Cleanliness and Wetability of Components to Be Studied by ASTM International Committee on Rolling Element Bearings

ASTM International Committee F34 on Rolling Element Bearings is seeking participation in a new activity on measuring the cleanliness and wetability of bearing components. Because aerospace customers currently use many different methods of testing ball bearings, the goal of the activity is to work toward a consistent method for measuring cleanliness and wetability, as well as to analyze the viability of various testing methods for specific situations.

"Chemists and bearing engineers who are testing experts are needed," says Peter Ward, a consultant in the field of bearing tribology, materials and processing. Bearing users who understand the relevance of wetability to ball bearing performance will be particularly important to the new activity, according to Ward.

Questions that will be addressed within this new activity include:

  • Are all bearing lubes by family similar in reaction to a particular test method?
  • What kinds of surface contamination can cause wetability reactions?
  • Is surface finish and bearing material a variable in the method?
  • Can the same method of wetability check be used for both balls and bearing rings?

A meeting for those interested in this new standards activity will take place during F34’s meeting at the November Committee Week in Dallas, Texas.

For further technical information, contact Peter Ward, PC Ward Consultant, Rindge, N.H. (phone: 603/491-6624; wardpe@timken.com). Committee F34 will meet Nov. 8-10, in Dallas, Texas. For membership or meeting details, contact Joe Hugo, ASTM International (phone: 610/832-9740; jhugo@astm.org).

 

Release #7200

Committee
F34
August 1, 2005