Surface Roughness and Lubrication
Page 40
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IN-1937, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers held a world conference on the subject of lubrication; the records of that conference are of such a nature that, had not the war intervened, they would, from several points of view have urged engineers and others on towards the solution of the problems they were set. During last week the same institution held a conference at which papers were read on the subject of the condition of snrfaces in all types of bearing.
The two subjects are so bound up with one another that this second ,conference may be considered to have been a continuation of the original one held seven years -ago. No two surfaces can have relative motion when transmitting
power without they be adequately lubricated. Lubrication, to be efficacious, must be applied to surfaces which are reasonably smooth.
Last week's meeting, the papers read and the discussion which followed, made it clear that knowledge on the combined subjects of surface and lubrication was rather nebulous-. The discussion being limited to the surface conditions, many features were put forward for attention. Surface roughness was stated to be of two kinds— that apparently related to tool marks, and that related to the conditions obtaining in the machine tool, carrying the cutting tool, the results of which were waviness.
This combination 'created problems which suggested both to lecturers and those taking part in the discussion the need for research work in order to arrive at some further knowledge relative to the separation of the two intermingled conditions. A further attitude observable among the many obviously enthusiastic workers was dissatisfaction with the present state of measurement and inspection of surface roughness. • Some references were made to the R.M.S., or root-meansquare, whilst others took the total height of the roughness. Instructive diagrams exhibited covered different phases of measurement systems.
The knowledge derived from the day's lectures and discussions was that the engineer still has a hazy understanding of surfaces, the bearings they provide, and, consequently, of the science of lubrication.