ASTM_D_4172_-_21.pdf

Designation:D417221Standard Test Method forWear Preventive Characteristics of Lubricating Fluid(Four-Ball Method)1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D4172;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S.Department of Defense.1.Scope*1.1 This test method covers a procedure for making apreliminary evaluation of the anti-wear properties of fluidlubricants in sliding contact by means of the Four-Ball WearTest Machine.Evaluation of lubricating grease using the samemachine is detailed in Test Method D2266.1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.Because the equipment used in this test method isonly available in kgf units,SI units in parentheses are forinformation only.1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety,health,and environmental practices and deter-mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D2266 Test Method for Wear Preventive Characteristics ofLubricating Grease(Four-Ball Method)2.2 ANSI/ABMA/ISO Standard:33290-1-2014 Rolling Bearings Balls Part 1:Steel Balls3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 lubricant,nany material interposed between twosurfaces that reduces the friction or wear,or both,betweenthem.3.1.2 wear,ndamage to a solid surface,generally involv-ing progressive loss of material due to relative motion betweenthat surface and a contacting substance or surface.4.Summary of Test Method4.1 Three 12.7 mm(12in.)diameter steel balls are clampedtogether and covered with the lubricant to be evaluated.Afourth 12.7 mm diameter steel ball,referred to as the top ball,is pressed with a force of 15 kgf or 40 kgf(147 N or 392 N)into the cavity formed by the three clamped balls for three-point contact.The temperature of the test lubricant is regulatedat 75 C(167 F)and then the top ball is rotated at 1200 r/minfor 60 min.Lubricants are compared by using the average sizeof the scar diameters worn on the three lower clamped balls.NOTE1Because of differences in the construction of the variousmachines on which the four-ball test can be made,the manufacturersinstructions should be consulted for proper machine set up and operation.NOTE2Although the test can be run under other parameters,theprecision noted in Section 10 may vary.No aqueous fluid was included inthe round-robin to establish the precision limits.5.Significance and Use5.1 This test method can be used to determine the relativewear preventive properties of lubricating fluids in slidingcontact under the prescribed test conditions.No attempt hasbeen made to correlate this test with balls in rolling contact.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02 onPetroleum Products,Liquid Fuels,and Lubricantsand is the direct responsibility ofSubcommittee D02.L0.11 on Tribological Properties of Industrial Fluids andLubricates.Current edition approved Nov.1,2021.Published January 2022.Originallyapproved in 1982.Last previous edition approved in 2020 as D4172 20.DOI:10.1520/D4172-21.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Available from American National Standards Institute(ANSI),25 W.43rd St.,4th Floor,New York,NY 10036,http:/www.ansi.org.*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standardCopyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.1The user of this test method should determine to his ownsatisfaction whether results of this test procedure correlate withfield performance or other bench test machines.6.Apparatus6.1 Four-Ball Wear Test Machine4See Figs.1-3.NOTE3It is important to distinguish between the Four-Ball E.P.andthe Four-Ball Wear Test Machines.The Four-Ball E.P.Test Machine isdesigned for testing under heavier loads