CAM AND FOLLOWER WEAR OF IC ENGINES

RAJEEV G P MM12S010

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION WEAR MECHANISM MODES OF FAILURES MATERIALS USED CONCLUSION REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION

Fig. 2. cam and follower mechanism

Fig. 1. cam and follower in IC engine valves

INTRODUCTION
Cam and follower are used in internal combustion engines to provide a specific prescribed motion to a valve train system. The cam follower motion is complex. Motion of cam is transferred to the follower by direct contact under conditions of high temperature lubrication High contact stress

CAM AND FOLLOWER WEAR

EFFECT OF WEAR
The valve lift duration during the cycle influences engine performance The intake of charge and exhaust of gases are controlled by respective valves Valve lift motion is controlled by cam and follower movement The wear process at the interface of cam and follower adversely affect the engine performance

FACTORS AFFECTING THE WEAR

Materials used Rotational speed Dynamics of the camshaft follower kinematic pair Temperature & viscosity of lubricating oil Operational conditions

Typical diagram of cam follower system

WEAR MECHANISM
Break down of lubrication leads to metal to metal contact adhesive wear The cam follower pair is under rolling-sliding contact. The wear caused by surface fatigue because of repetition of contact load

Sometimes the abrasive wear observed

MODES OF FAILURES
Typically 3 modes of failures are observed

1. Pitting (surface fatigue )

Breaking-out of small rough portions of material surfaces Severe wear occurs when it promote scuffing Surface initiated or subSurface initiated
Fig. 2. pitted follower surface

MODES OF FAILURES
2. Polish wear (abrasive wear )
This type of wear found in every contacting surfaces Visually mirror finish appearance Dimensional check quantifies wear

Fig. 3. polish wear surface under cyclic loading

MODES OF FAILURES
3. Scuffing (adhesive wear) Severe form of wear Break down of lubrication; high degree of relative motion Local welding of two heavy loaded surfaces Tearing apart of welded material

Fig. 4. scuffed surface

SEVERITY OF WEAR

SEM micrograph of scuffed surface

SEM micrograph of pitted surface

Scuffed surfaces are associated with white layer Pitting may not affect running behaviour until it promote scuffing

MATERIALS USED
Cam shaft
Cast iron is widely used for large volume production - grey cast iron - chilled cast iron - nodular cast iron - malleable cast iron

Chilled cast iron camshaft

Steels are used in small volume production

Steel camshaft

MATERIALS USED
Cam shaft

MATERIALS USED
Followers chilled cast iron is widely used

Table showing cam shaft and cam follower materials

HOW TO REDUCE WEAR?

Surface treatments Phosphating : dipping the component in a bath of
phosphoric acid and phosphate for 15 min. At 80-100 oC The crystalline surface layer inhibits adhesive wear

www.phosphating.net

SEM image of phosphated surface

HOW TO REDUCE WEAR?

Ferrox process &oxidation : This process involves
the use of a porous structure mass called Ferrox ( iron oxide and binder) deposited on surface

Produces oxide coating by treating in steam at 300

600 oC Coating resist adhesive wear

www.baileysonline.com

SEM micrograph of ferrox surface coating

HOW TO REDUCE WEAR?

Tufftriding : a nitrocarburizing process accelerated by
blowing in compressed air. A thin non-brittle carbon bearing FeN layer is formed which resist wear process

www.wallworkht.co.uk

SEM micrograph of tufftrided surface

HOW TO REDUCE WEAR?

Induction and flame hardening
Increases the hardness of various Cast irons by inducing martensite transformation at surface Hard surface resist wear

carburizing
Applicable to low carbon steels Diffused carbon increases the surface hardness

Chromium coating & carbo-nitriding of cam follower These coatings are against scuffing wear Upper surface remelting method Application of technical ceramics, composites, hard sintered metals

SUMMARY
Engine performance depends on cam and follower movement. Cam and follower surfaces which are in dynamic contact suffer from different types of wear Scuffing is the most deleterious wear process Different cast irons and steel are used for manufacturing of camshaft and followers Several surface treatment methods are used for improving wear resistance of cam and follower

REFERENCES
T.S. Eyre , B. Crawley ,Camshaft and cam follower materials, Tribology international August 1980, 147-152 Nagaraj Nayak, P.A. Lakshminarayanan, M.K. Gajendra Babu, A.D. Dani, Predictions of cam follower wear in diesel engines, Wear 260 (2006) 181192 J. Michalski, J. Marszalek, K. Kubiak,An experimental study of diesel engine cam and follower wear with particular reference to the properties of the materials, Wear 240 (2000),168179