A lubricating material electro-erosion test and quantitative analysis instrument and analysis method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of lubricating material electric erosion test and quantitative analysis instrument and its analysis method, it is related to electric erosion experimental technical field, wherein, the device includes needle electrode, lubricating oil pool, displacement driving mechanism and circuit module, needle electrode needle tip is vertically oriented towards metal sample.By using the geometric characteristics of the minimum curvature radius of needle electrode tip, the discharge phenomenon is highly localized in the micro area below the needle tip, the precise positioning of the discharge position is realized, the problem of random distribution of ball electrode surface discharge point is replaced, the micron-level gap between needle electrode and metal sample is accurately regulated and maintained by high-precision displacement driving mechanism, and the pulse voltage with accurate and controllable parameters is applied by combining the circuit module, which ensures the consistency of discharge energy and action range each time, so as to prepare a single electric erosion pit with determined position and highly repeated geometric morphology on the surface of metal sample, effectively solving the core problem of strong discharge randomness and low morphology repeatability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electro-erosion testing technology, and in particular to an instrument and method for testing and quantifying electro-erosion of lubricating materials. Background Technology

[0002] With the accelerated electrification of equipment such as electric vehicles and wind power generation, the problem of bearing electrolytic corrosion in the core power unit, the electric motor, is becoming increasingly prominent. The high-frequency shaft voltage generated during motor operation can easily break down the micron-thick lubricating film in rolling bearings, causing localized electrolytic corrosion. This leads to material loss and morphological deterioration of the bearing working surface, seriously threatening the long-term reliability and operational safety of the equipment. Therefore, accurate testing and quantitative analysis of the breakdown characteristics and electrolytic corrosion damage of lubricating materials under real bearing operating conditions has become a crucial issue.

[0003] Currently, the testing and research methods for bearing electro-erosion have the following limitations: First, the traditional breakdown tester using insulating oil has an electrode spacing on the order of millimeters, which is significantly different from the actual thickness of the micron-level lubricating film inside the bearing, making it impossible to accurately simulate actual breakdown behavior. Second, experimental devices using simplified models such as ball-disc friction pairs can simulate a single lubrication interface, but the discharge position is highly random and has low repeatability, making it difficult to generate a precisely located and highly repeatable single electro-erosion morphology on the mating surface. This makes it impossible to conduct in-depth analysis of the damage mechanism of a single discharge event, and it is also difficult to obtain sufficient and consistent pit geometry data to support the establishment of an electro-erosion wear model. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an instrument and method for testing and quantifying the electrical erosion of lubricating materials. It can solve the problem that existing experimental devices using simplified models such as ball-disc friction pairs can simulate a single lubrication interface, but the discharge position is highly random and has low repeatability, making it difficult to generate a single electrical erosion morphology that can be accurately located and highly repeatable on the mating surface.

[0005] An electrochemical corrosion testing and quantification analyzer for lubricating materials includes a needle electrode, a lubricating oil reservoir, a displacement driving mechanism, and a circuit module. The needle electrode tip is perpendicularly oriented towards a metal sample. The lubricating oil reservoir is located below the needle electrode and is used to support the metal sample and the lubricating medium. The displacement driving mechanism is connected to the needle electrode and / or the lubricating oil reservoir and is used to adjust the relative position and distance between the needle tip and the surface of the metal sample placed on the lubricating oil reservoir. The circuit module is electrically connected between the needle electrode and the metal sample and is used to apply a pulse voltage to the lubricating medium between them. By controlling the displacement driving mechanism, a non-contact micron-level gap is formed between the needle tip and the surface of the metal sample, and a controllable single discharge is generated by the voltage applied by the circuit module.

