Introduction of a New Method of Solving Wear Problems Caused by the Swing Motion Occurring between the Roller and the Sliding Contact Surface

In an attempt to decrease the amount of CO2 emitted by engines and yet improve engine output power, various approaches to the development of variable valve-lift mechanisms and the application of direct fuel injection and supercharger mechanisms are rapidly gaining popularity. In the case of the swing motion which takes place in variable valve-lift mechanisms, the relative speed between the two components reaches zero at the location where the load is high and the oil film tends to break, thereby leading to wear. Furthermore, the use of a supercharger and a direct injection device generates soot, which promotes further wear. Therefore establishing a reliable method for estimating wear has become a pressing issue.

Wear problems caused by the swing motion occur during boundary lubrication, and we have devised a solution for them. While the approach developed integrates the most appropriate physically based models, we recognize that it is still not sufficiently developed from the point of view of accurate prediction of wear rates. Nevertheless the investigation has helped with explanation of mechanisms involved in wear problems occurring in the field and ongoing R&D projects.