T–01M TESTER ADAPTATION FOR WEAR DEBRIS COLLECTIONAND ANALYSIS

Abstract

The article describes the need to collect and analyse data on stereological features of car tire and brakesystem friction material wear products, as required under new European Union regulations and by the projectto expand the existing T–01M tester with a separation chamber and equipment enabling their capture. Thestructure of the chamber is described and the conditions for measuring the average diameter of particlesemitted by the tested contacts are presented. The basic task of the additional chamber is to separate thesurroundings of the tested friction node from environmental influences and to enable the capture of wearproducts to measure stereological features and analyse their chemical composition. A unidirectional filteredair flow towards the friction node is provided in the separation chamber in order to limit the deposition of wearproducts on the tester components. Mounting the separation chamber does not require any interference in thestructure of the T–01M tester, because it is mounted on a sealed base frame screwed to the station plate. Thechamber is equipped with holders for mounting a replaceable filter at the air inlet and a removable cycloneparticles separator with a container for wear debris collected.