The investigation of wear tracks with the use of noncontact measurement methods

This article concerns the analysis and evaluation of surfaces previously subjected to tribological research (wear tracks and wear amount), with regard to technological factors and cooperation conditions. The surfaces of discs were the subject of this research made of bearing steel without coating (100Cr6), with antiwear coating (CrN), and with low-wear coating (MoS2). The surfaces were measured before and after tribological studies. The tribological tests were performed on the tribotester T-26 (ball-on-disc contact arrangement) consisting of a bearing steel ball (100Cr6) in contact with a disc. The studies were carried out in a vacuum and in the air. The study of technological surface layer (TWW) and service-generated surface layer (EWW) was made with the use of an atomic force microscope and an interferometer microscope. The obtained results (wear quantity and wear tracks) were analyzed using specialized metrology software. The results obtained with the use of the interferometric microscopy were compared to those obtained by the atomic force microscopy, which enabled comprehensive assessment of the surfaces with respect to material loss (wear).