Development of Grease Film Breakdown Observing Device

Abstract

The paper describes a newly developed smart device, which can detect the dielectric breakdown of the grease elastohydrodynamic film formed between a steel ball loaded against a glass disc due to electric discharge, while observing the shape and thickness of the film. The electric discharge between contacting surfaces can be observed as a white flash signal. It is found that the dielectric breakdown voltage increases with the film thickness.