Wear and Seizure Failure Mechanisms Analysis of Sliding Bearings

The sliding bearing bears the load and the friction, and its wear resistance directly affects the reliability of the related equipment. After a long-term service, the sliding bearing will have surface wear defects and serious adhesive wear, causing damage to the equipment. In this paper, the wear and the failure behaviors of sliding bearings are investigated. Based on the component-level sliding bearing friction and wear testing machine, the wear and the seizure tests are carried out, and the wear and the seizure failure mechanisms of sliding bearings are respectively explored. The results show that the wear loss increases with the rise in the load and lubricating oil temperature yet decreases as rotational speed rises. The anti-seizure performance decreases with increasing press, velocity and lubricating oil temperature. The groove structure of the sliding bearing still remains after wear, and the edge of the ternary electroplating layer undergoes plastic flow, which adheres to the surface of the aluminum alloy and plays a role in reducing friction. After the seizure failure, the groove structure of the bearing is destroyed, and the Al layer is exposed; however, the coating elements still have block-like residues, which adhere to the surface of the aluminum alloy layer. This study can provide a rapid evaluation method for the research on the wear and seizure failure behavior of sliding bearings, and provide a helpful foundation for the improvement of the design.