Method of Experimental Modeling of Contact Interaction in a Worm–Worm Wheel Pair

The aim of this study is to develop a method for experimental modeling of contact interaction in a worm–worm wheel pair on an MT-8 friction machine with assessment of a complex criterion of physical similarity between the processes of friction and wear in a worm pair and in laboratory samples. Modeling of the processes of contact interaction of the worm pair in operation based on the analysis of the contact conditions of the worm–worm wheel pair is performed in laboratory conditions on an MT-8 friction machine with the determination of a complex similarity criterion for the selected laboratory installation. Dependences of the wear intensity on the contact pressure in a worm gear and in laboratory samples were obtained, with recalculation of the contact pressures and taking into account the real contour contact area. The developed method for experimental modeling of contact interaction in a worm–worm wheel pair has shown that the processes of contact interaction in the operation of a worm pair and in a model experiment on a reverse sliding friction machine are similar. The use of the developed method for experimental modeling of contact interaction in a worm–worm wheel pair is recommended when planning preliminary tribological tests, which will reduce the costs and time for carrying out full-scale tests of a worm gear with assessment of tribological parameters: wear rate, contact pressure, relative sliding speed, oil temperature with the goal of predicting the parametric boundaries of the tribotechnical performance of a worm gear.