[0006] The present invention provides an instrument for testing and quantifying the electrical erosion of lubricating materials, which, compared with the prior art, has the following beneficial effects, but is not limited to:

[0007] This instrument for testing and quantifying electrical erosion of lubricating materials utilizes the geometric characteristic of the extremely small radius of curvature at the tip of the needle electrode to highly localize the discharge phenomenon to a micro-region below the needle tip, achieving precise positioning of the discharge location. This replaces the problem of random distribution of discharge points on the surface of the ball electrode. A high-precision displacement drive mechanism precisely controls and maintains the micron-level gap between the needle electrode and the metal sample. Combined with the application of precisely controllable pulse voltage by the circuit module, the consistency of discharge energy and range of action is ensured for each discharge. This allows for the preparation of individual electrical erosion pits with definite locations and highly repetitive geometric morphologies on the surface of the metal sample. Through the fixed-point discharge mode, a reliable and repeatable morphological data foundation is provided for subsequent quantitative analysis and statistical modeling of the damage mechanism of a single electrical erosion event, effectively solving the core problems of strong discharge randomness and low morphological repeatability.

[0008] Furthermore, the needle tip electrode is connected to the displacement driving mechanism via a fixing component, and a capacitive displacement sensor is connected to one side of the needle tip electrode via a connector. The detection end of the capacitive displacement sensor points to the surface of the metal sample and is used to measure the distance between the tip of the needle tip electrode and the surface of the metal sample in real time.

[0009] Furthermore, the displacement driving mechanism includes a base plate, a vertical lifting assembly, a one-dimensional translation platform, and a two-dimensional XY displacement platform. The vertical lifting assembly and the two-dimensional XY displacement platform are both connected to the top of the base plate. One side of the one-dimensional translation platform is connected to the vertical lifting assembly, and the other side of the one-dimensional translation platform is connected to the needle tip electrode. A two-axis tilting platform is connected to the top of the two-dimensional XY displacement platform, and the top of the two-axis tilting platform is connected to a lubricating oil tank.

[0010] Furthermore, a displacement zero-point calibration platform is installed on the lubricating oil sump for use in conjunction with the capacitive displacement sensor to perform measurement zero-point calibration.

[0011] Furthermore, the circuit module includes a pulse power supply, a variable resistor, and an oscilloscope. The two poles of the pulse power supply are electrically connected to the needle tip electrode and the metal sample, respectively. The variable resistor is connected in series in the discharge circuit of the pulse power supply, and the oscilloscope is connected in parallel across the variable resistor to acquire the circuit current signal.

[0012] Furthermore, the lubricating oil pool has an installation groove inside, and a placement frame is provided inside the installation groove. The placement frame is used to place metal samples, and a clamping plate is detachably connected to both sides of the installation groove. The clamping plate is used to fix the placement frame.

[0013] Furthermore, the needle tip electrode is a tungsten needle electrode.

[0014] A method for testing and quantitatively analyzing the electrical erosion of lubricating materials includes the following steps:

[0015] S1. Place the metal sample coated with lubricating medium in the lubricating oil bath, and control the needle tip electrode to form a set micron-level gap between the needle tip and the surface of the metal sample.

[0016] S2. A pulse voltage is applied between the needle tip electrode and the metal sample through the circuit module, causing the lubricating medium in the gap to undergo a single dielectric breakdown, resulting in a single electro-erosion pit on the surface of the metal sample.

[0017] S3. Obtain the geometric morphology data of a single electro-erosion pit using a surface profile measuring instrument.

[0018] Furthermore, in step S1, the distance between the tip of the needle electrode 1 and the surface of the metal sample 5 is monitored in real time by a capacitive displacement sensor, and feedback control is performed.

[0019] Furthermore, after step S2, the metal sample and the needle tip electrode are driven to generate a relative horizontal displacement by a displacement driving mechanism, and steps S1 and S2 are repeated to prepare an array of multiple individual electro-erosion pits on the surface of the metal sample for statistical analysis. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a lubricating material electro-erosion testing and quantification analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a front view of a lubricating material electro-erosion testing and quantification analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the needle tip electrode;

[0023] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the intermediate lubricating oil sump;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a circuit diagram of a lubricating material electro-erosion testing and quantification analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a characterization result of the electro-erosion pits on the surface of the metal sample after the test experiment of this invention;

[0026] Figure 7 for Figure 6 The three-dimensional topographic data diagram of (b) in the figure;

