Abstract
In Inertia Drive Motors, generated motion is based on stick-slip principle. Current analytical models are predictive enough to calculate qualitatively their optimal performances, such as maximal step size and speed, with relatively few input parameters. But, they do not take into account the contact life and temporal evolution of parameters as friction factor all along lifetime of IDM. So, analytical models reach their limits when precise predictions are necessary. This investigation aims at understanding wear mechanisms to model temporal evolution of friction. Such an understanding requires the reconstitution of the contact life through the evaluation of 1st and 3rd body flows. To do so, a new IDM-representative tribometer is designed. 1st bodies - coated TA6V and polymer - are not see-through. They are replaced alternatively by an intermediate transparent 1st body to observe the contact dynamically and in-situ. Friction factor, step size and mean speed are also measured. Preliminary results shows that wear profiles from real IDM and tribometer are similar. Direct observations bring out particles of TA6V coating are firstly snatched, then moves in contact and finally trigs others particle detachments.
