Application of Ball Cratering Method to Study Abrasive Wear

The present paper discusses the feasibility of a new use of the ball cratering technique (Calotest) for studying the abrasive wear resistance of hard coatings. The few modifications that were necessary to make the Calotestequipment suitable for this task mainly concerned the calibration of rotational velocity and the controlled delivery of the abrasive–lubricant mixture. Three different types of material were tested to show the capability of the proposed method. These materials were: mono crystalline Si (100) wafers, plain carbon steel, and electroless Ni–P coatings on plain carbon steel in both the as deposited and heat treated conditions. The reproducibility of the values of the wear constants determined by means of the formulationdescribed in the literature prove that the ball cratering test is reliable for the determination of the abrasive wear behaviour of any of thecoatings studied.