[0027] Figure 8This is a flowchart of a method for testing and quantitatively analyzing the electro-erosion of lubricating materials according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0029] 1. Needle tip electrode; 2. Lubricating oil pool; 3. Displacement drive mechanism; 4. Lubricating medium; 5. Metal sample; 6. Fixing component; 7. Connecting component; 8. Capacitive displacement sensor; 9. Displacement zero-point calibration platform; 10. Pulse power supply; 11. Variable resistor; 12. Oscilloscope; 13. Placement frame; 14. Pressure plate; 201. Mounting slot; 31. Base plate; 32. Vertical lifting assembly; 33. One-dimensional translation platform; 34. Two-dimensional XY displacement platform; 35. Two-axis tilting platform. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing multiple embodiments according to this application. It should be understood that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described in this application without creative effort will fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the description of this application is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this application; the terms "comprising," "including," "having," "containing," etc., in the description, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are open-ended terms. Therefore, "comprising," "including," or "having" refers to, for example, a method or apparatus having one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to having only these one or more elements. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the description, claims, or accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order or hierarchy. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0033] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "attachment" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] It should be emphasized that when the term "comprising / including" is used in this specification, it is used to explicitly indicate the presence of the stated feature, integer, step, or component, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, parts, or groups of features, integers, steps, or parts.

[0035] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0036] like Figure 1-2 As shown in the figure, an embodiment of the present invention provides a lubricating material electro-erosion testing and quantification analyzer, including a needle tip electrode 1, a lubricating oil pool 2, a displacement driving mechanism 3, and a circuit module. The needle tip of the needle tip electrode 1 is perpendicular to the metal sample 5. The lubricating oil pool 2 is located below the needle tip electrode 1 and is used to support the metal sample 5 and the lubricating medium 4. The displacement driving mechanism 3 is connected to the needle tip electrode 1 and / or the lubricating oil pool 2 and is used to adjust the relative position and distance between the needle tip of the needle tip electrode 1 and the surface of the metal sample 5 placed on the lubricating oil pool 2. The circuit module is electrically connected between the needle tip electrode 1 and the metal sample 5 and is used to apply a pulse voltage to the lubricating medium 4 between them. By controlling the displacement driving mechanism 3, a non-contact micron-level gap is formed between the needle tip of the needle tip electrode 1 and the surface of the metal sample 5, and a controllable single discharge is generated by the voltage applied by the circuit module.

[0037] In this embodiment, by utilizing the geometric characteristic of the extremely small radius of curvature at the tip of the needle electrode 1, the discharge phenomenon is highly localized to a micro-region below the needle tip, achieving precise positioning of the discharge location. This replaces the problem of random distribution of discharge points on the surface of the ball electrode. The micron-level gap between the needle electrode 1 and the metal sample 5 is precisely controlled and maintained by the high-precision displacement drive mechanism 3. Combined with the application of precisely controllable pulse voltage by the circuit module, the consistency of discharge energy and range of action is ensured for each discharge. This allows for the preparation of a single electro-erosion pit with a defined location and highly repetitive geometric morphology on the surface of the metal sample 5. Through the fixed-point discharge mode, a reliable and repeatable morphological data basis is provided for subsequent quantitative analysis and statistical modeling of the damage mechanism of a single electro-erosion event, effectively solving the core problems of strong discharge randomness and low morphological repeatability.

[0038] Specifically, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown in Figure (a), this is a physical image of the bearing steel disc used in the experiment. A millimeter ruler (displaying 0.5mm~3mm scale) indicates that the steel disc is millimeter-sized. The regular array of marks on its surface is an array of electro-erosion pits created by the horizontal stepping movement of the steel disc driven by the displacement drive mechanism 3 and repeated discharge. The red box marks the observation area, verifying that the device can achieve precise discharge at multiple locations on the sample surface, solving the problems of scattered pits and low sample utilization in traditional testing. Figure (b) shows the three-dimensional topography data (x / y axis units are mm, color bars correspond to pit depths) collected by the linear profile scanning system (surface profilometer). The "four pits" in the figure are independent single discharge products, regularly distributed and without overlap—reflecting the synergistic effect of the focused discharge of the needle electrode 1, the controllable pulse voltage of the circuit module, and the precise positioning of the displacement drive mechanism. This solves the pain points of strong randomness and low repeatability of traditional ball-disc models, achieving high consistency of pits and providing standardized samples for statistical analysis. Figure (c) shows a magnified view of a single pit (scale bar is 25 μm), revealing the microscopic damage characteristics of the pit (such as surface wrinkles and material loss morphology). This corresponds to the step in the testing method of "obtaining the geometric parameters of a single pit using a surface profilometer," supporting the damage mechanism analysis of a single discharge event and providing microscopic data for the construction of an electro-erosion wear model. It intuitively verifies that the experimental process of "from controllable discharge to highly repeatable pit array to precise quantitative analysis" is achieved through the synergy of tip electrode 1, displacement driving, and profilometry scanning, solving the technical pain points of traditional testing.

