SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1993
STP15966S

Comparison of Laboratory Abrasion Tests and Field Tests of Materials Used in Tillage Equipment

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In agricultural equipment used for tillage, abrasion by hard particles is a major mode of wear. Field tests and customer surveys of equipment usage can provide valuable data on the rate of wear of different soil working tools. However, it is usually very time consuming and costly to gather this type of information. While field testing will continue to play an important role in the evaluation of agricultural equipment durability, the use of laboratory tests that adequately simulate the wear modes occurring in the field can significantly reduce the amount of field testing required to evaluate wear of tillage tools. In this review, important criteria for determining the degree to which laboratory tests simulate the wear occurring in field tests or service will be presented. These include not only a comparison of the wear rate and relative wear resistance determined from laboratory and field tests, but also a comparison of the worn surfaces to identify the wear mechanisms that are active.

Widely used abrasion tests, including the ASTM G65 Standard Test Method for Measuring Abrasion Using the Dry Sand/Rubber Wheel Apparatus and the G105 Standard Test Method for Conducting Wet Sand/Rubber Wheel Abrasion Tests will be reviewed, and their ability to simulate the wear that occurs in tillage operations will be examined. Examples will be provided that highlight the strengths and weaknesses of these laboratory tests in ranking the abrasion resistance of materials used in soil working tools. A major limitation of all of these tests is their inability to simulate wear that occurs under the combined action of soil abrasion and repeated impacts by rocks. Difficulties associated with the gathering of quantitative field data needed to carry out the comparison of laboratory and field test results will also be discussed.

Author Information

Swanson, PA
Deere & Company Technical Center, Moline, IL
Price: $25.00
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Details
Developed by Committee: G02
Pages: 80–99
DOI: 10.1520/STP15966S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5248-9
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-1856-0