining comparatively unchanged in a short range of grinding passes in the presence of the oxide layer, which effectively inhibited the wheel loading. Compared with the ground surface obtained without an oxide layer, the generation of plastic-stacking was significantly restrained with the assistance of the oxide layer, thereby improving the ground surface quality. Full article

In a previous work, the fatigue behaviour of different hot riveted joints under fatigue loadings were experimentally calculated. In particular, the experimental data showed a Wöhler curve slope close to five against the slope of three proposed by Eurocode 3. However, two series of shear splice riveted joints showed, at two million cycles, a stress range very close to the value suggested by Eurocode for shear splices that use non-preloaded high-strength bolts. In order to clarify the fatigue behaviour of riveted joints at high- and medium-fatigue regimes, this paper presents a preliminary three-dimensional non-linear FE analysis of a double-riveted lap joint previously analysed experimentally. Different friction coefficients and rivet clamping stress have been taken Into account, as well as the elastoplastic behaviours of the main plate subjected to tensile loadings. The numerical analysis shows that the friction force tends to reduce the range of stresses at the net section during fatigue loadings, and the force distribution or the stress concentration on the rivets is always critical for the external rivet, which is also the case regarding the non-linear behaviour of the material. Full article

The present study investigates the effect of partial surface texturing, containing large number of micro-dimples, in lubrication mechanisms. A CFD model is applied to examine the influence of partial surface texturing on pressure and velocity distribution in the flow between mating surfaces with relative motion or pressure drop. Various texturing parameters were analyzed. The results indicate that the equivalent volume step model effectively simulates surface texturing for a wide range of parameters when the untextured surface is in motion or for pressure-drop-induced flows, as surface texturing is less effective than the equivalent volume step by a margin of under 20%. However, when the motion involves the textured surface, surface texturing is found to be significantly less effective than the equivalent volume step and may even lead to detrimental effects, as the gage pressure can be negative. Furthermore, the influence of different parameters of the dimples, such as dimple area density, texturing portion, aspect ratio and dimple depth, on the efficiency reduction of surface texturing compared with the step model is discussed. Full article

Precipitation strengthening of body-center cubic (A2) alloys via ordered B2 nanoprecipitates is expected to achieve a desirable combination of strength and ductility. In this work, the A2/B2 configuration is manipulated by adjusting Fe content in medium-entropy AlCrFe_xNi (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0) alloys fabricated via arc-melting for improved mechanical properties and wear resistance. As Fe content increases, the fraction of A2 phase increases, and A2 nanoprecipitates in the B2 matrix change to a weave-like A2/B2 structure. Continuously increasing Fe content leads to a mixture of BMAP (B2 matrix with A2 precipitates) and AMBP (A2 matrix with B2 precipitates), and finally to a complete AMBP structure. The yield strength decreases and fracture strain increases with increasing Fe content except x = 0. The alloy of x = 0 displays slightly higher hardness because of its relatively brittle B2 matrix. Cracks tend to propagate along A2/B2 interfaces. AMBP structure exhibits greater toughness than the BMAP structure. The alloy of x = 0 displays the second-greatest wear volume loss due to its relatively brittle B2 matrix. When Fe is added, the wear volume loss decreases considerably but shows a trend of an upward parabola with respect to the Fe content. After achieving the highest volume loss at x = 1.5 with a mixture of AMBP and BMAP, the volume loss decreases again. A completely uniform AMBP structure at x = 3.0 shows the least volume loss. Full article

The paper provides a commentary on the theme of “Current and Future Trends in Tribological Research: Fundamentals and Applications”, which is a special feature issue commemorating the 10th anniversary of the journal, Lubricants. A historical discourse is provided regarding various aspects of tribology as a multi-disciplinary subject that interacts in an inter-disciplinary manner with many other subjects: multi-body dynamics, thermofluids and heat transfer, contact mechanics, surface science, chemistry, rheology, data science, and biology, to name but a few. Such interactions lead to many important topics including propulsion with different sources of energy, mitigating emissions, palliation of friction, enhancing durability and sustainability, optimization through detailed analysis, and the use of artificial intelligence. Additionally, issues concerning kinetics at various physical scales (from macroscale to microscale onto mesoscale and nanoscale) affecting the kinematics of contacts are discussed. The broad range of considered applications includes vehicular powertrains, rotor bearings, electrical machines, mammalian endo-articular joints, nanobiological attachment/detachment, and locomotion. Current state-of-the-art tribological research is highlighted within a multi-physics, multi-scale framework, an approach not hitherto reported in the open literature. Full article