[0039] Among them, the needle tip electrode 1 is a tungsten needle electrode; the tungsten needle electrode has an extremely high melting point and high temperature resistance, and can withstand the instantaneous high temperature and discharge impact generated when the lubricating medium 4 dielectric breaks down, effectively avoiding the needle tip from melting, deforming or being worn out due to high temperature, and maintaining the sharp shape and structural integrity of the needle tip in long-term experiments.

[0040] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the needle tip electrode 1 is connected to the displacement driving mechanism 3 through the fixing member 6. A capacitive displacement sensor 8 is connected to one side of the needle tip electrode 1 through the connector 7. The detection end of the capacitive displacement sensor 8 points to the surface of the metal sample 5 and is used to measure the distance between the tip of the needle tip electrode 1 and the surface of the metal sample 5 in real time.

[0041] In this embodiment, the fixing component 6 achieves a stable connection between the needle tip electrode 1 and the displacement driving mechanism 3, ensuring that the displacement driving mechanism 3 can accurately transmit the displacement adjustment command of the needle tip electrode 1. The connecting component 7 achieves a reliable assembly between the capacitive displacement sensor 8 and the needle tip electrode 1, and enables the detection end of the capacitive displacement sensor 8 to accurately point to the surface of the metal sample 5, avoiding measurement deviation. The capacitive displacement sensor 8 can measure the distance between the needle tip of the needle tip electrode 1 and the surface of the metal sample 5 in real time, and can dynamically capture the minute changes in the distance between the two and feed back the data. On the one hand, it can cooperate with the displacement driving mechanism 3 to achieve closed-loop feedback adjustment of the micron-level gap, ensuring that the gap size meets the experimental setting requirements, and providing key parameter guarantee for the generation of controllable single discharge. On the other hand, the real-time accurate distance data can be directly used for the subsequent calculation of the breakdown strength of the lubricating material (breakdown voltage divided by distance), avoiding the influence of distance measurement error on the accuracy of the core experimental data. At the same time, it provides accurate basic data for analyzing the correlation between distance and the morphology of electro-erosion pits, further improving the reliability and repeatability of experimental results.

[0042] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the displacement drive mechanism 3 includes a base plate 31, a vertical lifting assembly 32, a one-dimensional translation platform 33, and a two-dimensional XY displacement platform 34. The vertical lifting assembly 32 and the two-dimensional XY displacement platform 34 are both connected to the top of the base plate 31. One side of the one-dimensional translation platform 33 is connected to the vertical lifting assembly 32, and the other side of the one-dimensional translation platform 33 is connected to the needle tip electrode 1. The top of the two-dimensional XY displacement platform 34 is connected to a two-axis tilting platform 35, and the top of the two-axis tilting platform 35 is connected to the lubricating oil pool 2.

[0043] In this embodiment, the vertical lifting component 32 and the two-dimensional XY displacement platform 34 are stably integrated on the same reference plane by the base plate 31, ensuring the installation accuracy and motion coordination of each adjustment component. Through the linkage between the vertical lifting component 32 and the one-dimensional translation platform 33, the tip electrode 1 can be driven to achieve vertical height adjustment and horizontal single-direction position fine adjustment, accurately matching the initial positioning requirements of the tip for different experiments, ensuring that the tip electrode 1 can quickly align with the target test area of ​​the metal sample 5. The two-dimensional XY displacement platform 34 can drive the top two-axis tilting platform 35 and the lubricating oil pool 2 to achieve flexible translation in the X and Y directions on the horizontal plane. With the adjustment of the tip electrode 1, it can not only achieve test coverage of different areas on the surface of the metal sample 5, but also prepare array-type electro-erosion pits through step translation in conjunction with the discharge process, improving the sample utilization rate.

