Advantages of using the ball-on-flat device in rolling-contact testing of ceramics

In this paper we present a new rolling-contact device that uses the ball-on-flat testing principle, and discuss some potential advantages of this device compared to commonly used rolling-contact machines. The loading arm of the new device moves linearly in a reciprocating motion and rolls the ball over a flat specimen. Instead of discs, rods or similar, circular-shaped, specimens, we can use simple, small blocks or even standard flat flexure test bars as convenient and inexpensive specimens. For comparison and evaluation reasons some results of non-lubricated rolling-contact experiments on silicon nitride ceramics are also presented and compared with data from the literature.