The ZL205A aluminum alloy is mostly used in automobiles, aircraft, aerospace, and other mechanical components, but now, it focuses on the study of its casting performance, and there is still a lack of research on its cutting performance. In this paper, the milling ZL205A aluminum alloy was milled for testing and simulation analysis. The milling test showed that the impact of the axial cutting depth, radial cutting depth, feed, and cutting speed on the milling force was successively reduced. A thermodynamic analysis model is proposed to evaluate the cutting force and tool design in milling. The model considers the front angle and friction angle of the tool, in which the friction angle is adjusted by the friction coefficient, the variable is the cutting parameter, the constant is fitted through the milling experiment, and the effectiveness of the model is verified to predict the milling force. The pre-grinding test was carried out before the experiment, and the stability of the test was proved by observing the macroscopic shape of the chip and the wear of the cutting edge. The model comprehensively considers the tool angle and quickly calculates the minimum load on the milling cutter based on the optimal geometric parameters, which can be used to optimize the milling cutter structure and provide a theoretical basis for the preparation of ZL205A aluminum alloy mechanical components. Full article

Tool wear (TW) is the gradual deterioration and loss of cutting edges due to continuous cutting operations in real production scenarios. This wear can affect the quality of the cut, increase production costs, reduce workpiece accuracy, and lead to sudden tool breakage, affecting productivity and safety. Nevertheless, since conventional tool wear monitoring (TWM) approaches often employ complex physical models and empirical rules, their application to complex and non-linear manufacturing processes is challenging. As a result, this study presents a TWM model using a convolutional neural network (CNN), an Informer encoder, and bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM). First, local feature extraction is performed on the input multi-sensor signals using CNN. Then, the Informer encoder deals with long-term time dependencies and captures global time features. Finally, BiLSTM captures the time dependency in the data and outputs the predicted tool wear state through the fully connected layer. The experimental results show that the proposed TWM model achieves a prediction accuracy of 99%. It is able to meet the TWM accuracy requirements of real production needs. Moreover, this method also has good interpretability, which can help to understand the critical tool wear factors. Full article

This study presents an innovative methodology that integrates experimental investigations with finite element simulations to ascertain the validity and reliability of Al 3104 sheet metals during cold deep drawing. Focusing on the nose plunger radius and coefficient of friction at a fixed speed and temperature (25 °C), five different scenarios are utilized to simulate the optimum parameters. Through a detailed strain history analysis from simulations, the initiation of bending in the corner is precisely identified, with a validation achieved through a strain analysis obtained via digital image correlation. The study delves into the influence of strain and strain rate on the microstructures and mechanical properties near the corner region. It highlights the superior efficacy of strain-based criteria in characterizing deformation behavior. Notably, the strain distributions during the onset of bending and severe bending align remarkably well with the established simulation data. In brief, this work introduces an integrated approach that harmoniously combines computational simulations with empirical observations, resulting in significant ramifications for precisely comprehending and forecasting the strain distribution in metal forming operations. Full article

In this study, a systematic test of 36 organic liquid compounds as lubricants in the SiC/PI friction pair was conducted to investigate their friction-reducing performance. The back propagation neural network (BPNN) method was employed to establish a quantitative structure tribo-ability relationship (QSTR) model for the friction performance of these lubricants. The developed BPNN-QSTR model exhibited excellent fitting and predictive accuracy, with R² = 0.9700, R² (LOO) = 0.6570, and q² = 0.8606. The impact of different descriptors in the model on the friction-reducing performance of the lubricants was explored. The results provide valuable guidance for the design and optimization of lubricants in SiC/PI friction systems, contributing to the development of high-performance lubrication systems. Full article

CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) exhibits excellent mechanical properties but relatively poor wear resistance. In particular, when the load reaches a certain level and the deformation mechanism of the CoCrFeNi HEA changes, the formation of shear bands leads to a significant increase in wear rate. Although numerous studies have been conducted on alloying strategies to improve the wear resistance of alloys, there is still limited research on the influence of deformation mechanism adjustment on wear resistance. Therefore, in order to fill this research gap, this study aims to use boron doping to regulate the deformation mechanism and successfully improve the wear resistance of CoCrFeNi HEA by 35 times. By observing the subsurface microstructure, the mechanism behind the significant improvement in wear resistance was further revealed. The results indicate that the reduction of shear bands and the formation of nanostructured mixed layers significantly improve wear resistance. The proposed strategy of boron doping to change the deformation mechanism and improve wear resistance is expected to provide new enlightenment for the development of wear-resistant HEAs. Full article

Wear is one of the main failure causes of hydraulic seals. Wear will lead to degradation in the mechanical properties and sealing properties of seals. Compared with hydraulic seals with one-way rotational motion, the hydraulic reciprocating rotary seals work in more complex operating conditions, so their wear mechanism becomes more complicated. Aimed at exploring the friction and wear law of hydraulic reciprocating rotary seals and the property evolution law during the wear process, this paper set up an experimental system to simulate the working conditions of the hydraulic reciprocating rotary seals. The friction characteristics were obtained under different working pressures and different motion parameters. The wear characteristics were obtained under rated working conditions. The surface morphology was observed by SEM and the wear mechanism was analyzed. Full article