[0044] Specifically, the tilt angle of the lubricating oil pool 2 can be precisely adjusted through the two-axis tilting platform 35 to ensure that the surface of the metal sample 5 is in a horizontal state, and to ensure that a uniform micron-level gap is formed between the tip of the needle electrode 1 and the surface of the metal sample 5, so as to avoid the impact of inconsistent local gaps caused by sample tilting on discharge stability. Each adjustment dimension is independent yet coordinated and controllable, which not only solves the problem of single displacement adjustment dimension and insufficient precision of the existing device, but also improves the adaptability of the device to different experimental conditions, meets diverse testing needs, and facilitates later maintenance and component upgrades.

[0045] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, a displacement zero-point calibration platform 9 is installed on the lubricating oil sump 2, which is used to perform measurement zero-point calibration in conjunction with the capacitive displacement sensor 8.

[0046] In this embodiment, the displacement zero-point calibration platform 9 is directly installed on the lubricating oil tank 2, sharing the same bearing base with the metal sample 5. This ensures the consistency between the zero-point calibration benchmark and the actual measurement benchmark, avoiding system errors caused by the separation of the calibration benchmark and the measurement scenario, and fundamentally improving calibration accuracy. Before the experiment or during the intermittent calibration process, the capacitive displacement sensor 8 can complete zero-point calibration by probing the standard reference surface of the displacement zero-point calibration platform 9. This effectively eliminates the zero-point drift of the capacitive displacement sensor 8 caused by factors such as changes in ambient temperature and long-term operation, ensuring that the sensor's measurement benchmark is always accurate.

[0047] like Figure 5 As shown, the circuit module includes a pulse power supply 10, a variable resistor 11, and an oscilloscope 12. The two poles of the pulse power supply 10 are electrically connected to the needle tip electrode 1 and the metal sample 5, respectively. The variable resistor 11 is connected in series in the discharge circuit of the pulse power supply 10. The oscilloscope 12 is connected in parallel across the variable resistor 11 to acquire the circuit current signal.

[0048] In this embodiment, the two poles of the pulse power supply 10 are directly electrically connected to the needle tip electrode 1 and the metal sample 5, respectively. The pulse voltage with set parameters can be accurately applied to the lubricating medium 4 between the two. The voltage amplitude, frequency and other key parameters can be flexibly adjusted to meet the single dielectric breakdown requirements under different lubricating materials and different experimental conditions. This solves the problem of fixed power output parameters and poor adaptability in the prior art, and provides a stable energy source for the generation of controllable single discharge.

[0049] Specifically, the variable resistor 11 is connected in series in the discharge circuit of the pulse power supply 10. On the one hand, it can adjust the circuit current according to experimental requirements to avoid excessive current causing burn-out of the needle electrode 1, excessive damage to the metal sample 5, or damage to circuit components, thus achieving circuit protection during operating condition transitions. On the other hand, by reasonably distributing the voltage, it ensures that the voltage output by the pulse power supply 10 can effectively act on the lubricating medium 4, improving discharge stability and avoiding discharge failure due to circuit impedance mismatch. By connecting the oscilloscope 12 in parallel across the variable resistor 11, the circuit current signal can be acquired in real time, accurately capturing the current surge at the moment of dielectric breakdown of the lubricating medium 4. The variable characteristics not only allow for a direct assessment of whether a single discharge has occurred successfully, but also enable the inverse estimation of discharge energy through parameters such as the amplitude and duration of the current signal. This provides key electrical signal data for analyzing the correlation between discharge energy and the morphology of electro-erosion pits, solving the pain points of existing technologies that make it difficult to accurately obtain single discharge electrical signals and quantify discharge energy. At the same time, the real-time acquired electrical signals can be cross-referenced with the spacing data measured by the capacitive displacement sensor 8 and the pit parameters obtained by the surface profilometer, forming a complete data chain of electrical parameters, gap parameters, and damage parameters. This provides comprehensive data support for in-depth research on the electro-erosion mechanism of lubricating materials.

