ASTM Testing Methods - I

[MolaKule]

We are going to be running a series of Q&A's on ASTM testing methods.

The ASTM is The American Society for Testing and Materials, a testing organiztion that sets testing procedures and standards for just about any material you can think of, with lubricants being a small part of their repertoire. Of course, we will discuss only those ASTM testing standards associated with vehicle and industrial lubricants.

Question I:

What ASTM test, using the Four-ball Wear Test Machine, allows one to determine the Coefficient of Friction (COF) of Lubricants?

 

[Steve S]

I'll have to look at the Amsoil website, nobody post till I get the answere. A guess is falex?

 

[rugerman1]

D-5183

 

[Steve S]

Rugerman ,you posted too soon.

I stay with falex

 

[rugerman1]

Folgers,baby!

 

[MolaKule]

For those of you unfamiliar with ASTM, here is a source of ASTM documents:

http://www.techstreet.com/cgi-bin/browsePublisher?publisher_id=39&subgroup_id=9962

 

[MolaKule]

D 5183 it is. Rugerman1 gets a free can of Folgers from the Martha Stewart collection.

the coefficient of Friction is determined from:

u = 0.00223 x fL/P.

f is the force of the calibrated lever arm in grams, L is the length of the lever arm, and P is the test load in kg.

D 5183 gives a relationship between the scar diameters and the resulting coefficient of friction.