[0050] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the lubricating oil tank 2 has an installation groove 201 inside, and a placement frame 13 is provided inside the installation groove 201. The placement frame 13 is used to place the metal sample 5. The two sides of the installation groove 201 are detachably connected to a clamping plate 14, which is used to fix the placement frame 13.

[0051] In this embodiment, the mounting groove 201 inside the lubricating oil tank 2 provides a precise positioning reference for the placement frame 13, ensuring that the placement frame 13 can form a regular assembly relationship with the lubricating oil tank 2 after being placed in. This ensures that the surface of the metal sample 5 placed in the placement frame 13 is horizontal and directly opposite the tip of the needle electrode 1, avoiding the discharge position from deviating from the preset area due to sample displacement. This lays a structural foundation for the precise positioning of the electro-erosion pit and the repeatability of the experiment. The placement frame 13 is specifically designed to support the metal sample 5, which can not only provide circumferential protection for the metal sample 5, avoiding damage to the sample edge due to contact and collision, but also allow the lubricating medium 4 to be evenly spread and retained on the sample surface. Within the space enclosed by the mounting groove 201 and the placement frame 13, the surface of the metal sample 5 is always fully wetted by the lubricating medium 4. The clamping plates 14, which are detachably connected to both sides of the mounting groove 201, can clamp and fix the placement frame 13 from both sides, effectively preventing the placement frame 13 and the metal sample 5 from moving due to the displacement drive mechanism 3 driving the lubricating oil pool 2 or the discharge impact during the experiment. This ensures the stability of the micron-level gap and the controllability of the discharge process. At the same time, the detachable design makes it more convenient to replace the metal sample 5 and clean the placement frame 13 without disassembling the entire lubricating oil pool 2, which significantly improves the efficiency of experimental operation and meets the needs of rapid switching between multiple sets of comparative experiments.

[0052] like Figure 8 As shown, a method for testing and quantitatively analyzing the electro-erosion of lubricating materials includes the following steps: S1, placing a metal sample 5 coated with a lubricating medium 4 in a lubricating oil pool 2, and controlling the needle electrode 1 to form a predetermined micron-level gap between the needle tip and the surface of the metal sample 5; S2, applying a pulse voltage between the needle electrode 1 and the metal sample 5 through a circuit module, causing the lubricating medium 4 in the gap to undergo a single dielectric breakdown, generating a single electro-erosion pit on the surface of the metal sample 5; S3, acquiring the geometric morphology data of the single electro-erosion pit using a surface profile measuring instrument.

[0053] In this embodiment, by placing the metal sample 5 coated with lubricating medium 4 in the lubricating oil pool 2, the lubricating oil pool 2 ensures uniform wetting and stable retention of the lubricating medium 4 on the surface of the metal sample 5. Simultaneously, the precise control of the needle tip electrode 1 forms a predetermined micron-level gap. This gap realistically simulates the thickness of the lubricating oil film under actual bearing operating conditions, while providing a stable dielectric environment and structural foundation for subsequent single discharges, avoiding abnormal discharges caused by uneven dielectric distribution or gap uncontrollability. By applying a pulse voltage between the needle tip electrode 1 and the metal sample 5 through the circuit module, and utilizing the focusing effect of the needle tip electrode 1 and the voltage controllability of the circuit module, a single dielectric breakdown of the lubricating medium 4 within the gap is achieved, successfully generating a single, precisely locatable electro-erosion pit on the surface of the metal sample 5. This solves the problem in existing ball-disk friction pair models where... The randomness of discharge locations and the overlap of multiple discharges provide an ideal experimental subject for analyzing the damage mechanism of a single discharge event. By directly acquiring the geometric morphology data (such as diameter, depth, and volume) of a single electro-erosion pit using a surface profilometer, the degree of electro-erosion can be accurately quantified. This overcomes the shortcomings of traditional methods in quantitatively analyzing single electro-erosion damage. Furthermore, this data can be correlated with the gap parameter in step S1 and the pulse voltage parameter in step S2, constructing a complete analytical chain of operating parameters, electro-erosion morphology, and quantitative data. This not only provides reliable data support for calculating the breakdown strength of lubricating materials and establishing electro-erosion wear models, but also allows for verification of the repeatability and consistency of the data through multiple sets of repeated experiments, further improving the credibility of the experimental results and meeting the needs of tribological research and engineering applications for accurate analysis of electro-erosion characteristics.

[0054] In step S1, the distance between the tip of the needle electrode 1 and the surface of the metal sample 5 is monitored in real time by the capacitive displacement sensor 8, and feedback control is performed.

[0055] In this embodiment, the capacitive displacement sensor 8, with its high sensitivity, can capture the minute fluctuations in the micron-level distance between the tip of the needle electrode 1 and the surface of the metal sample 5 in real time, accurately feeding back the dynamic changes in the distance. This real-time monitoring data can be directly transmitted to the displacement drive mechanism 3, forming a closed-loop control loop of monitoring, feedback, and adjustment. When the distance deviates due to experimental vibration, temperature drift, or slight deformation of the component, the displacement drive mechanism 3 can quickly respond and drive the needle electrode 1 or the lubricating oil pool 2 to compensate and adjust, ensuring that the distance between the needle tip and the surface of the metal sample 5 remains stable at the set value. This avoids problems such as uncontrolled discharge energy and inconsistent morphology of electro-erosion pits caused by gap offset. It is especially suitable for multiple sets of repeated experiments or long-term continuous testing scenarios, ensuring the consistency of gap parameters in different batches of experiments.

[0056] After step S2, the metal sample 5 is driven by the displacement driving mechanism 3 to generate a relative horizontal displacement with respect to the needle electrode 1. Steps S1 and S2 are repeated to prepare an array of multiple individual electro-erosion pits on the surface of the metal sample 5 for statistical analysis.

[0057] In this embodiment, the displacement driving mechanism 3 achieves high-precision horizontal step displacement of the metal sample 5 through its integrated two-dimensional XY displacement platform 34. The two-axis tilting platform 35 ensures that the surface of the metal sample 5 remains horizontal, avoiding the impact on the uniformity of the gap during the displacement process. At the same time, the one-dimensional translation platform 33 and the vertical lifting component 32 can help maintain the stable posture of the needle tip electrode 1, so that the vertical distance between the needle tip and the sample surface always meets the set requirements during the relative horizontal displacement process. By repeating the core process of "forming a set micron-level gap" in step S1 and "the circuit module applies a pulse voltage to generate a single controllable discharge" in step S2, relying on the tip focusing discharge characteristics of the needle tip electrode 1 and the precise voltage control capability of the circuit module, it is ensured that each individual electro-erosion pit in the array is an independent and controllable single discharge product, effectively avoiding the problems of pit overlap and morphological dispersion in the prior art, and achieving high consistency of pit geometric parameters (diameter, depth).

[0058] Specifically, the array consists of multiple standardized individual pits, which not only greatly improves the utilization rate of the surface of metal sample 5 and solves the problem that only a small number of scattered pits can be obtained in a single experiment in traditional testing, resulting in insufficient data, but also provides a sufficient and uniform sample basis for the statistical analysis of the geometric features of the pits. The electro-erosion law can be quantified by calculating parameters such as average size and dispersion.

[0059] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely a few specific examples of the present invention. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and any variations that can be conceived by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An instrument for testing and quantifying the electrical erosion of lubricating materials, characterized in that, include: The needle electrode (1) has its tip pointing vertically toward the metal sample (5). The lubricating oil pool (2) is located below the needle tip electrode (1) and is used to support the metal sample (5) and the lubricating medium (4). The displacement drive mechanism (3) is connected to the needle tip electrode (1) and the lubricating oil pool (2) and is used to adjust the relative position and spacing between the needle tip of the needle tip electrode (1) and the surface of the metal sample (5) placed on the lubricating oil pool (2); The circuit module is electrically connected between the needle tip electrode (1) and the metal sample (5) and is used to apply a pulse voltage to the lubricating medium (4) between them; The displacement drive mechanism (3) includes a vertical lifting assembly (32), a one-dimensional translation platform (33), and a two-dimensional XY displacement platform (34). One side of the one-dimensional translation platform (33) is connected to the vertical lifting assembly (32), and the other side of the one-dimensional translation platform (33) is connected to the needle tip electrode (1). The two-dimensional XY displacement platform (34) is connected below the lubricating oil pool (2). In this process, by controlling the displacement driving mechanism (3), a non-contact micron-level gap is formed between the tip of the needle electrode (1) and the surface of the metal sample (5), and a controllable single discharge is generated by applying voltage by the circuit module.

2. The instrument for testing and quantifying the electrical erosion of lubricating materials as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The needle tip electrode (1) is connected to the displacement driving mechanism (3) through the fixing member (6). A capacitive displacement sensor (8) is connected to one side of the needle tip electrode (1) through the connector (7). The detection end of the capacitive displacement sensor (8) points to the surface of the metal sample (5) and is used to measure the distance between the tip of the needle tip electrode (1) and the surface of the metal sample (5) in real time.

3. The instrument for testing and quantifying electrical erosion of lubricating materials as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The displacement drive mechanism (3) also includes a base plate (31). The vertical lifting component (32) and the two-dimensional XY displacement platform (34) are both connected to the top of the base plate (31). The top of the two-dimensional XY displacement platform (34) is connected to a two-axis tilting platform (35), and the top of the two-axis tilting platform (35) is connected to the lubricating oil pool (2).

4. The instrument for testing and quantifying electrical erosion of lubricating materials as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The lubricating oil tank (2) is equipped with a displacement zero-point calibration platform (9), which is used to cooperate with the capacitive displacement sensor (8) to perform measurement zero-point calibration.

5. The instrument for testing and quantifying electrical erosion of lubricating materials as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The circuit module includes a pulse power supply (10), a variable resistor (11), and an oscilloscope (12). The two poles of the pulse power supply (10) are electrically connected to the needle tip electrode (1) and the metal sample (5), respectively. The variable resistor (11) is connected in series in the discharge circuit of the pulse power supply (10), and the oscilloscope (12) is connected in parallel across the two ends of the variable resistor (11) to collect the circuit current signal.

6. The electrical erosion testing and quantification analyzer for lubricating materials as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lubricating oil tank (2) has an installation groove (201) inside, and a placement frame (13) is provided inside the installation groove (201). The placement frame (13) is used to place the metal sample (5). A clamping plate (14) is detachably connected to both sides of the installation groove (201). The clamping plate (14) is used to fix the placement frame (13).

7. The electrical erosion testing and quantification analyzer for lubricating materials as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The needle tip electrode (1) is a tungsten needle electrode.

8. A method for testing and quantitatively analyzing the electrical erosion of lubricating materials, characterized in that, The method, applied to the electrical erosion testing and quantitative analysis instrument for lubricating materials as described in any one of claims 1-7, includes the following steps: S1. Place the metal sample (5) coated with lubricating medium (4) in the lubricating oil pool (2) and control the needle tip electrode (1) to form a set micron-level gap between the needle tip and the surface of the metal sample (5). S2. A pulse voltage is applied between the needle tip electrode (1) and the metal sample (5) through the circuit module, causing the lubricating medium (4) in the gap to undergo a single dielectric breakdown, resulting in a single electro-erosion pit on the surface of the metal sample (5). S3. Obtain the geometric morphology data of a single electro-erosion pit using a surface profile measuring instrument.

9. The method for testing and quantitative analysis of electrical erosion of lubricating materials as described in claim 8, characterized in that, In step S1, the distance between the tip of the needle electrode (1) and the surface of the metal sample (5) is monitored in real time by a capacitive displacement sensor (8), and feedback control is performed.

10. The method for testing and quantitative analysis of electrical erosion of lubricating materials as described in claim 8, characterized in that, After step S2, the metal sample (5) and the needle electrode (1) are driven to generate a relative horizontal displacement by the displacement driving mechanism (3), and steps S1 and S2 are repeated to prepare an array of multiple individual electro-erosion pits for statistical analysis on the surface of the metal sample (5).

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